Dame Annette King.
Former CEO of Ogilvy UK, Dame Annette King, has passed away at 57 years old.
She spent 17 years at Ogilvy in a range of roles, including CEO. She was also the CEO of Publicis Groupe UK and global lead, marketing practice at Accenture Song.
"On Wednesday we said goodbye to our Annette, my AK, Dame Annette. A deeply loved and loving Wife, Mother, Friend and peer to so many of you," said Annette's husband, Henry Stevens.
"As anyone who had the privilege of being in Annette's world will know, there was nothing she loved more than people. She cared deeply about her work and the Advertising industry at large, but nothing lit her up like being in the company of the people she held close.
"While it would be impossible to list all of those who meant so much to Annette over the years, the agencies she led and loved cannot go unmentioned. It was no secret how much Ogilvy meant to her.
"How proud she was of what she achieved at Publicis. And her delight at working alongside David Droga at Accenture Song. As Annette would often say, it was three magical chapters across almost 35 years that gave her some of her closest friends and most cherished moments in life.
"Annette’s extraordinary career was testament to just how much she cared. About her teams, her clients - and of course, about winning. I’m sure those of you who worked with her over the years will understand, nothing ever felt impossible with Annette by your side.
"She had the rare gift of seeing opportunities where others felt fear and somehow, bringing everyone together despite whatever the odds were. It was this unwavering self-belief that gave so many people the chance to achieve incredible things - Annette truly was a leader like no other."
Ogilvy global chief creative officer, Liz Taylor, said Annette was all heart. Love and care were her default setting, and the source of the extraordinary force she was for everyone around her.
"What lit her up most was people — her clients, her teams, her peers — and she had that rare gift of making each of us feel seen, supported, and capable of more than we thought possible," said Taylor.
"For our industry, in all its experiments and ambitions, Annette brought bravery, laughter and deep humanity. She made everything she touched better — shaping, crafting and elevating the work with an instinct and clarity that was uniquely hers.
"But perhaps her greatest talent was bringing that same greatness out in others, lifting us all a little higher.
"Her love of Ogilvy ran deep. She truly was an Ogilvy Giant.
"And the truth is, our love for her runs just as deep. We will miss her dearly, and we will carry her spirit — her warmth, her courage, her belief in people — with us always.”
Ogilvy UK vice chairman, Rory Sutherland, said Dame Annette embodied exactly the kind of glorious mass of contradictions which made her a rare natural fit for our industry.
"Bizarrely, she had a wonderfully abrasive personality, and yet almost everyone liked and revered her - except perhaps the poor unfortunates who had to compete with her," said Sutherland.
"She was as fun to socialise as she was enjoyable to work for; she inspired immense loyalty, and deserved every bit.
"She was part New Yorker (she worked in New York for many years) but never wholly left Swindon - and was at home almost everywhere. She also combined a razor-sharp mind, dry-humour, sharp-elbows and gritty determination with immense intuition and kindness.
"You would go to see Annette whether you wanted someone assassinated (she would make it look like an accident) or if you needed to take a day off to attend your daughter's Nativity play in the middle of a pitch.
"I have never met anyone, inside the business or outside, who came to display such a mix of complementary talents and carried them all so well. We shall not see her like again, and I shall miss her more than I can say.”
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