WFA has launched the 2019 WFA Global Marketer of the Year award to highlight the role that regional and global marketers play in setting the course of the industry and inspiring others to be a force for good.

As in the previous two years, the award will provide a spotlight for those executives who are transforming the industry by inspiring their teams, both internal and external, creating brand strategies that make a difference to society as well as delivering better business results for the companies they work for.

Nominations will be sought from the wider marketing industry as well as via an expert jury of global marketers and industry experts chaired by WFA President and Mastercard Chief Marketing and Communication Officer Raja Rajamannar, with media partner The Drum publicising the award across its three regional online editions, print magazine and social platforms.

As with the 2017 and 2018 Global Marketer of the Year, those nominated should demonstrate outstanding leadership in three key areas:

  1. Evolving their organisation to be more people-centric, better able to respond to consumer needs and building happier, more engaged teams internally;
  2. Working smarter with partners, be they agencies or vendors, and ensuring that the whole team is aligned to the same goals;
  3. Delivering inspiring work that genuinely makes a difference, be that cultural, social or for the business.

They should also have been working for their current employer for two years or more.

Nominations can be made through the website globalmarketeroftheyear.com or sent to awards@wfanet.org. The deadline for nominations is 25 October.

Nominations will be considered by the expert jury in November, with those shortlisted being profiled in The Drum later in the year.

The winner will be decided by a combination of WFA member votes, industry votes and the expert jury verdict, with each counting for a third of the final score. The winner will be announced in January 2020.

The first 2017 Global Marketer of the Year was won by Keith Weed, Unilever’s then Chief Marketing and Communications Officer and last year’s award went to Raja Rajamannar.

“The difference that great marketing leadership brings is clear in every market but it’s particularly vital at a regional and global level. Once again we want to celebrate this ability to provide a huge boost to their businesses, our industry and society. I’m delighted that the third Global Marketer of the Year award is now open so that we can find out more about the amazing work the very best in our industry are undertaking. It will be hugely inspiring,” said Stephan Loerke, CEO of WFA.

“Last year, The Drum’s readers helped name Mastercard’s highly-influential Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Raja Rajamannar as the WFA’s Global Marketer of the Year, an accolade he has more than lived up to since, launching many innovative initiatives for his brand. In 2020 our readers will be looking for a marketer with a similar level of foresight on big industry trends and business opportunities and I look forward to the team at The Drum being a key part of the selection process,” said Stephen Lepitak, editor of The Drum.

For more information about the WFA Global Marketer Awards please visit: www.globalmarketeroftheyear.com