The Drum Adverati

Welcome to The Drum’s inaugural Adverati, where we celebrate the 100 most influential people in UK advertising, shining the spotlight on business leaders and creative thinkers who make this industry such a vibrant and special sector.

The UK hosts truly talented advertising professionals, and here we feature those who we and our readers believe to be the cream of the crop.

From a list of several hundred of the most eminent individuals of the UK ad scene, as suggested by our editorial panel and the industry-at-large, we handed over to readers of thedrum.com to decide who they thought were the 100 practitioners making the biggest contribution to our industry and most deserving of a spot in the Adverati.

Rank Name Job Title Company / Organisation
1 Rory Sutherland vice-chairman Ogilvy & Mather Group UK
2 Camilla Harrisson CEO Anomaly
3 Chris Hirst European and UK group CEO Grey London
4 Trevor Robinson Founder and ECD Quiet Storm
5 Cilla Snowball chairman and group CEO AMV BBDO
6 John Hegarty Founder BBH
7 Sir Martin Sorrell founder and CEO WPP
8 Moray MacLennan worldwide CEO M&C Saatchi
9 Mel Edwards CEO Wunderman
10 Leigh Thomas CEO Dare
11 Russell Ramsey executive creative director JWT
12 Rosie Bardales executive creative director and partner BETC London
13 Nils Leonard chief creative officer Grey London
14 Gerry Human chief creative officer Ogilvy & Mather London
15 Russ Lidstone CEO Havas Worldwide London
16 Emma de la Fosse joint chief creative officer OgilvyOne Worldwide
16 Charlie Wilson joint chief creative officer OgilvyOne Worldwide
17 Justin Tindall group executive creative director Leo Burnett
18 Neil Christie managing director Wieden+Kennedy
19 Annette King CEO Ogilvy & Mather Group UK
20 Ian Millner co-founder and joint global CEO Iris
21 Angus Macadam executive creative director mcgarrybowen
22 Karen Buchanan CEO Publicis London
23 George Bryant founding partner Brooklyn Brothers
24 Andy Bird ECD Publicis London
25 Paul Lawson CEO Leo Burnett
26 Flo Heiss creative partner Dare
27 Simon Poett ECD Tribal Worldwide London
28 Andy Sandoz creative partner Havas Work Club
29 Dave Henderson joint ECD DLKW Lowe
29 Richard Denney joint ECD DLKW Lowe
30 Rob Morrice CEO Stein IAS
31 David Gamble founder and creative director Hometown
32 Robert Senior CEO Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon Group
33 Mick Mahoney Creative partner
34 Alan Young executive creative director St Luke's
35 Matt Pye COO Cheil Worldwide
36 Kate Stanners creative partner Saatchi & Saatchi
37 Paul Bainsfair director general IPA
38 Rick Hirst CEO McGarry Bowen London
39 Jason Goodman CEO & founder Albion
40 Kate Cox agency CEO Bray Leino
41 Tim Doust founding partner FCB Inferno
42 Paul Silburn creative officer Saatchi & Saatchi
43 Mike Curtis Group CEO StartJG
44 Peter Souter chairman TBWA
45 Alistair Ross creative partner The Gate London
46 Tom Poynter group MD Southpaw
47 Mark Denton Esquire creative director Coy! Communications
48 Nicolas Roope creative partner Poke
49 Nicky Bullard executive creative director LIDA
50 Ben Priest co-founder and executive creative director Adam&EveDDB
51 Tony Davidson executive creative director Wieden+Kennedy
52 Patrick Collister head of design Google
53 Chris Clarke international chief creative officer DigitasLBi
54 Martin Semmens founding partner Elvis
55 Simon Labbett founder and creative director Hometown
56 Dylan Bogg CEO and ECD Big Communications
57 Trevor Beattie founding partner BMB
58 Tiger Savage brand consultant Tiger’s Eye
59 Caitlin Ryan group executive creative director Karmarama
60 Luke Mugliston CEO The Gate London
61 Santiago Lucero executive creative director Fallon
62 Tom Roberts managing director Tribal Worldwide London
63 Paul Brazier chief creative officer and chairman AMV BBDO
64 Fergus McCallum CEO TBWA\Manchester
65 Nick Gill executive creative director BBH
66 Ian Priest COO CSM
67 Robert Saville creative partner Mother London
68 Jonathan Trimble CEO 18 Feet & Rising
69 Mike Phillipson CEO Cogent
70 Matt Gooden executive creative director Crispin Porter + Bogusky
71 Kate Howe executive director MSQ Partners
72 Rosie Arnold managing partner creative director BBH
73 Ben Tollett joint executive creative director Adam&EveDDB
73 Emer Stamp joint executive creative director Adam&EveDDB
74 Debbie Klein UK CEO Engine
75 Robin Wight president Engine & WCRS
76 Al Young chief creative officer St Luke's
77 Sue Little CEO McCann Manchester
78 Nicky Unsworth CEO THE BJL GROUP
79 Ian Pearman CEO AMV BBDO
80 Mark Waites co-founder Mother London
81 Kevin Dundas CEO Europe Droga5
82 Johnny Hornby founder The & Partnership
83 Adrian Coleman group CEO and founding partner VCCP
84 Bil Bungay founding partner BMB
85 Ben Walker executive creative director Crispin Porter + Bogusky
86 Dean Lovett CEO McCann Erickson
87 Andrew Stirk CEO BETC London
88 Tim Lefroy CEO Advertising Association
89 Nick Howarth CEO CHI & Partners
90 Peter Scott vice-chairman and head of global strategy Engine
91 Andy Fowler founder and executive creative director Brothers and Sisters
92 Charles Vallance founding partner VCCP
93 Jon Williams executive creative director and chief digital officer Grey EMEA
94 Julian Vizard creative partner St Luke's
95 Matthew Charlton CEO Brothers and Sisters
96 Richard Marsham group managing partner The Leith Agency
97 Stephen Maher CEO MBA
98 Robert Doubal co-president and CCO McCann
98 Laurence Thomson co-president and CCO McCann
99 Matt Edwards CEO WCRS
100 Debra Hepburn MD RBH (Rees Bradley Hepburn)

The 56-page report into the UK advertising landscape includes research into the financial health of agencies, as well as rankings for client satisfaction, peer recommendation and creative performance. It also includes features on key takeover targets, how the holding groups approach acquisitions, agency insights on industry trends and profiles on each of the 100 individuals to make it into the Adverati.