About the Honoree

Darla is President of Ogilvy NY, bringing rich global experience and integrated capabilities that deliver business and culture-driving ideas for clients. In the last year, she’s helped the New York agency achieve the #3 spot as global agency of the year at Cannes. She’s also set an agency mission of “The Road to 50%” – 50% diverse by 2025. In just one year, the agency has surpassed 2023 goals and is currently up from 30% to 41% and growing.

Throughout her career, Darla’s portfolio of work spans diverse capabilities, categories, and clients including IKEA, Microsoft, Kroger, Olay, Johnson & Johnson, HomeGoods, Lockheed Martin, General Mills, Audi and a host of others. She made history in 2021 as the first Black President of DDB New York, helping deliver growth through a more inclusive and representative culture while producing award-winning creative work for clients. Darla has also served in executive roles at McCann, and prior to McCann she led key accounts for Saatchi & Saatchi living in Singapore and Mumbai. In 2023, Darla was named as an ADCOLOR Beacon for her work as a top leader in the advertising industry and in 2022, Darla was named an Ad Age Leading Woman. Additionally, she was named an ADCOLOR Change Agent nominee in 2020.

Inside and outside of work, she is an Executive Coach, avid mentor, and future of work and DE&I advocate who has a passion for helping young people of color be successful and rise within the industry.