The Marketing Agencies Association (MAA) has today announced that Ian Millner, CEO of creative agency Iris, will continue his role as Chairman of the trade body for the next year.
Millner was appointed to the post in February 2011 for a two-year term and his continuation has been prompted by the board and member agencies.
Existing board member Jamie Matthews, Chairman of Initials, will take on the newly created role of Deputy Chairman, while 13 new board members will join under a new structure that better reflects the dynamic and diverse nature of the MAA membership.
The new board members include; Omaid Hiwaizi, Planning Director at Sapient Nitro who will take on the role of Chair of Agency Innovation; Marius Bartsch, Head of CRM at JWT to Chair of Agency Evolution; Tim Bourne, joint CEO of Exposure, to Chair of Entrepreneurship; Simon Hathaway, President of Shopper Marketing & Retail at Cheil to Chair of International Development; Michelle Whelan, Managing Partner at Arc to Chair of Client Services Group; Michelle Clothier, Managing Director of Livity to Chair of Youth and Diversity and Sarah-Jane Stratford, Managing Strategy Partner at AIS to Chair of Planning Director’s Group.
Other new board directors join from Saatchi & Saatchi X, Pulse, The Marketing Store, Creston and Life Agency.
John Tracey, Creative Director of Elvis will continue as Chair of the MAA’s Creative Director’s Group while Hugh Robertson of RPM will become Chair of Government and National Representation. Rosie Doggett of RAD Consulting will also stay on as Procurement Advisor.
Scott Knox, Managing Director of the MAA said, “The MAA has benefitted tremendously from Ian’s drive, insight and knowledge and we are delighted that he is going to stay on as Chairman and continue to champion the many key initiatives that contribute to the marketing industry eco-system.
“We also welcome another talented group of people to the board, who will bring a fresh perspective on the pertinent issues affecting agencies today” Knox continued.
Millner said, “We have been in recession for the last four years, and I’m not sure we will see a sector wide improvement any time soon. When clients grow we grow. We have to equip our agencies with the skills, attitudes, talent and patience to help our clients and ourselves innovate our ways to growth. We want to create an ‘entrepreneurial revolution’ in the UK, helping clients inside and outside of the UK see our agencies as the vital catalyst to their future successes.”
MAA initiatives during Millner’s tenure have included the week-long Marketing 4 Start-Up Britain event in support of entrepreneurialism, the Future Leader’s Academy, which allows the leaders of tomorrow to learn from those running an agency and the Diploma in Integrated Marketing, the industry qualification of its kind, which has seen agency executives become exposed to the benefits and impact of communications diversity to clients’ business.
Millner co-founded integrated agency Iris in 1999 and grew the agency into a global marketing network, which works with the likes of adidas, Heineken, Philips and Shell. He started his career at IMP (now Arc).
Since the start of the year, a number of new agencies have joined the MAA membership including JWT, Profusion, Mesh and Cheil.
The New board structure is as follows:
Chairman Ian Millner, CEO, Iris
Deputy Chairman Jamie Matthews, Chairman, Initials
Managing Director Scott Knox, Managing Director, MAA
Treasurer & Company Secretary Mike Halstead, Managing Director, HH&S
Chair of Agency Growth Nick Gray, Managing Director, Live & Breathe
Chair of Agency Evolution Marius Bartsch, Head of CRM, JWT
Chair of Agency Recognition Rachelle Headland, MD, Saatchi & Saatchi X
Chair of Client Services Group Michelle Whelan, Managing Partner, Arc
Chair of Creative Directors’ Group John Treacy, Creative Director, Elvis
Chair of Entrepreneurship Tim Bourne, Joint CEO, Exposure
Chair of Government & National Representation Hugh Robertson, CEO, RPM
Chair of Industry Innovation Omaid Hiwaizi, Planning Director, Sapient Nitro
Chair of Industry Insight Dan Pallett, Planning Director, Pulse Group
Chair of International Development Simon Hathaway, President Shopper & Retail, Cheil
Chair of National Agency Performance Ian Humphris, Founder & MD, Life Agency
Chair of New Business Group Cameron Day, New Business, The Marketing Store
Chair of Planning Directors’ Group Sarah-Jane Stratford, Managing Strategy Partner, AIS
Chair of Professional Development Group Elizabeth Reilly, Group HR Director, Creston Group
Chair of Youth & Diversity Michelle Clothier, Managing Director, Livity
Board Advisors
Legal Advisor to MAA Dominic Bray, Partner, Forbes Anderson Free
Procurement Advisor to MAA Rosie Doggett, Founder, RAD Consulting
Services Advisor to MAA Susan Speller, P&MM