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The 21 ad execs who wield the most power and influence over Facebook
Tanya Dua
Carolyn Everson, Facebook's vice president of global marketing solutions.
Michael Seto / Business Insider
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Since news of Facebook's data scandal involving Cambridge Analytica broke earlier this month, its vice president of global marketing solutions, Carolyn Everson, has spent much of her time putting out fires.
Everson has been reaching out to the company's many advertisers, helping them understand the ramifications of the crisis and the steps Facebook has taken since it erupted.
But there's one group that was notified first — and wields more influence than anyone else at Facebook.
That group is Facebook's client council, a 21-person team comprising marketing heavyweights from both brands and ad agencies who work closely with Facebook executives including Everson to improve its products and help it better cater to the industry's needs.
Some prominent members include Procter & Gamble's global marketing chief, Marc Pritchard, and Unilever's chief marketing officer, Keith Weed, who publicly vowed to reduce spending on Google and Facebook but has been conspicuously silent since the latest blunder came to light.
As Facebook comes under fire for its seemingly never-ending string of missteps — and as some advertisers question their spending on the platform — the council is armed with more power than ever to push the industry's collective concerns.
Here are the 21 members of the council.
Alan Batey, executive vice president and president of GM North America
Batey was previously General Motors' global chief marketing officer, and he led marketing for Chevrolet and Buick. He is the only auto-marketing exec on the council.
Kelly Bennett, CMO of Netflix
Getty/Laura Cavanaugh
Bennett, an entertainment-marketing veteran from Warner Bros., oversees global marketing and social media for Netflix across more than 150 countries.
His job is to extend some of the streaming giant's most successful franchises into thrilling experiences across the digital, mobile, and out-of-home mediums — something that probably requires a lot of collaboration with Facebook.
Chris Bruzzo, CMO of EA
Bruzzo oversees marketing strategy and strategic communications for the video game company.
Tom Buday, head of marketing and consumer communications at Nestle
Buday brings nearly five years of experience as Nestle's Europe marketing director, bringing not only Nestle's perspective as a European company, but valuable insight into foreign consumers.
Fiona Carter, chief brand officer of AT&T
Carter leads sponsorships, media, brand and corporate, and advertising for AT&T, one of the largest communications companies in the world.
Kelly Clark, global CEO of GroupM
GroupM
Clark leads GroupM, WPP's media-investment company, and has worked with clients ranging from Target to IBM.
Wendy Clark, global president and CEO of DDB
Wendy Clark, DDB North America president and CEO.
Clark brings a wealth of client-side experience with her from her years at Coca-Cola and DDB.
Francisco Crespo, chief growth officer of Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola also had a seat on the council in the past with Wendy Clark, and Crespo keeps the tradition alive.
His position as Coca-Cola's chief growth officer is a new one that combines global marketing, customer and commercial leadership, and strategy.
Dominique Delport, global managing director and chief client officer at Havas
Delport oversees global client relationships, marketing, and new business for Havas, though Variety reported that he's leaving for Vice Media at the end of April. It's unclear whether he will retain his seat on the council.
Laurent Faracci, global EVP of Reckitt Benckiser
Faraccci represents the consumer healthcare multinational company on the council.
Lucas Herscovici, VP of consumer strategy and insights at Anheuser-Busch InBev
Advertising Week
AB InBev has set aside $2 billion in US capital spending to bolster its flagship beer brands and improve distribution through 2020 — so it would want to ensure it is spending its ad dollars in the right places.
It is no wonder then that Herscovici — who looks after strategy, media, and insights — is a member of the council.
Steve King, CEO of Publicis Media
King helps Publicis Media clients like L'Oreal and Coty with strategy, insights and analytics, data and technology, and performance marketing — making him a prime member of the council.
Daryl Lee, global CEO of Universal McCann
Universal McCann
As the global CEO of the media agency Universal McCann, Lee is well-versed in combining the science of data with the art of creative in advertising. He represents clients including Hershey and Heinz.
Simon Lowden, president of the global snacks group at PepsiCo
Pepsi and Coca-Cola may never see eye to eye — except at Facebook's client council, where Lowden joins Coca-Cola's Crespo.
Nigel Morris, chief strategy and innovation officer at Dentsu Aegis
As the strategy and innovation chief for Dentsu Aegis' network of agencies, Morris represents the interests of brands ranging from Mondelez to Mastercard.
Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer of P&G
Pritchard controls the largest advertising budget on the planet — a hefty $10.4 billion annually — though that hasn't stopped him from taking a stance against digital advertising when necessary.
P&G cut more than $200 million in digital ad spending last year, including cuts of 20% to 50% at "several big digital players," The Wall Street Journal reported.
Pritchard has not publicly acknowledged Facebook's latest gaffe.
Andrew Robertson, president and CEO of BBDO
Robertson leads the Omnicom-owned ad-agency network BBDO Worldwide and represents a host of big brands like Visa and Mountain Dew.
Tony Rogers, SVP and CMO of Walmart US
Rogers is responsible for all aspects of Walmart's US marketing efforts, including customer research, strategy, program development, branding, and customer communications.
David Sable, global CEO of Y&R
Sable, the global CEO of the ad agency Young & Rubicam, is also the chairman of the Ad Council's board of directors, a prestigious group of senior executives from media and technology companies, agencies, and advertisers.
Daryl Simm, chairman and CEO of Omnicom Media Group
Simm oversees a consortium of media agencies within the Omnicom Group, a budget of over $40 billion, and a roster of big clients including Apple and Pepsi.
Keith Weed, CMO of Unilever
Like Procter & Gamble, Unilever is also a consumer-packaged-goods giant, a big-budget ad spender, and a champion of cleaning up digital advertising.
But Weed seems content to amp up the pressure from the inside rather than criticize the biggest players out in the open.
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