4As Announces Laura Maness as Co-Vice Chair of National Board of Directors

Grey Global CEO elevated to Executive Committee

New York, NY – October 22, 2024 – The 4As (American Association of Advertising Agencies), a membership-based U.S. trade association for the advertising and marketing communications industry, announced today the appointment of Laura Maness, Global CEO of Grey, as the Co-Vice Chair of the 4As National Board of Directors.

Laura joins an esteemed group of agency leaders who bring a wealth of experience to the 4As executive committee including Abbey Klaassen, US CEO and Global Brand President, Dentsu Creative and the Chair of the 4As Board of Directors; Christine Fruechte, CEO of Colle McVoy and 4As board Co-Vice Chair along with Laura; Andrew Graff, CEO of Allen & Gerritsen and 4As Board Secretary/Treasurer; and Sharon Napier, Executive Chair & Founder at Partners + Napier and Immediate Past Chair of the Board.

The 4As Board of Directors is composed of passionate industry advocates holding leadership positions at member organizations. Board members play an active role in shaping and supporting 4As initiatives, advocating for agencies and influencing and advancing the industry agenda.

“Laura has been an active member of the board for seven years. I am thrilled she has agreed to be the Co-Vice Chair along with Christine. She has a passion for many of the key challenges facing our members today – including talent and new business and has always been willing to help support the 4As programs and initiatives. In her new role, combined with her strong industry voice, Laura will be able to move our industry even further.” said 4As CEO Marla Kaplowitz.

Only the sixth CEO in Grey’s 105-year history and first woman to attain the role, Laura is building on Grey’s international capabilities and expertise while bringing people together from across the WPP network to deliver breakthrough, high performance work for some of the world’s most loved brands. She is passionate about culture as evidenced by Grey’s inclusions in Newsweek’s “Most Loved Workplaces” and earning her previous agency, Havas, where she was CEO, a spot on Digiday’s Most Innovative Culture, Ad Age’s Best Places to Work, AdExchanger’s Best Collaborative Agency Team, The Drum’s Network Agency of the Year, Digiday’s Employer of the Year. Laura is an industry thought leader and has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Fortune and Inc, speaks at major industry events and has earned recognition from Campaign magazine, The Drum, She Runs It, Digiday and more.

“I am honored to serve as Co-Vice Chair, working alongside Marla and the entire Board of Directors. I have enjoyed my time as a 4As Board Member at Large and am excited for this opportunity to take on more in support of our mission to advocate for the agency community, and help navigate the industry’s most pressing challenges such as fostering talent and driving innovation,” said Maness. “I hope to build on the momentum we’ve created.”