CEO of Publicis Groupe UK Annette King Appointed New Chair of the Advertising Association

The Advertising Association has announced the appointment of Annette King, CEO, Publicis Groupe UK as its new chair, joining the AA Board and working closely with the AA CEO, Stephen Woodford and AA president, Alessandra Bellini. King will be replacing PHD’s Philippa Brown who has completed a three-year term, which saw the launch of initiatives Ad Net Zero and All In, as well as the industry’s journey through the pandemic and its recovery. Annette will now pave the way for the association’s focus on talent as well as its work on public trust, inclusion, climate action and key lobbying issues for the industry. 

Annette King joins for a three-year term at a key moment for the Advertising Association as it adds global ambitions to its joint climate initiative with the IPA and ISBA, Ad Net Zero; deals with a series of regulatory issues including the Online Advertising Programme and continues to represent the UK advertising industry at national and international levels, working with Government and members to secure the next decade of advertising’s export growth.

Annette became CEO of Publicis Groupe UK in 2018. In four years, she has revitalised the company, streamlining the structure, bringing in new capabilities and expertise and accelerating growth. She has introduced flexible-working and a company-wide mental health programme, as well as a series of people-focused initiatives such as a menopause policy, a set of family-friendly policies and disability and trans inclusion policies. Her role as Chair will be to help support the strategic direction and delivery of the association’s work and its wider remit, reporting to its 14-strong Board on behalf of its tri-partite industry membership.

Stephen Woodford, CEO, Advertising Association, said: “Annette is one of the most impressive voices in UK advertising today and we are delighted to welcome her to the AA’s distinguished Board. She brings vast experience and strong work on creating a more inclusive workplace, an area especially relevant to us as we launch the next three actions of the All In Action Plan as well as announce our first wave of All In Champion organisations. Thanks must also go to Philippa Brown for her excellent work steering the industry through the pandemic and its extraordinary recovery. I look forward to working closely with Annette, alongside our President, Alessandra Bellini, the AA Council and Board as we work hard to tackle the challenges faced by our industry, from climate change to the talent crisis.”

Annette King, chair, Advertising Association and CEO, Publicis Groupe UK said: “The AA is an impressive organisation with an agenda to drive change. The work the AA is doing on diversity and inclusion and climate change, and in other important areas, is very close to my heart and something I’m committed to accelerating. It’s an honour for me to represent the industry that I love, and to help ensure we continue to grow our influence and salience.”

Philippa Brown, outgoing chair, Advertising Association and worldwide CEO, PHD, said: “The work of the association is central to the future health and prosperity of our industry and, as importantly, the value of the economic and social contribution, that it can make to all our lives. The three-year term as Chair has passed by quickly, disrupted in so many ways by the pandemic, but I know the AA, led by Stephen, is determined to make good on the industry’s promise to build back better and bring about meaningful change on many important areas. I urge every company in our industry to support the work as much as you can to ensure maximum uptake and impact to the benefit of all.”