Brazilian association CEO named 'Marketing Citizen' of the Year

Sandra Martinelli, Executive President of the Brazilian Association of Advertisers (ABA) has been recognised as 'Marketing Citizen' of 2018 for her work in ABA.

Members of the Brazilian Marketing Academy (Abramark) unanimously chose Sandra as the recipient of the award, as part of the 32^nd edition of the Marketing Best award organised by Editora Referência and MadiaMundoMarketing. The award is considered a benchmark of marketing excellence in Brazil.

Sandra is the first association head in Brazil to receive this award. Previous recipients of the award include Paulo Giovanni, Chairman of Leo Burnett Tailor Made, Walter Longo, former President of Grupo Abril, and Luiza Helena Trajano, Chairwoman of Magazine Luiza S/A.

Commenting on the award, Sandra said: "After 20 years in two banks and no plans of working in an association, I did not imagine that the phone call with João Campos (ABA Chairman and President of PepsiCo Brazil) in August 2014 would change my life… At ABA, I learned to talk about 30, 40 different subjects per day: companies, brands, sectors, advocacy, management, branding, innovation, products, media, digital, etc. At ABA, I made more friends in four years than in decades… There is a unique opportunity [for advertisers] to be change agents in the industry and promote a more ethical and responsible business environment. I found myself in ABA's cause, the reason it exists: to be a protagonist in the construction of this future”.

The awards ceremony will take place in May 2019.

For more information, please contact ABA.