• by Larissa Faw , December 15, 2020

DDB Worldwide is strengthening its diversity initiatives by naming Nikki Lamba as the network’s first global head of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). And Giant Spoon has hired entrepreneur Kenny Mac to build the agency’s “Diverse Audience Marketing” practice designed to help clients better understand multi-cultural consumers.

In the newly created DDB role, Lamba she will help the network’s efforts to develop programs and initiatives that support diversity and inclusive practices across the network for its teams and clients.

“At DDB, growth and success are driven by able and talented people regardless of background,” stated Marty O’Halloran, CEO, DDB Worldwide. “We remain focused on furthering our progress towards being a network that recruits, recognizes and retains diverse teams.”

Lamba spent the past 11 years at Catalyst advising Fortune 500 companies on their D&I strategies, initiatives and practices.

The new Giant Spoon practice is a top priority for the agency in 2021. Mac recently served as executive producer of Lionsgate’s “Antebellum” and has held top marketing positions for many different companies including magazines (VIBE, Rolling Stones), clothing brands (Ecko, Mecca), lifestyle brands (10 Cane, Belvedere Vodka), and celeb-backed retail brands (Sean “Diddy” Combs). 

He also ran his own marketing company, Direct Impulse, while he was still in college eventually selling it to Alloy Marketing.  

Under this new offering, Mac will work closely with a team of eight strategists initially with plans to grow the group over the coming year. This is a specialty offering with dedicated staff and will be integrated into the processes of Giant Spoon. 

“Kenny, especially, is additive as a whole because of all the roles he carries — his expertise spans film, fashion and more - he’s a creative, entrepreneur, leader. He’s eager to go above and beyond his client-facing duties to be a mentor at Giant Spoon,” the agency stated. 

Mac’s involvement grew through his longtime friendship with Giant Spoon cofounder Marc Simons when he hired him as an intern at Alloy Marketing and Promotions. The two kicked off the early beginnings of this new offering for current client, HP. This summer, following the death of George Floyd this year, Mac’s daughter attended a protest and he knew that it was his place to do something different. He began reaching out to his network to discuss the impact on the industry and when he and Simons spoke, they knew something was different and needed to launch the program more broadly.