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MUMBAI: US broadcaster MTV has announced that Marva Smalls
has been named the company’s first executive VP global
inclusion strategy.
In this new position, Smalls will drive MTV’s ongoing
efforts to champion a diverse, multicultural and inclusive
workforce; and to develop the next generation of leaders across
its worldwide brands.
She will report to MTV chairman and CEO, Judy McGrath and
will become a member of the company’s senior strategy
team. Smalls also will retain her current responsibilities
as Nickelodeon/MTVN kids and family group executive VP public
affairs.
“Diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion are core
values for our company – they are at the heart of our
business success, our programming strategy and our culture.”
said McGrath. “There’s no person better suited than
Marva to implement this vision across MTV Networks and help
develop our next generation of leaders.”
Smalls will work with the leadership of all MTV brands to
champion these values, and to support an environment across
the company where all employees can contribute to its success
while achieving their own professional goals. Further, she
will expand MTVN’s partnerships with leading outside
organizations and exemplify MTVN’s diversity, multiculturalism
and inclusion efforts worldwide.
Smalls says. “Our culture at MTVN is a rare thing. Our
employees share ideas, take creative risks and, most importantly,
reflect the audiences they serve and what’s important
to them. Diversity and inclusion are as essential as creativity
and innovation for success in a global marketplace, and I
am excited to build on these core values, particularly as
we extend our brands – and acquire new ones – across
all platforms.”
MTV has also announced that it is restructuring its day-to-day
approach to diversity leadership, with the introduction of a
new internal advisory team. Members of the team will reflect
the leading business units of MTV Networks, and will have direct
impact on diversity, multicultural and inclusion issues, including
domestic and international Channel Management, Operations, Programming,
Ad Sales, Corporate Responsibility, Creative, Communications,
Human Resources and Learning & Development. Working closely
with Smalls and the MTV Diversity Council, the advisory team
will help set priorities, develop strategies and implement policies
that advance MTV’s core values throughout every level of
the company and beyond.
As a result of the restructuring, the position of Chief Diversity
Officer (CDO) has been eliminated and CDO Billy Dexter will
be leaving the company.
Mcgrath says, “Given our unique company culture with
multiple stakeholders in our diversity efforts, we’ve
come to realise that a team approach will best serve us in
a global and now multi-platform environment. I have the greatest
respect for Billy, and we thank him for his contributions
to our diversity and inclusion mission. He has enhanced our
existing initiatives and we’ve benefited from his expertise.”
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