British Arrows Announces New Co-Chairs

Jani Guest and Clare Donald have been appointed as the new co-chairs for British Arrows.

Charlie Crompton, the outgoing chairman, says: "After 43 years, the British Arrows is still the biggest and best show of the year in London and as the new joint-chairs, Jani and Clare are the dream team. I couldn’t be passing the baton on to two more capable, smart and well-respected producers to continue to build this valuable industry awards into 2020 and beyond."

Clare Donald is global managing director of Unreasonable Studios, spanning seven production offices worldwide. Clare started her career as a production company producer, working with a number of award winning directors. She transferred into feature film production, followed by a return to advertising, but this time on the agency side. She took on various senior roles at agencies such as Mother, JWT (deputy head of TV) and Havas (head of operations). In 2013, Clare was approached by Google, and left the agency world to go client side, working as head of operations for Google Creative Lab EMEA for 3.5 years. She then joined Ogilvy UK as chief production officer before taking on her newly created role at Unreasonable. Clare’s multifaceted experience across production gives her an eye for genuinely creative talent, as recognised by the British Arrows awards.

Speaking of the appointment, Clare says: "Having served on the board since 2016, I’ve had great insight into the inner-workings of this vibrant community. I am thrilled to be taking on the mantle from Charlie, who has worked so hard to make the Arrows ever more exciting. I’m even more thrilled that I’m sharing the role with Jani, who brings so much experience to the table. As two working mothers, we felt a split role would be a great modern solution to combining our day jobs with the Arrows. We’re both committed to evolving the Awards and to supporting the initiatives towards more diversity in the industry."

Jani Guest is managing director of Independent Films, an award-winning production company. Since 1995, Jani has cultivated life-long industry relationships that have shaped the unique personality of Independent Films. She credits the established directors she works with and the company’s creative team for its success. Independent continues to evolve by nurturing up-and- coming talent, producing challenging commercial projects, and developing entertainment-based learning programmes for children.

Jani says: "The British Arrows honours and celebrates the very best of Britain. I thoroughly enjoyed serving as the chairwoman for the 2018 Craft Awards, and it’s an even greater honour to inherit the responsibility from Charlie and move the company forward with Clare. The British Arrows sets a high bar for a disciplined and discerning judging process to present the one night of the year when the Best of Britain is honoured. We are proud to represent the body of British Arrows awards that celebrate the most amazing advertising coming out of the UK. The British Arrows will continue to acknowledge the ideas of brilliant minds executed by the innovative skills of brilliant craftsmen and women. We are both looking forward to exploring ways in which we can expand the reach of the Arrows beyond the UK, while upholding a particularly British perspective."