Why 4As New EVP Sylvia Banderas Coffinet is Investing Around ‘Representation and Innovation’

Between the AI arms race, political and economic headwinds, the ad industry finds itself at an inflection point, reshaping how organizations invest in and talk about talent. Most notably, advertisers are grappling with the pullback from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives — largely given President Trump’s scrutiny of DEI.

The 4As, hasn’t been immune from that recalibration. Earlier this year, the U.S. trade association for advertising agencies overhauled Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP) and Vanguard — two of the marketing industry’s cornerstone diversity programs — to be more be more inclusive beyond race and ethnicity. The changes were meant to fall in line with cultural shifts, but sparked concern from former MAIP fellows who argued that the move diluted the original mission.

As the industry navigates changes to DEI and surge in AI use, the 4As appointed Sylvia Banderas Coffinet as the organization’s evp of people, talent and upskilling, to expand the foundation’s reach and strengthen key programs, including the Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP) and Vanguard.