Dame Annette King, former Publicis Groupe UK CEO, dies at 57
King was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the King’s Birthday Honours in June 2023
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Published: Mar 6, 2026 8:50 AM | 2 min read
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Dame Annette King, a widely respected figure in the advertising and marketing industry who held senior leadership roles at Accenture Song and Publicis Groupe, has died at the age of 57.
King most recently served as the Global Lead-Marketing Practice at Accenture Song. She joined the organisation in 2023 after spending nearly six years with Publicis Groupe UK, where she was the Chief Executive Officer. She stepped down as the CEO in February last year following a serious health experience.
Despite stepping down from day-to-day corporate roles, King remained active in the media and creative industries and continued to serve as a Non-Executive Director and Chair, Remuneration Committee at Channel 4. She also served as the Chair of the Advertising Association, a position she took on in 2022.
King’s contribution to the industry was formally recognised in June 2023 when she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the King’s Birthday Honours.
Before joining Publicis, King spent nearly two decades with Ogilvy, part of WPP. Over a 17-year career there, she rose through the ranks to become Chief Executive Officer of Ogilvy Group UK.
King first took on the role of CEO of OgilvyOne UK in 2008. She later expanded her responsibilities in 2012 when she became CEO for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
News of her death prompted tributes from across the advertising and media industries. A message shared on King’s LinkedIn profile by her husband, Henry Stevens, expressed deep sorrow at her passing. See the post below:
Dame Annette King will be remembered for her long career in advertising and her contribution to the UK’s creative industry.
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