WFA CEO looks back at 2024

2024 has certainly brought its share of challenges, chief among them two legal cases and a state attorney general investigation relating to the now discontinued Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM).

While these issues have presented unwanted distractions, the team and I remain positive, bullish and fully committed to delivering business as usual for the benefit of all WFA members.

We have been heartened by the support we have received from members and partners across the wider industry, for which we are profoundly grateful.

2024 has also had its fair share of highs. This year, we achieved our highest-ever number of corporate members, highest revenues and best meeting attendance and engagement scores in our 71-year history.

We have successfully advanced the global marketer agenda on multiple fronts, be it for CMOs or for media, sourcing, capabilities, in-house and insights professionals.

We are also delighted to be launching a new Policy Board to help oversee our work on policy matters insofar as it relates to food and alcohol marketing, privacy, tech and issues impacting children.

The inclusive marketing and AI communities have continued to thrive reflecting key opportunities for marketers to drive growth in the years ahead.

And key WFA initiatives such as Halo on global cross-media measurement, research on Creating a Culture of Marketing Effectiveness, the sourcing-led Project Spring and the CMO-led Marketer of the Future and Planet Pledge continue to provide much-needed industry guidance and practical ways in which brands can drive better marketing that delivers for companies, people and planet.

WFA’s workstreams as of end of 2024.

WFA is also more global than ever before. In 2024, we made significant progress in driving regional agendas in both Asia-Pacific under the leadership of our stellar Asia Advisory Board and in Latin America with a highly successful meeting in Buenos Aires in September. We are also making headway in building a regional group for Africa, broadening our reach even further.

And we should not forget the highly memorable Global Marketer Week in Toronto, which 800 members attended in May.

Just as members have rallied around us, WFA remains committed to standing by its members with leadership, knowledge and support that help deliver on better marketing.

We will continue to lead the global marketer agenda into what I’m optimistic will be a bright 2025.