Cancer Research UK has appointed Pete Markey as its new executive director of marketing, fundraising and engagement. Markey steps into the role in November, after a series of senior leadership positions at organisations including TSB Bank and Aviva. He most recently served as chief marketing officer at Boots, where he led brand transformation and drove consecutive market share growth.
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Markey has earned five Marketer of the Year accolades and twice taken teams to Marketing Team of the Year awards. He holds the presidency of the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA) and is a Fellow of The Marketing Academy, Chartered Institute of Marketing and The Marketing Society.
Markey takes over from Phil Almond, who announced his retirement earlier this year.
The charity’s chief executive Michelle Mitchell OBE said, “Pete impressed us with his depth of knowledge, experience, and the impact on growth he’s delivered everywhere he’s worked. He brings a strong personal commitment to our mission, and I’m pleased to welcome him on behalf of everyone at Cancer Research UK. We’re in a strong position thanks to Phil’s leadership, and I look forward to working with Pete to drive further progress for people affected by cancer and their loved ones.”
Markey added, “It’s a real privilege to be part of a charity with such a powerful mission. I lost my mum, Rosemary, to cancer 25 years ago, so this role is deeply personal for me. I want this next chapter to be about helping to beat cancer with the brilliant teams at Cancer Research UK.”
Cancer Research UK is the world’s largest charitable funder of cancer research and says it’s on track to invest over £1.5bn between 2021/22 and 2025/26.
