AMV BBDO’s chairman and CEO Cilla Snowball receives damehood as Queen Birthday Honour’s list unveiled
The Queen's Birthday Honours list has been released, recognising more than 1000 people for commitment to public service. Along with a slew of famous actors, authors and musicians, this year’s list honoured advertising executives, retail and publishing founders, as the honours committee described the list as the most diverse yet.
Cilla Snowball, group chairman and CEO of AMV BBDO, becomes a dame
Cilla Snowball, group chairman and group chief executive of Abbott Mead Vickers (AMV) BBDO, the advertising agency with clients including BT, Sainsbury’s and Diageo, has been awarded a damehood for her services to advertising, diversity and equality.
Am so honoured and humbled to be made a dame today. Thanks to everyone at home and at work who made it happen#birthdayhonours#damecil
— Cilla Snowball CBE (@Cilla_Snowball) June 17, 2017
Snowball, who has been with the agency for more than 25 years, is one of the leading advocates of gender equality in the industry, having set up a programme within holding group Omnicom to increase the number, seniority and influence of women within the business, called Omniwomen. As proof of its success, Omnicom UK announced that 48% of its senior leadership is female earlier this year.
Snowball was also the first female chairman of the Advertising Association in 2012, where she oversaw the Advertising Pays report that looked into the economic, social and cultural impact of advertising, and is chair of the Women’s Business Council.
Elsewhere Malcolm Walker, the founder of Iceland Frozen Food who already holds a CBE title, has been awarded a knighthood for services to retailing, entrepreneurship and charity. The Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation raised £3.1m for Alzheimer's Research UK over a three-year period to 2013/14.
Tim Lefroy, the former chief executive of Advertising Association (AA), has been awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the advertising industry.
Lefroy said: “Delightful news - especially for the AA team. It's all down to them.“
Stephen Woodford, chief executive of AA, commented: “Tim’s leadership came at a critical time both for the AA and for advertising. His commitment and passion brought our industry together and helped ensure our contribution is better evidenced and understood than ever. On behalf of UK advertising, congratulations Tim.”.
Nora Senior, the former president of the British Chambers of Commerce and now senior executive chair of UK Regions and Ireland at Weber Shandwick, becomes a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), for services to British and Scottish businesses.
Anthony Elliott, the founder of Time Out, has been awarded a CBE for services to publishing and Stevie Spring, chair of Children in Need was also awarded a CBE.
Lauren Currie, co-founder of Snook, the service design agency, gains an OBE for services to British design industry exports and to diversity in design. Currie is a director of The Motherhood Plan, an initiative which tackles pregnancy discrimination, founder of Redjotter and #upfront, and head of service design at The Good Lab.