Equality Media + Marketing appoints Eley Michael as strategy manager
Eley Michael has joined the Equality Media + Marketing team as a strategy manager.
The announcement:
Equality Media + Marketing has appointed Eley Michael as strategy manager, as the independent agency continues to invest in strategic firepower to support its full-service growth model.
Eley joins from Southern Cross Austereo, where she held senior roles in corporate strategy and effectiveness. With more than nine years’ experience across insights, marketing and research, she brings a sharp analytical lens, strong commercial grounding and a reputation for thoughtful, people-first leadership.
The announcement comes as Equality Media + Marketing is named #1 in Media & Marketing on the AFR BOSS Best Places to Work list for 2025, its third consecutive year on the list and latest milestone in a period of sustained growth across strategy, creative, media and production.
“Eley brings together rigour and heart in a way that’s rare and powerful,” said Marilla Akkermans, founder and managing director of Equality Media + Marketing. “She’s a natural strategist – curious, collaborative, and commercially minded. But more than that, she’s the kind of person who makes everyone around her better. That’s the leadership we need as we continue building an agency model that grows people, brands and businesses in equal measure.”
Equality Media + Marketing has become known for its values-led approach to agency life, implementing a 4-day workweek at full pay (Equality Time), introducing 19 additional types of life-aligned leave, and maintaining a 90% retention rate while supporting nearly $1 billion in client revenue over the past year.
“I’ve always admired Equality’s ability to be progressive without being performative,” said Eley. “They’ve built a business that leads with care and delivers with clarity. I’m excited to join a team that doesn’t just talk about purpose but makes it a strategic advantage.”
The appointment of Eley marks a further step in the agency’s vision to redefine what good growth looks like – for clients, for culture and the category.
Source: Little Loud
