• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, April 30, 2020

The 4As has promoted Alison Pepper to executive vice president, government relations, succeeding Dick O’Brien, who has announced his retirement after 19 years in the role.

Pepper joined the 4As in 2018 as senior vice president and now becomes the organization’s principal representative to the White House, Congress, and regulatory agencies.

Since joining the 4As, she has led the group’s response to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the state and local data-privacy legislation emerging in its wake.

As a key player in the Privacy for America coalition, she has helped write proposed legislation for key committees in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in a bid for federal data privacy legislation.

Pepper is also closely involved in the 4As new Business as Unusual webinar series, deciphering the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and its implications for agency members.

Previously Pepper served as the assistant general counsel and senior director of public policy at the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), based out of its offices in Washington, D.C., and later San Francisco.

“In a time of crisis, you couldn’t ask for a better navigator and interpreter than Alison,” stated Marla Kaplowitz, 4As President & CEO.

O’Brien, added Kaplowitz “leaves a rich legacy of impact from the various coalitions he’s represented on behalf of the 4As to the connections with industry influencers.”

He’s credited with playing a leading role in thwarting a proposed 2017 change in the corporate tax code that would have ended the full deductibility of advertising. The 4As estimates the effort saved the marketing industry an estimated $169 billion over 10 years on advertising costs.

Among other initiatives, O’Brien also led the group’s efforts to create federal standards for the collection and use of consumer data in targeting advertising.