ISBA has appointed Boots CMO and Marketing Week’s 2023 Marketer of the Year, Pete Markey, as its new president.

Markey will take over from NatWest Group’s CMO Margaret Jobling with immediate effect. His appointment was announced today (10 July) at the ISBA President’s Lunch, coinciding with the inaugural ISBA President’s Awards.

Markey has been the vice-president of ISBA, the industry body representing advertisers, since 2019 and a member of the body for the majority of his career. Reacting to his appointment, Markey said he was “genuinely honoured” to be considered.

“Marketing is more complicated and challenging than ever. Having someone in your corner who amplifies your voice, seeks to make your industry better and helps you develop as a marketer is quite frankly, absolutely vital,” he said during his speech at today’s awards.

Taking over from Jobling, who served as president for the last two years, Markey praised her “vocal support” for ISBA’s cross-media measurement tool Origin.

“Marg has been a fantastic president. She has led the council with confidence and warmth, ensuring all voices are heard,” he added.

In her outgoing speech, Jobling reflected on her role as president, highlighting the “pretty impressive” list of achievements.

“Not only have we seen three culture secretaries come and go, but we’ve delivered greater programmatic advertising supply chain transparency,” she said.

“We’ve represented advertisers with Government across numerous industry issues from the privatisation of Channel 4 to the demand for clarity on the incoming HFSS advertising regulations. We have taken a leadership position on retail media, influencer marketing and most recently accessible advertising.”

This Much I Learned: Boots’ CMO Pete Markey on marketing leadership

Jobling described herself as proud that her last duty as president was to announce the ISBA President’s Awards. The five award recipients were selected from a shortlist put forward by the ISBA team.

The winners were Emily Latham, former head of digital marketing and martech at Channel 4; Joanne Loughery, general counsel at L’Oréal; Kerry Chilvers, marketing director at Aviva; Ollie Shayer, omni-media director at Boots Media Group and Sam Taylor, acting marketing director at Direct Line Group.

“These awards recognise the essential part our members play in achieving the priorities we set each year. They recognise those individuals who support everything ISBA stands for, and go above and beyond their day jobs by working for the benefit of bettering our industry,” Jobling added.

Flying the flag

Named Marketer of the Year at last year’s Marketing Week Awards, Markey will chair the ISBA Council in his new role as president. Made up of CMOs from the ISBA membership, the council oversees the business of ISBA and contributes to setting priorities. He will work closely with ISBA director general Phil Smith and his team to provide counsel.

“I am thrilled Pete agreed to become our new ISBA President. He has always flown the flag for ISBA and supported our priorities and is the perfect person to lead ISBA into its 125th year,” says Smith.

Since joining Boots in 2021, Markey has led widespread, research-driven changes at the retailer that have seen its loyalty proposition become a core part of the brand’s strategy, alongside revamped brand positioning ‘With You. For Life’.

Markey joined Boots during the pandemic, a challenging time in the retailer’s history. He told Marketing Week last year that his first task was to undertake a diagnosis of the Boots brand, so as not to rely on his “preconceptions” and instead focus on how customers feel.

Before joining Boots, Markey held senior leadership roles at TSB, Aviva, the Post Office, RSA and MORE TH>N, having spent his early career at One.Tel, the AA and British Gas.

Earlier this year, he became chair of the Advertising Association’s Front Foot network and most recently received an honorary doctorate in Business from Solent University, Southampton, in recognition of his career in marketing.