Marketing Tank Gets Rolling

London's Worshipful Company of Marketors has set up a Think Tank composed of marketing practitioners to enable it to add practical input and advice to its ongoing efforts to promote excellence in the profession. The group was launched in a recent presentation to the media by David Hanger, publisher of The Economist.

In outlining the scope of the new initiative Hanger, who is also the current Master of the Marketors and will be the Think Tank's first Chairman, said its remit will include passing opinions on current marketing practice and trends and where appropriate on UK and European government initiatives; production of benchmark studies; and raising the profile of marketing within the City and generally in the corporate environment.

The Think Tank will include marketing experts from finance, IT, agency, drinks, retail and consulting sectors as well as marketing academics. Specifically, individuals from IBM, Cap Gemini, Britvic and PwC are on the current team.

The group will work with other industry bodies following the launch of the new OFR (Operating and Financial Review) and through communication with the Accounting Standards Board expects to issue guidelines for the large- and medium-sized companies that will have to adopt this new initiative during the April 05-06 financial year.

Hanger's presentation was followed by the Worshipful Company of Marketors' annual City Lecture given by guest speaker, Lord Stevenson of Coddenham, Chairman of Pearson and HBOS and non-executive Director of Manpower Inc., USA. The Marketors City Lecture is sponsored by The Economist and Cass Business School, City University.

The Marketors' Livery Company is one of the modern Livery Companies of the City of London, having been granted full Livery status in 1978, and its activities include the Charitable & Educational Trust which presents more than 40 annual awards for Excellence in Marketing Dissertations. It is on the web at www.marketors.org

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.