NBCU Ad Chief Linda Yaccarino Named Chair Of Ad Council’s Board Of Directors

Linda Yaccarino, NBCUniversal’s chairman of global advertising and partnerships, has been named chair of the Ad Council’s board of directors.

She succeeds David Fischer, Chief Revenue Officer of Facebook, and will serve in the role until June 30, 2022. The role of chair rotates among representatives of four industry sectors: media companies, technology companies, ad agencies and advertisers.

Since its beginnings in the 1940s, the non-profit Ad Council has developed public service communications and marketing efforts for a range of social causes. Its signature campaigns have included Smokey the Bear’s anti-forest fire messages and slogans like “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk” and “Love has no labels.” It has responded to events like the September 11th attacks and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy and has recently tackled Covid-19.

Educating the public about coronavirus vaccines and pandemic health and safety measures will be a key priority for the organization and for Yaccarino as chair.

“Linda is a visionary leader in our industry, and in her many years on our Board, she has been a true champion of the Ad Council and our work on the most important social issues facing our country,” said Ad Council CEO Lisa Sherman said in the official announcement. “Under Linda’s leadership, NBCUniversal was an invaluable partner on our COVID-19 response efforts earlier this year—acting with incredible speed to develop and place exceptional creative within days of the pandemic being declared in March. I look forward to working closely together on our COVID-19 Vaccine Education effort, as we convene the communications industry for the most significant campaign in the Ad Council’s history.”

Yaccarino joined the Ad Council board in 2014 and became a member of the Executive Committee in 2015. She most recently was vice chair.

“There are almost no words to express how proud I am to serve as Chair, working alongside the extraordinary Lisa Sherman. I’m so grateful to my predecessor and friend David Fischer, who has taken great care to prepare me for this role and to see his visionary leadership firsthand,” Yaccarino said. “The Ad Council shows us what’s possible when we combine the power of responsibility, creativity, credibility, and care for people. It’s an honor to join them in this new capacity.”

At NBCU, Yaccarino runs a $10 billion-plus annual advertising operation across platforms. She joined the company in 2011 and earned her current title in 2020. Previously, Yaccarino had an exec run at Turner, rising to EVP and COO of ad sales, marketing and acquisitions.

Read More About: