A Winning Combo

SYDNEY, Tuesday: Run co-founder/CCO Raymond Otene McKay has been named as a finalist in Australia’s B&T Awards, Diversity Individual category.

McKay cut his teeth at some of the biggest ad agencies in Aotearoa and Australia, before starting his own design and advertising agency (Run), along with his wife and co-founder Laura Cibilich in 2016.

Run is both Māori-owned and female-owned – “a winning combination”, they reckon. The agency has been globally awarded, and is one of the leading cultural agencies in this part of the world.

“He’s passionate about championing Māori, Pasifika and indigenous people, having seen the lack of cultural diversity within the industry, and wanting to create change.”

McKay (Ngaati Mahuta, Ngāti Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Pūkeko) is passionate about championing and empowering Māori, Pasifika and indigenous people, having seen the lack of cultural diversity within the industry, and wanting to create change.

He said: “I hope indigenous creatives around the world can see our opinions matter as we work towards an industry that better reflects the diverse voices of the community it represents”.

Significant achievements for McKay over the past year include being selected for the Rare with Google Steering Group, judging at AdStars and the Orcas, featured by Spotify on their Outside Voice series, and becoming a part-time lecturer at AUT University, Bachelor of Communication Studies.

The B&T Award for Diversity celebrates individuals who come from a culturally diverse background, who are simply brilliant at what they do, and are a standout in their field. B&T will unveil its winners in Sydney on 12 November.

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