CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Three proven business leaders driving change for gender equity – Caroline Dettman, Erin Gallagher and Pamela Culpepper – are joining forces to launch Have Her Back (HHB) Consulting, an independent company. Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) is taking a minority ownership stake in the women owned and operated business.
HHB Consulting will work with companies and brands to advance equity for women while driving business outcomes. This includes work on internal cultural change and the way companies and brands go to market externally.
The Have Her Back initiative, launched in March 2018, was IPG’s PR agency Golin’s call to action to realize gender equity within creative departments at agencies. Now, as its own independent company, HHB Consulting will work with like-minded brands and companies to move from good intentions around inclusion to intentional actions inside and out.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace are not just moral issues, they’re business imperatives,” noted Michael Roth, Chairman and CEO of IPG. “We are proud to have been a part of the launch of Have Her Back, and look forward to seeing them continue their success and grow as an independent agency,” Mr. Roth concluded. Ellen Johnson, currently IPG’s SVP of Finance and Treasurer of IPG, who will become global CFO of IPG on January 1, 2020, will serve on the Board of HHB Consulting. IPG made history when it was announced that Johnson will become the first female CFO of a global holding company.
The three founding partners of HHB – career mothers, with six sons among them – bring expertise in creative, growth, talent and culture:
- Caroline Dettman, former chief creative officer at Golin, brings over 25 years of experience as a creative and client-relationship leader
- Erin Gallagher, former executive director of marketing at Golin, has a 10-year-plus track record of delivering high-caliber marketing, communications, branding and growth
- Pamela Culpepper, a 25-year-plus HR, talent and culture leader, offers deep expertise from her roles as Chief Global Diversity Officer at PepsiCo and Chief People Officer at Golin
“The cultural zeitgeist bringing diversity, inclusion, belonging and equity to the forefront for companies is an undeniable opportunity and not without its challenges,” explained Dettman. “Companies are seeking experts in bringing authentic gender equity to bear – inside and out. We’re excited that HHB Consulting can help them move beyond good intentions to being intentional about having her back.”
“Even though women make up 51% of the global population and make 85% of all consumer purchasing decisions, the world is not built for us,” said Gallagher. “So, we decided to create a company that is. And we will build our company with the talent, commitments and policies that authentically reflect that mission.”
Culpepper believes that there are expanded dimensions to diversity and the role of women that need to be addressed regularly by organizations. “We are in a rapidly changing climate that demands we review and refresh how organizations address their culture, policies and the way they authentically reflect those externally. There is no better time for HHB Consulting to take its place as a social impact and change agent,” said Culpepper.
The Have Her Back mission launched in March of 2018 at global PR agency Golin under Dettman, Gallagher and the leadership team at Golin as a creative stance and call to the communications industry to welcome female creatives back into the workforce. “Golin is where Have Her Back began and we continue to share a commitment to its mission, and look forward to working alongside the consultancy to achieve progress with the creative community and clients,” said Matt Neale, co-CEO of Golin.
HHB Consulting is open for business immediately, with an official launch this fall. The business will operate out of The Wing in Chicago through the end of this year, part of a network of work and community spaces designed for women of all definitions.
About Have Her Back Consulting
Have Her Back (HHB) Consulting is a women-owned and -operated culture consultancy working with brands and companies to advance equity for women while driving business outcomes. This includes work on internal cultural change and the way companies and brands go to market externally. Services focus on advancing gender equity through marketing, creative storytelling, issues management, product development, change management and executive coaching and assessments. Authentic cultural change starts here. For more information, please visit www.haveherback.com.
About Interpublic
Interpublic is values-based, data-fueled, and creatively-driven. Major global brands include Acxiom, Craft, FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding), FutureBrand, Golin, Huge, Initiative, Jack Morton, MAGNA, McCann, Momentum, MRM//McCann, MullenLowe Group, Octagon, R/GA, UM and Weber Shandwick. Other leading brands include Avrett Free Ginsberg, Campbell Ewald, Carmichael Lynch, Deutsch, Hill Holliday, ID Media and The Martin Agency. For more information, please visit www.interpublic.com.
