Annette King, the former global lead of Accenture Song's marketing practice and chief executive of Publicis Groupe in the UK, has died aged 57.
King, who joined Accenture Song in 2023 after six years at Publicis Groupe UK, stepped down from her executive career in February last year after a health experience. She continued to serve as a non-executive director of Channel 4.
She became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours in June 2023 for services to advertising and the creative industries. She was chair of the Advertising Association from 2022.
When King was made a dame in 2023, she said: “I’ve been fortunate to forge a career alongside the 2.3 million wonderfully talented people who make the creative industries in this country the world-leading, culture-defining economic success story that they are, and as a working-class girl from Swindon who found her place in the advertising sector of the creative industries, I couldn’t be happier. The future is bright for our industry.”
During her 17 years at WPP’s Ogilvy, King rose to be the chief executive of Ogilvy Group, overseeing a revitalisation of the advertising arm with wins including British Airways and Vodafone.
She was the UK chief executive of OgilvyOne (now Ogilvy One) from 2008 and its chief executive across EMEA from 2012. Campaign named OgilvyOne its Direct Agency of the Year for three consecutive years in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
King’s husband, Henry Stevens, said: “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.”
Stevens' message in full:
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. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to send their condolences.
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.
She could spot the potential in people long before they knew it themselves. She made it her absolute mission to make sure they were given every chance to be anything they dreamt of, and she loved watching them succeed.
She really knew how to live – and how important friends, family and fun are to life. Her wicked sense of humour was always in the room, often waiting for a moment when it was needed most. Her children, her friends, and I are eternally grateful for every moment we had with her.
We will miss her dearly.
Source: Campaign UK