London, 5th March, 2026: WACL (Women in Advertising and Communications Leadership) today announces the winners of its annual talent awards. The awards shine a spotlight on the women who go above and beyond within the creative industries, and also offer them financial support for training and upskilling.
The awards, created by Tess Alps in 2005 and run in partnership with NABS, are now in their 21st year. Over the years, WACL has awarded more than £500,000 in grants. This investment brings to life WACL’s ‘deeds not words’ philosophy to advancing gender equity in the creative industries.
Out of a staggering 194 applications, 21 winners were selected to receive bursaries of up to £1,500 each to fund their chosen training course.
Applicants from a wide range of ages, backgrounds and locations entered, spanning brands, media and creative agencies, tech platforms, startups and more, from companies such as YouTube, Sky, Diageo, Mother London and the Conscious Advertising Network.
Fleur Stoppani, Chair of the WACL Talent Awards and Chief Operating Officer at WPP Media’s Mindshare said: “This is my third year on the committee of the WACL Talent Awards, and I’m continually inspired by the depth of ambition, honesty and self-awareness in every application. The calibre this year has been truly exceptional. It feels like our awards are needed now more than ever, given the greater number looking for new roles. The drop in learning and development budgets was also reflected in the volume of entries.
“For a lot of entrants, taking time to reflect on their development doesn’t come easily. These bursaries give them permission to step back, think about where they want to go next and invest in themselves. We’ve seen much more variation in courses chosen by winners this year, with a greater focus on business, change management and AI alongside the perennially popular courses on confidence and the craft of marketing. Working alongside NABS, we’re able to support women at important moments in their careers and help build a stronger pipeline of future leaders across the industry.”
Katrina Urban, Head of Learning and Development at NABS, says: “NABS partners with WACL on the Talent Awards because we believe in empowering women and non-binary people and creating a more equitable industry. Investing in training and development is a brilliant way to support mental wellness, as well as career longevity. This year’s winners will reap the rewards and rightly so; they are a talented and inspirational group of future leaders to watch! Huge congratulations to all, and thanks to WACL and our 2026 award partners.”
This year, WACL has announced two new special awards. Firstly, The Lloyds Women Shaping AI & Technology Award has been awarded to Charlotte Bunyan, Head of Strategy at We Are Collider and MD of Arq. Charlotte has chosen to do the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme.
Secondly, WACL is awarding Sian Blackman, New Business Lead at Mother London, the WACL President’s Award. Sian has chosen a course in Confidence, Influence and Impact with The Chartered Institute of Marketing.
All winners gain membership to the Futures networking group, created and run by the WACL Talent Awards alumni, as well as up to £1,500 towards a training course of their choice. They will also be granted CMI membership, providing access to a range of resources and benefits designed to help accelerate their careers and access to Squiggly Careers resources.
The WACL Talent Awards were created to encourage talented and inspirational women to stop, reflect on and prioritise areas of their development in order to accelerate their careers and achieve their full potential.
