Jessica Torstensson, client growth director at Bench Media, wants women to support each other to create more opportunities to connect, collaborate and grow.  She has launched the Australian community, The Room Collective, for women working across media and creative agencies, brands and publishing.

Throughout her 20+ year agency and media career in Sweden and Australia, Torstensson has seen first-hand how the right introduction, conversation or relationship can open doors, create opportunities and provide support at every stage of a career. She created The Room Collective to make those moments happen more often.

Torstensson stated, “When I look back on my career, very few of the defining moments happened because of a formal meeting. They happened because someone introduced me to the right person, invited me into a conversation or opened a door. Those relationships have shaped my career, and I’d love to see more women creating those opportunities for one another. While our industry is built on collaboration, many still build our careers in our own lanes. We’re constantly connected, yet there are fewer opportunities to build genuine professional relationships across brands, agencies, media and publishing.  This is the very gap which I hope The Room Collective will bridge.”

The Room Collective brings together women at all stages of their careers working across brands, agencies, media and publishing through genuine conversations, shared experiences and opportunities to build meaningful professional relationships.

Torstensson explained, “I’ve been fortunate to have incredible people support and champion me throughout my career, and I know how valuable those relationships can be. I’d love to see more women making introductions, opening doors for one another, sharing opportunities, celebrating each other’s successes and becoming one another’s biggest advocates. That’s the kind of community I hope The Room Collective will build and will help women feel more connected to each other and to our industry.”

Erin Fraser, head of client services at Bench Media, commented, “The media and marketing industry thrives when diverse voices are connected, supported and given opportunities to learn from one another. Jessica’s vision for The Room Collective aligns perfectly with the culture we’ve built at Bench Media, where collaboration, generosity and continuous learning are fundamental to how we work. Empowering women to build meaningful professional networks doesn’t just benefit individuals, it strengthens our entire industry, and we’re incredibly proud to support Jessica as she brings this vision to life.”

The Room Collective is currently building its founding network of women across media, marketing and publishing. While the community is launching in Sydney, women from across Australia are invited to join the conversation, connect with like-minded professionals and be part of a growing network designed to create more opportunities for collaboration, support and career growth. Future gatherings and initiatives will be announced in the coming weeks.

Follow The Room Collective and be part of the community as it grows, on LinkedIn or Instagram.