Channel 4 has appointed Marcia Williams as it first Director of Inclusion. Marcia will join Channel 4 in August 2022 and will also be a member of the Executive Management Board.
Alex Mahon, Chief Executive, Channel 4:
“Channel 4 believes that everyone, regardless of their background, ethnicity, sexuality or ability should be respected for their point of view and values, recognised for their unique skills and capabilities and both enabled and supported to be their genuine selves.
“This newly created role not only recognises Channel 4’s successful history of pioneering change in diversity and inclusion that has inspired change in the creative industries and beyond, but also the ongoing imperative to ensure that inclusion and diversity is truly embedded in everything that we do.”
As Director of Inclusion, Marcia will have responsibility for the strategic direction of inclusion and diversity at Channel 4.
To ensure greater alignment internally and externally, both on and off-screen, the employee-focused 4Inclusion team will report to Marcia, and she will share dual reporting responsibility for the Creative Diversity team with Emma Hardy, Director of Commissioning Operations.
This will, the broadcaster believes, enable the creation of a cohesive and complementary strategy that will ensure that Channel 4 continues to foster an inclusive workplace culture and remains at the forefront of inclusion and diversity in the UK, authentically portraying the UK’s broad spectrum of voices, backgrounds and experiences on-air and working with the independent production sector to further improve representation and portrayal.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Channel 4’s Executive Leadership Team in this newly created role. Channel 4 has pioneered in this field with its distinctive remit. This new role is an affirmation that Channel 4 is laser-focused on pushing forward to find new, and powerful ways to approach issues of equity and inclusivity across its talent and business practices to create and sustain true impact.”
Marcia is currently Director, Diversity, Inclusion & Talent for TfL. Previously, she has held senior inclusion and diversity roles in the private and public sectors, with organisations including Tideway, UK Film Council, HM Treasury and The Law Society of England and Wales.
