D&AD Appoints Jo Jackson as CEO Alongside adam&eveDDB’s Richard Brim as President

Jo Jackson will join D&AD in the role of CEO, it has been announced today. Jackson has over 15 years’ experience in branding and marketing, and has spearheaded creative campaigns for iconic global brands, including Diesel, Adidas, Samsung and Diageo. She most recently led the global brand and creative team at MADE.COM in the role of chief creative officer. 

Jackson will play a critical role in furthering D&AD’s digital strategy and education programmes to support the organisation’s mission to stimulate the global creative community to create excellent, impactful work and nurture future generations of creative talent.

The new position is befitting of Jackson, who, after graduating from Central St Martins in 2003, founded Beyond the Valley, a Soho-based fashion label and award-winning concept store  for emerging British designers. Beyond the Valley helped launch over 300 designers into the fashion, art and design industries, including Christopher Raeburn. 

More recently, Jackson’s advocacy for women's empowerment has shifted her attention away from commercial briefs, with her co-founding The Flowerhouse in 2021, a female-led public house which aims to support women from all backgrounds and ages to get a step up on the hospitality ladder.

Speaking of Jackson’s appointment, Tim Lindsay, Chairman at D&AD, said: “We couldn't be more delighted to make this important appointment. Jo's experience, entrepreneurialism, energy and creativity are exactly what D&AD needs right now - to augment the considerable skills and experience of the senior team and to take us on the next stage of our journey. The organisation will thrive under her leadership.”

Jackson commented: “When it comes to creative education, there is a lot more to it than just learning your craft. When I graduated in the early 2000s, there was little to no career support for emerging creatives. We jumped out into the industry and it was sink or swim. A lot of things have changed since then to help creative people to go out into the world with confidence, but it's organisations like D&AD that play a pivotal role in plugging these gaps. 

Identifying and nurturing genuine talent has been a red thread throughout my own career so I'm incredibly passionate about the educational aspects of D&AD - New Blood and Shift initiatives specifically. Given how strongly our values align, I am absolutely delighted to join such an amazing team and work together with them to further D&AD’s work in this arena and help shape its future.”

Jackson’s appointment comes as D&AD also celebrates the inauguration of Richard Brim, chief creative officer at adam&eveDDB, as the organisation’s new president for 2022/23, succeeding Dean of Academic Programmes at Central Saint Martins, Rebecca Wright. Jack Renwick, founder and creative director at Jack Renwick Studio, will become deputy president, automatically succeeding to the presidency in 2023/24. 

Brim has been elected from the Board of Trustees to champion the organisation’s mission and shape the conversations for the year ahead. His vision as president aligns with D&AD’s mission to nurture the next generation of creative talent, in particular talent that isn’t following traditional trajectories and established routes. 

Brim commented: “We need to use all of the creative power at our disposal to make this industry appealing to future generations. It’s only when we feel part of something bigger and can take ownership of our work, that it becomes fun, and that’s when the real magic happens – it is the essential precursor to making iconic work. As the D&AD president, I want to build on Rebecca’s legacy and further D&AD’s role by making our industry as attractive to the next generation as possible and helping them find employment within it.”

The organisation also welcomes two new Trustees and six new Advisory Board members: 

Trustees

Hannah Kelly, The Curious Saboteur, Saboteur; D&AD New Blood Academy 2019 graduate

Russie Miessi, Strategist, Born Social; D&AD Shift London 2019 graduate 

Advisory Board

Tara Ford, CCO, The Monkeys

Patrick Guerrera, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Re Design

Naomi Hirabayashi, Graphic Designer/Art Director, Plug-in Graphics

Natalie Lam, Chief Creative Officer, MEA & APAC, Publicis Group

Jean Lin, Global CEO, Creative, Dentsu

Lisa Smith, Executive Creative Director, Jones Knowles Ritchie