Bio + Provide in depth information about you and your current job role.
Sagina Shabaya is a Senior Director, Impact, Inclusion and Advocacy, EMEA, at WME, the global talent representation and entertainment company. She leads cultural strategy, drives organisational change and advances inclusion across WME Agency and WME Fashion.
Her role spans three interconnected pillars. Through Impact, she works with clients across music, sports, books, brands and digital to develop philanthropic strategies and partnerships with nonprofit organisations. She also leads WME’s UK partnerships with organisations like The BRIT School, ELAM and Nordoff & Robbins, creating access to mentorship, industry expertise, careers and opportunities.
Through Inclusion, Sagina leads the development of inclusive workplace culture, including WME’s London affinity groups, employee engagement initiatives and bespoke inclusive leadership training. Through Advocacy, she works to improve access and representation across the industries in which WME operates.
Sagina has spent her career improving access and opportunity. She began in television, spending a decade commissioning content for Channel 4 across sport, entertainment, art and travel, ultimately becoming a Commissioning Editor. She subsequently held senior roles focused on diversity, inclusion, talent and career development at Creative Equals, Raconteur Media, Sony PlayStation, AllBright and OLIVER Agency, where she shaped global DEI strategy across more than 3,000 employees, 250 client teams and nearly 50 markets.
Why do you feel you have been selected for the Head of Diversity & Inclusion Award?
I believe I have been selected because my work combines strategy with practical action. I focus not only on improving representation within organisations, but also on addressing the access barriers that prevent people from entering and progressing through the industries we work in.
Across my career, I have built programmes that create tangible pathways into employment, progression, retention, and leadership for underrepresented groups. At WME, this includes early-career programmes, partnerships with schools and grassroots organisations, progression initiatives, employee affinity groups and inclusive leadership training.
What diversity initiatives have you implemented within your workplace across the following diversity strands?
Age: I have supported and developed early-career pathways into the industry, including WME’s Summer Internship Programme, Rotational Assistant Programme and Music Central Agent Pathway. Through partnerships with The BRIT School and ELAM, students receive mentoring, masterclasses, careers support and access to these programmes.
Disability: I established and supported WME’s relationship with the Business Disability Forum, providing access to expertise and resources supporting employees with both visible disabilities and non-visible disabilities, including neurodivergence.
Gender: Through the NXT UK: Women in Sports, I helped develop access opportunities for women seeking to enter the sports industry, including a free online programme and industry engagement opportunities. Within WME, I also support the Women’s Collective, which provides community, connection, leadership discussions and events, including a Wimbledon panel and luncheon and a session with WME’s Chief Legal Officer on strategies for success.
https://variety.com/2024/sports/global/alex-scott-endeavor-women-sport-1235976521/
LGBTQIA+: I partnered with We Create Space to deliver training, talks and panels focused on LGBTQIA+ inclusion and community. I have also helped create spaces for connection and support through WME’s employee affinity groups.
Race: Through IMG’s Merky FC partnership with Stormzy, I supported access for Black heritage early-career talent through 12-month, fully paid roles across commercial and executive functions, including marketing, production and partnerships. I have also supported RAPP — Retention, Advancement, Progression and Promotion — focused on improving progression opportunities for employees from underrepresented groups.
Religion & Faith: Through WME’s Culture Agents affinity group, I support an intersectional approach to inclusion, creating space for employees from underrepresented groups to build community, share experiences and help shape a more inclusive workplace.
In addition, I have developed and delivered bespoke Inclusive Leadership training for WME Fashion leadership teams across Los Angeles, New York and London.
What impact have these initiatives had on your workplace?
These initiatives have helped shift inclusion from a standalone programme to a more embedded part of organisational culture. They have created clearer pathways into the industry, increased access to mentoring and professional networks, and provided employees with spaces for community, connection and support. Our affinity groups have created opportunities for employees to shape conversations around inclusion, while inclusive leadership training has equipped senior leaders with practical tools to lead more effectively across diverse teams.
Externally, our partnerships with organisations including The BRIT School, ELAM and Nordoff & Robbins have strengthened WME’s connection to communities and helped extend access to industry expertise, careers and opportunities beyond our own organisation.
Have you or your company received any accolades as a result of your work surrounding equality, diversity and inclusion?
In her previous role as Head of Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging EMEA at OLIVER Agency, Sagina played a pivotal role in shaping and implementing the organisation’s global DEI strategy across more than 3,000 employees, 250 client teams and nearly 50 markets. This work contributed to recognition at both the National Diversity Awards and the European Diversity Awards.
Please provide a name and contact details of a person we can contact to make this evidence credible.
Romola Ratnam, Head of Impact, Inclusion and Advocacy at WME
+44 203 878 7008, rratnam@WMEgrp.com
