STEPHEN MACIAS NAMED INCLUSIVE DIVERSITY LEAD FOR OCTAGON SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK

Macias to Continue Oversight of R&CPMK's Multicultural Marketing & Communications Division, While Helping Drive DE&I Efforts Across Octagon, R&CPMK, and OSEN's Global Agency Portfolio

LOS ANGELES, March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Octagon Sports and Entertainment Network (OSEN) has elevated Stephen Macias to Head of Inclusive Diversity for OSEN Worldwide. Macias will take on the expanded role, while maintaining his current position as President of Multicultural Marketing & Communications, R&CPMK. The announcement was made today by Lisa Murray, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer & Chief Diversity Officer, OSEN, to whom Macias will report.

In his new role, Macias will continue to oversee R&CPMK's Multicultural Marketing & Communications division, focused on the agency's talent and brand clients. Additionally, Macias will help drive DE&I campaigns for Octagon's collection of athlete, personality, and brand clients. Macias will also help lead strategy and efforts dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion across the full Octagon Sports and Entertainment Network's six agency portfolio, including internal and external programming, global initiatives, and partnerships.

"Stephen has served as a valuable advisor to R&CPMK's clients, as well as Octagon and R&CPMK's leadership team, on a variety of projects and efforts surrounding the advancement of DE&I across our organization, the sports and entertainment industry, and society at large," said Murray. "We look forward to continuing to draw upon Stephen's strong insight and expertise, to help guide and grow our corporate and employee programs, strategy, content, and key initiatives throughout our agency network."

"I'm incredibly proud of the work we have done building and growing the Multicultural division at R&CPMK, as well as OSEN and IPG's long-standing commitment to advancing DE&I," said Macias. "I'm humbled to be partnering with Lisa, and OSEN staff worldwide, as we further our efforts and platforms surrounding our workplace, workforce, and client work. We have an exciting opportunity to evolve the way we approach inclusion, equity, and diversity in every aspect of who we are at work and what that can bring to the table for our clients around the world."

Macias has served as President of Multicultural Marketing & Communications, R&CPMK, since January 2022, and joined the agency as Executive Vice President Entertainment and Multicultural Practice Lead in 2020.

Under Macias' leadership at R&CPMK, the agency has built an industry-leading Multicultural Marketing & Communications practice, responsible for developing DE&I strategy, as well as influential public relations and marketing campaigns for R&CPMK's high-profile talent and Fortune 500 brand clients. Since launching the division, Macias and his team have significantly advanced DE&I efforts and conversations across the entertainment industry, driven millions of dollars in traditional and earned media focused on amplifying important societal conversations, and created progressive integrated content initiatives that have further connected brands and talent with diverse and emerging audiences, communities, and consumers. 

Prior to joining R&CPMK, Macias served as Senior Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion Practice Lead, at MWWPR (MikeWorldWide), where he was responsible for overseeing multicultural marketing and programming for clients, as well as managing LGBTQ+ and multicultural resources within the firm.

Previously, Macias founded Macias Media Group LLC., where he grew the agency into one of the top boutique PR firms specifically targeting the LGBTQ+ community before it was acquired by MWWPR. Macias also spent eight years as Executive Vice President and GM for Here Media Inc., overseeing iconic media brands, including The Advocate and OUT magazine, and served as Entertainment Media Director for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

Macias has also held a succession of senior leadership positions and worked with numerous leading nonprofits and organizations in the LGBTQ+ community, including the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Outfest, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival as well the United Nation's Free and Equal initiative and the U.S. State Department's Global Equality Fund. 

Click here for photography of Macias.

ABOUT OSEN:

The Octagon Sports and Entertainment Network, within the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), encompasses industry leaders Octagon, R&CPMK, FRUKT, Futures, Milkmoney, and No2ndPlace. This formidable family of agencies specializes in sports, entertainment, and lifestyle marketing and public relations for brands, athletes and celebrities.

ABOUT R&CPMK:

R&CPMK is the original entertainment and culture agency. For over 70 years the agency has been disrupting the marketplace - driving cultural relevance and engagement for talent, brands, and content creators throughout the world of entertainment, lifestyle, sports, influence, and popular culture. The agency represents more than 400 of the most prominent and influential actors, musicians, producers, directors, content creators and athletes in the world, and creates distinctive integrated marketing campaigns for some of the largest brands and Fortune 500 companies across the globe. With our unique position, and the insight to know what to do with it, we bring a depth of skill and relationships in key practices areas: Communications, Partnerships & Activations, Brand Integration, Talent & Influencer and Representation.

--OCTAGON SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK--

SOURCE Octagon Sports and Entertainment Network