Google and The Drum launch Women in Search 2016

This is the second year Google has partnered with The Drum on the initiative, following the huge success of the project in 2015.

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The Women in Search initiative is calling on The Drum readers to nominate the most successful, innovative and market-shaping women in the search marketing industry. Public nominations can be made here until 4 March. An online vote will then decide the final shortlist of three.

In a new twist on last year’s process, the three shortlisted women will then pitch to the judging panel of The Drum Search Awards in a closed door session.

The overall winner of the Dragon’s Den-style pitch will then be selected by the judging panel to be announced on the night of the Awards in June.

Women in Search’s goal is to both highlight the shocking gender imbalance in the search marketing industry and to showcase and celebrate the opportunity for women in the sector.

Diversity is a key priority for both Google and The Drum and both hope the Women in Search 2016 initiative will play an important role in addressing the issue in the search sector, still one of the most important in the online marketing industry.

“Women in Search was an incredibly successful initiative last year celebrating the amazing women who are really driving this sector,” said Nishma Robb, head of Ads marketing and chair of Women @ Google UK. “We are so proud to once again be playing a role in raising the profile of women in the search sector. Campaigns like this are invaluable at highlighting the career opportunities for women in this vibrant and flourishing sector.”

Gemma Howley, formerly of Manning Gottlieb OMD, was announced as the winner of the Women in Search initiative in 2015.

Last year’s top ten finalists, all of whom were profiled at Google’s thought leadership portal Think with Google, were: Fern Potter, head of search and biddable EMEA, MediaCom; Helen Hambly, performance activation director, MEC UK; Jamie Crosson, global head of digital, RS Components; Bryony Sanderson, account director, MEC; Helena Lopez, head of performance, OMD International; Kristina Baus, PPC and display specialist, Teradata; Gemma Howley, head of PPC, Manning Gottlieb OMD; Sarah Conway, strategy & insights account director, Neo @ Ogilvy; Varthana Faulkner, EMEA search director, Performics; and Olga Nelyudova, head of paid search, Mindshare.