• by Steve McClellan , March 31, 2017

Neal Davies, President and CEO of Effie Worldwide, known internationally for its annual Effectiveness Awards, is leaving the organization after three years in the role. He was the first agency and marketing veteran to lead the group.

As he prepares to leave this summer—returning with his family to his native UK--a newly formed Effie Board will begin the search for a successor.

Davies, who previously was a Co-Founder of Naked Communications, is credited with expanding the group on a number of fronts. In addition to growing membership, award categories and entrants globally he also led the group’s expansion beyond awards to become a forum for the industry, with an increased focus on education and learning.

“Neal put ‘worldwide’ in Effie Worldwide, by partnering with our licensees to sharpen their programs, growing entries, and fueling an even greater brand purpose,” said incoming board member Carolyn Everson, VP, Global Marketing Solutions, Facebook. “He has served as an ambassador to our industry, spotlighting Effie Worldwide on the global stage. We are grateful for his leadership and vision, and are looking forward to nominating someone to drive this important work forward.”

As Davies prepares to leave, the organization is reconstituting its board with the recruitment of nearly two dozen new members that represent a Who’s Who in the industry. In addition to Everson, new members, who will assume their roles in June include:

Jack Bamberger, SVP, Global Head of Agency Development, AOL

Torrence Boone, VP, Global Agency Sales & Services, Google

Wendy Clark, President & CEO, DDB North America

Jae Goodman, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Head of CAA Marketing, Creative Artists Agency       

Pam Hamlin, Global CEO, Arnold Worldwide           

Catherine Hayes, Executive Director, Wharton Future of Advertising Program      

Dave Hohman, EVP & Managing Director, Agency Solutions, Nielsen         

Tamara Ingram, CEO, Worldwide, J. Walter Thompson Company  

Kristin Lemkau, Chief Marketing Officer, JPMorgan Chase

Vineet Mehra, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Ancestry.com

Nigel Morris, CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network                

Michelle Peluso, Chief Marketing Officer, IBM        

Bea Perez, Chief Sustainability Officer, SVP Global Partnerships, Marketing Assets & Innovation, Licensing & Retail Attractions Chair, The Coca-Cola Company   

Ann Mukherjee, Global Chief Marketing Officer, SC Johnson

Carla Serrano, CEO, Publicis New York, Publicis North America      

Keith Weed, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Unilever

Karina Wilsher, Partner, Global COO, Anomaly       

Linda Yaccarino, Chairman of Advertising Sales and Client Partnerships, NBCUniversal 

Daryl Lee, Global CEO, Universal McCann, who has served on the board since 2011 will become Board Chair of Effie Worldwide when the new board takes over in June. Past Board Chair Taylor Gray, Partner at Revlyst, will serve as Treasurer. Ellen Hyde-Pace, Global Client Leader of Red Fuse Communications, a board member and frequent North American Effie Awards Judging Chair will serve as Secretary.

“Having spent the last year working with Carolyn and Daryl to assemble the new board, I know it would have been an incredible experience to have stayed on and worked with this stellar group of people,” said Davies. “I will stay involved from Europe and look forward to becoming a judge again.  Wherever you are in the world, there’s no better way of keeping our industry honest than the Effies.”