WFA launches Global Marketer of the Year

The World Federation of Advertisers has launched the WFA Global Marketer of the Year Award to celebrate the role that regional and global marketers play in setting the course of the industry and inspiring others to be a force for good.

The new award will highlight those executives who are changing the industry for the better and inspiring their teams, both internal and external, to create campaigns that make a difference to society as well as the business they work for.

Nominations for the first winner of this new award will be sought via an expert jury of global marketers and industry experts – chaired by WFA President and RBS CMO David Wheldon – as well as from the wider marketing industry.

Those nominated should demonstrate outstanding leadership in three key areas:

1. Evolving their organisation to be more people-centric, better able to respond to consumer needs and building happier, more engaged teams internally.
2. Working smarter with partners, be they agencies or vendors, and ensuring that the whole team is aligned to the same goals.
3. Delivering inspiring work that genuinely makes a difference, be that cultural, social or for the business.

They should also have been working for their current employer for two years or more.

Nominations can be sent to awards@wfanet.org or uploaded to the awards website at wfanet.org/globalmarketeroftheyear. The deadline for nominations is October 6.

Nominations will be considered by the expert jury in mid-October, with those shortlisted being profiled in Campaign later in the year. Members of the industry will then be able to vote for the first winner of the WFA Global Marketer of the Year before the winner is announced in February 2018.

The full list of judges is available at wfanet.org/globalmarketeroftheyear.

“Leadership is such an important part of our industry and the best marketers tend to take an enlightened approach to working with people both within their own organisations and with their external partners. Putting people first very often rubs off in their work, meaning their marketing becomes more people-centric and thereby more impactful. By celebrating the best marketing leadership we hope to inspire others at a global, regional and national level to embark on the same journey, thereby improving our whole industry,” said Stephan Loerke, CEO of the WFA.

“The best CMOs consistently get the best work from their in-house teams, agency partners and their media partners and it’s no accident. The magic that the best budget holders bring to their role and the way that they consistently drive the industry forward is something well worthy of recognition,” said David Wheldon, President of the WFA and CMO at RBS.