The Advertising Association (AA) has named Lisa Hayley-Jones as its new director of public affairs, replacing the outgoing Sue Eustace after 20 years in the role.
Hayley-Jones joins as the AA prepares to champion the UK’s lucrative advertising industry during the upcoming party conference season, in the run-up to the rapidly-approaching general election.
Worth an estimated £35 billion to the British economy, the UK exports £15 billion of advertising and marketing services annually. The AA will use the conference season to encourage the government to give the industry greater domestic and international support.
Having previously held senior leadership roles at major financial institutions such as KPMG and the British Private Equity Association, Hayley-Jones also chaired the not-for-profit Westminster Forum.
“Lisa brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in working in and around Westminster with her roles in parliamentary engagement and as former Chair of the Westminster Forum. I am delighted to welcome Lisa to the AA: she joins at a critical time as we prepare for the next General Election and as party conference season draws closer,” AA CEO Stephen Woodford said.
“A big thank you from me on behalf of the Advertising Association and our members to an outstanding colleague and friend, Sue, who has given 20 years of service to the AA and much more to the advertising and media industry throughout her career.
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He continued: “Her unrivalled passion for her work will be sorely missed across the entire industry, and we wish her all the best on her next project, where she will be writing a history of the AA to publish at our 100th birthday in 2026.”
Since joining in 2003, Eustace’s work covered a wide range of policy issues, including putting forward the industry’s case on HFSS, the London Olympics and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Bills, as well as overseeing its long-standing work on data protection and the Online Advertising Programme.
Crucially, Eustace also helped to guide the industry’s dialogue with government on pandemic support and post-pandemic recovery during the highly complex last two years.
Hayley-Jones added: “I am absolutely delighted to be working with Stephen, his team, and members of the AA. The next 18 months will be critical for the sector to highlight its impressive contribution and importance to the UK economy.”
On her exit, Eustace concluded: “The AA has been an endlessly fascinating place to work over the last two decades as it is unique in bringing the whole industry together to develop consensus positions.
“This is often challenging but always worthwhile. I leave in the knowledge that, under Stephen’s leadership, the AA is at the heart of the industry’s values and agenda with its work on trust, climate, inclusion, talent, and exports, and has a much respected voice on policy issues across the piece”.
