Yashica Olden named global chief diversity and inclusion officer at Condé Nast

Condé Nast today named Yashica Olden as its first-ever global chief diversity and inclusion officer. In her new role, Yashica will be responsible for developing and implementing diversity and inclusion strategies across the company’s global portfolio of brands and divisions. Olden most recently served as executive director of inclusion and diversity on WPP’s global culture team, where she partnered with leaders across WPP’s brands to strengthen their inclusion strategies and support client teams in their diversity and inclusion progress. Olden’s appointment takes effect on October 26. She will report to Stan Duncan, chief people officer of Condé Nast.

“Condé Nast plays an important role in shaping culture and people’s opinions about the events taking place in our world today,” said Olden. “I’m excited to join the team and work with the incredibly talented editors, writers, designers and marketers to embed a global diversity and inclusion framework into every aspect of the business.”

For more than 20 years, Olden has been known for her work as a diversity and inclusion leader and an agent for change. She has partnered with CEOs and executive leaders to build award-winning diversity and inclusion practices by aligning them to business strategies and integrating them into people and talent processes. Olden has spent much of her career working with global organizations spanning financial services, pharmaceutical, technology and humanitarian sectors. Prior to WPP, she was the interim global inclusion lead for London-based insurance company Aviva. Olden also served as the first head of diversity and inclusion for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Rome. At WFP, she was responsible for creating and implementing initiatives to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals for zero hunger, gender equality and reduced inequalities.

Prior to WFP, Olden was the first global head of diversity and inclusion at Sandoz, the generic and biopharmaceutical division of Novartis based in Munich. 

Olden attended Wellesley College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in international relations. While Olden has had a truly global career having worked outside of the U.S. for more than 20 years in London, Munich, Rome and briefly in Khartoum, she proudly hails from Nashville, Tennessee