2020 signals a great big welcome to Vicki Holgate who is the new Chair of the APG for the next two years. Vicki has serious strategy credentials. She's a two time winner of the APG Creative Strategy Awards Grand Prix, chaired the Shortlisting Committee for the 2019 awards, is a leading light in the effectiveness community, and now has a serious strategic leadership role at Diageo as Effective Creative Excellence Director. Vicki will be our Chair for the next two years and you'll be hearing from her shortly.
It's also a moment to salute and thank Matt Tanter, Head of Strategy at Mother, whose strategic vision has energised us so effectively for the last two years. I could list a string of things that have changed for the better whilst he's been Chair; big, tangible things like bringing creative strategy back to the heart of our awards, inspiring the Right to Disconnect and new ideas for putting real people back into the heart of planning.
But most of all I'd like to thank Matt for his exceptional contribution to the intangible aspects of our organisation. He made it quite clear from the start that the community of planners and strategists who make up the APG was to be his focus. Every time he gets up on stage or chairs a committee he relentlessly champions people and community spirit. He’s an inspiring and approachable example to new generations of planners and strategists and his enthusiasm for all things planning and APG is completely infectious.
The fact that Matt is a joy to work with sits unusually comfortably with a razor sharp brain, real strategic vision and the fact that he is brimful of new ideas. If you ever wonder who you should model yourself on as a planner or strategist, you need look no further. Thank you, Matt.