IPA Nominates Karen Martin as Presidential Candidate for 2025 Elections

Karen Martin, chief executive of BBH London, has been nominated as IPA president-elect to succeed Josh Krichefski, chief executive officer of GroupM UK & EMEA. The election will take place as part of the IPA AGM proceedings on Thursday 27th March 2025.

Karen was chosen following a formal three-month selection process led by former president Julian Douglas, group CEO, VCCP who headed up the Presidential Nominating Committee.

Said Julian, "I’m absolutely thrilled that Karen has stepped up as our new IPA President. Her passion for great work and infectious energy have already made a huge impact as Effectiveness Leadership Group Chair, and now she’ll bring that same spirit to shape our industry’s future. Karen’s leadership will guide us through challenges and light up the many opportunities on the horizon. I know she will be an exceptional President and an inspiring voice for us all.”

Said Paul Bainsfair, IPA director general, "I am very much looking forward to working with Karen to ensure the IPA remains the power behind the practitioners. She is already a member of IPA Council and is well versed in our initiatives and activities and can help us focus on what is important over the next two years.”

Said Karen Martin, “I’ve long been a passionate supporter of the IPA and I’m truly honoured to be selected as the next President. The IPA and its Presidents have supported and shaped our industry for more than a century, so to have the chance to help lead the organisation through a time of rapid change and vast opportunity is hugely exciting. I can’t wait to get started.”

IPA election procedure

The new president will take over officially at a short Special Council meeting, which will follow on from the quarterly Council meeting and AGM, on 27th March 2025.

The IPA Council is the elected governing body of the IPA with responsibility for overseeing its membership, strategic focus and management. It is chaired by the IPA president, who is supported by the Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.

The new president’s speech will be broadcast approximately one week after the AGM.

Karen Martin is one of the industry’s most progressive and dynamic leaders and, as CEO of BBH, has ensured the agency delivers on its promise to Zag for clients, while reshaping the agency and the industry for a diverse new generation.

Campaign's Head of Agency of the Year, Karen puts craft and creativity first, enabling BBH to deliver on the power of difference for clients including Audi, Burger King and Tesco.

In 2023, she led the agency to achieve its strongest revenue growth in eight years, further diversifying across specialisms including health, brand transformation, design and production and entering one of its most commercially and creatively successful periods.

Karen’s leadership recently led to BBH being named Creative Circle’s Most Creative Agency and Marketing Week's 2023 Agency of the Year.

She is chair of the IPA Effectiveness Group and, during her tenure at BBH, has helped clients including Audi and Tesco win IPA Effectiveness Grand Prix. BBH was also IPA’s Effectiveness Company of the Year from 2018-2022.

Before BBH, Karen spent 14 years in Australia’s ad industry. She was managing director of Host Sydney where she ran the agency’s largest account, Bankwest, and won and ran Pizza Hut and Lion Beverages.