M&C Saatchi has appointed Zaid Al-Qassab as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following a comprehensive search process. Most recently, he was Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Channel 4.
Zaid’s appointment will be effective from 13 May 2024, following which Zillah Byng-Thorne, acting Executive Chair, will return to her role as Non-Executive Chair of the Company.
Zaid held the CMO role at Channel 4 from 2019 where he was responsible for marketing, digital, product, communications and PR, advertising, media and continuity, its in-house creative agency 4creative, and its digital content and brand entertainment agency 4Studio.
He was previously the Chief Brand & Marketing Officer of BT plc, where he led the BT, EE, Plusnet and Openreach brands. He also spent 20 years at Procter & Gamble, in marketing and commercial roles, including as Managing Director of the Health & Beauty division for the UK & Ireland. Zaid currently serves as Non-Executive Director of Advertising Standards Authority, a role he has held since 2018.
Zillah Byng-Thorne, Executive Chair, said: ‘We are delighted to have attracted someone of Zaid’s calibre to lead M&C Saatchi into its next phase of growth. Zaid has proven leadership qualities, has managed global teams, and his client-centric focus, dynamism and commercial acumen will be highly valuable as we look to accelerate our growth trajectory.
“The advertising and marketing landscape is fast-moving and a modern, forward-thinking, agile leader like Zaid will help shape M&C Saatchi for excellence on the global stage, supported by our exceptional regional leaders across the UK and globally. It is truly an exciting moment for us.‘
Zaid Al-Qassab said: ‘I have long admired M&C Saatchi’s creativity and industry-leading work and I am delighted to be joining one of the most recognised advertising brands in the world. I believe M&C Saatchi has a unique growth opportunity, capitalising on its combination of advertising and specialist marketing services, and its unrelenting focus on creative solutions built on client understanding, with an agile, global, integrated offer.’
Featured image: Zaid Al-Qassab joins M&C Saatchi as CEO
