EASA Director General to launch new consultancy
20 June 2016
EASA Director General to launch new consultancy
After almost 25 years leading the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) as its Director General, Dr Oliver Gray has decided to leave EASA to pursue a consultancy career.
EASA will be one of Dr Gray’s founding clients, benefiting from his knowledge and experience in advertising self-regulation and governance in Europe and beyond, his role on the steering group of the EU Community of Practice for Better Self- and Co-Regulation and his role co-chairing the ICC Commission on Marketing and Advertising Task Force on Code Revision.
Dr Gray is also DG of the European interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA), which is responsible for licensing the icon, youronlinechoices platform and compliance programme for Online Behavioural Advertising. He is also co-chair of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Code Revision Taskforce which helps revise and establish ICC codes of marketing and advertising practice and has been involved in APEC’s discussions on the role of self-regulation and regulatory capacity building.
“It’s impossible to put in words the contribution Oliver has made to effective advertising self-regulation in Europe since its very beginnings in the early 1990s. He’s a giant on the international stage and I’m delighted we’ll be able to continue to make use of his unparalleled expertise. As well as working with him, I wish him the very best in the broader development of what I’m sure will be a successful consultancy career.” Mr Guy Parker, EASA Board member (EASA Chairman, 2013-2016).
Oliver will leave his role at the end of May, 2016. EASA will shortly begin the process of looking for his replacement. He will continue as Director General of the European interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA), on a consultancy basis.
“As Senior Expert Adviser to EASA, Oliver will continue to work for the promotion and the recognition of advertising self-regulation worldwide for the benefit of citizens, businesses and public authorities. I am very pleased that he can be with us during our celebration of 25 years of building the European Advertising Standards Alliance, in which he is unanimously recognized as making an outstanding contribution. His achievements and his vision of advertising ethics will remain indispensable to the new chapter that EASA and its members, national self-regulatory organizations and industry organizations representing brand owners, agencies, media and advertising platforms, open today.” Mr Stéphane Martin, EASA Chairman, from 2016.
“As we enter a new era where effective self- and co-regulation are being considered as options in the regulatory toolbox, responsibility through commitments, codes, charters, implementation and evaluation are important proof points in creating trust. Based on my extensive experience with EASA, working with companies, industry sectors and authorities at national, European and international levels, I am well placed to advise on industry best practice, codes and compliance systems. I am particularly thrilled to count both EASA and EDAA, who are best in class proponents of effective self-regulation, as founder clients of my consultancy” Dr Oliver Gray.
Oliver will launch his consultancy in June. It will provide advice and support on governance, responsibility, self-regulation and compliance issues. Dr Oliver Gray graduated with a BSc and a PhD from Bath University. He joined the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) as its first fulltime Director General in 1993. He was responsible for providing strategic input, facilitating dialogue with the EU institutions on Self-Regulation in advertising and managing the work of the EASA secretariat. Dr Gray has been a participant in a number of EU multi-stakeholder discussions on advertising and marketing communications including rogue traders, environmental claims, unfair commercial practices, online behavioral advertising, cross-border issues, advertising and media literacy, and is a member of the steering group of the EU Community of practice for better self- and co-regulation. He has been acting as an advisor in the creation and development of advertising Self-Regulation, particularly in the new EU Member States and applicant countries as well as in other countries such as China, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Mexico and Morocco. Dr Gray has assisted EASA in developing compliance monitoring and self-regulatory best practice workshop discussions with a number of industry sectors.
About EASA:
The European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) is the single authoritative voice of advertising self-regulation. EASA promotes high ethical standards in commercial communications by means of effective self-regulation, for the benefit of consumers and business in Europe and beyond. EASA brings together 37 SROs (27 European SRO members and 10 International SRO members) and 16 Industry members (from advertisers, agencies and the media).
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Notes:
EASA can be contacted at info@easa-alliance.org
Dr Oliver Gray can be contacted at oliver.gray@numericable.be and – until 31 May – oliver.gray@easa-alliance.org
For press enquiries please contact:
Luigi Scuotto, EASA Promotions and Communications Officer at luigi.scuotto@easa-alliance.org
