Simon Michaelides to lead ISBA as interim director general ahead of Phil Smith’s 2025 departure
Simon Michaelides has been named interim director general of ISBA, the trade body representing UK advertisers. He will take over the role later this year from Phil Smith, who announced his intention to step down in mid-2025 after eight years at the organisation. Smith will continue to support ISBA as chair of Origin, the body’s global prototype cross-media audience measurement solution, which is expected to be released to the market this year.
Michaelides brings 27 years of commercial experience across multiple sectors, currently serving as chief customer officer at Great British Racing. Before this, he held senior roles including chief customer and strategy officer at Riviera Travel, chief marketing and innovation officer at UKTV, and leadership positions at PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble. He has been involved with ISBA since 2020 as a non-executive director and council member, and is also a trustee of Brooklands Museum. ISBA has described him as a "change-agent" with expertise in brand development, organisational capability, and marketing excellence.
In his new role, Michaelides will be tasked with setting the strategic direction for ISBA and advancing its mission to support and promote the interests of its members. He expressed enthusiasm about leading the organisation and acknowledged the legacy of Phil Smith, calling him “an incredibly tough act to follow.” Michaelides is also a fellow of both The Marketing Society and The Marketing Academy, reflecting his standing in the marketing profession.
Phil Smith joined ISBA in 2017 from Ecrebo and during his tenure helped establish Origin, the cross-media measurement tool that aims to provide advertisers with a more comprehensive and reliable way to measure audience reach across platforms. Though stepping down as director general, Smith’s continuing involvement as chair of Origin signals ISBA’s commitment to this important initiative, which seeks to address longstanding challenges in media measurement.
The appointment of ISBA’s director general is overseen by a nominations committee comprising senior marketing and brand leaders including Ben Rhodes, group brand and marketing officer at Phoenix Group; Taide Guajardo, brand senior vice-president Europe at Procter & Gamble; and Margaret Jobling, chief marketing officer at NatWest Group. The committee reports to ISBA’s president, Pete Markey, former chief marketing officer at Boots. Markey expressed confidence in Michaelides, highlighting his broad sector experience and passion for the marketing industry as ideal for leading ISBA into its next phase.
Smith’s decision to step down in mid-2025 aligns with a structured transition process, with the search for a permanent director general being led by August Leadership, an executive search firm. This ensures continuity and a thorough approach to finding a successor capable of steering the organisation amidst evolving industry challenges, including the push for better cross-media measurement through Origin.
As ISBA adapts to the changing advertising landscape, Michaelides’ appointment marks a period of fresh leadership and strategic focus. His marketing expertise and experience in transformation projects position him well to drive the organisation’s relevance and impact for its members.