Marcia Williams Named First Director of Inclusion at U.K.’s Channel 4
British network Channel 4 has appointed Marcia Williams as its first director of inclusion.
Williams, who has a career in inclusion and diversity spanning almost 30 years, including at the U.K. Film Council, will join the company from Transport for London in August, report to Channel 4 chief executive Alex Mahon and will also become a member of the executive management board.
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“Channel 4 believes that everyone, regardless of their background, ethnicity, sexuality or ability should be respected for their point of view and values, recognized for their unique skills and capabilities and both enabled and supported to be their genuine selves,” said Mahon. “This newly created role not only recognizes 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, Williams will have responsibility for the strategic direction of inclusion and diversity at Channel 4, with the employee-focused 4Inclusion team reporting into her to help improve alignment internally and externally, both on and off screen. She will share dual reporting responsibility for the creative diversity team with Emma Hardy, director of commissioning operations, a move that Channel 4 says should “enable the creation of a cohesive and complementary strategy” to foster an inclusive workplace, authentically portray the U.K.’s diverse population, and work with the independent production sector to further improve representation and portrayal.
“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,” said Williams.
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