M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment Announce New UK CEO

M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment has announced the appointment of Laura Coller as UK CEO.

Laura has been promoted from her current role as Managing Director and will be assuming CEO duties across M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment and its associated lifestyle offering, M&C Saatchi Fabric, from April 2024.

In her role as CEO, she will oversee a team of 100+ creative communications professionals in the UK and will continue to grow the agency’s sector specialist offer across sport, entertainment and culture.

Laura joined M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment 15 years ago, serving as a Board Director for the past seven years, during which time the agency has continued to innovate in the sector, winning awards for its work with some of the biggest brands, sponsors and rights holders in the UK and globally.

During her tenure Laura has played an instrumental role in shaping and accelerating the business, leading many of the Agency’s highest-profile work, including global campaigns for Reebok with Victoria Beckham, Kendrick Lamar, Gigi Hadid and Ariana Grande, launching Cristiano Ronaldo’s personal CR7 brand and activating work for adidas with Hailey Bieber and Stormzy.

I’m very proud to be running the business I love and plan to continue a culture of creativity, entrepreneurialism, tenacity and excellence
Laura Coller

Most recently she has been responsible for spearheading the creation and commercial growth of the Agency’s lifestyle offering, launching M&C Saatchi Fabric as a standalone proposition within the M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment network. Under Laura’s leadership, M&C Saatchi Fabric has evolved into the fastest growing part of the Sport & Entertainment network and has worked with a roster of world-renowned Clients including The adidas Group, The LEGO Group, The Coca-Cola Company and Unilever.

2024 marks the 20th year of M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, with Clients including Barclays, NFL, Heineken, UEFA, Absolut, and Jameson. Laura recently led a full rebrand of the agency including the launch of a supercharged strategic offer and an updated visual identity doubling down on the agency’s position as a passions-first business.

She has also introduced new thinking to the market by publishing a consumer insights report – FANDOM IS DEAD. WELCOME TO FANCOM – which represents a shift in how the agency will approach work for clients moving forwards.

At the prestigious UK Sponsorship Awards on March 26, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment was awarded Agency of the Year for the second year running.

Laura will be supported by Managing Partners Ross Watson and Jenny Mitton (Sport) and Lois Kettlewell and Nicola Murray (Entertainment). She will report into Marcus Peffers, UK Group CEO.

Marcus said: “For two decades M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment has set the industry standard. Throughout that time, Laura has been instrumental to the Agency’s sustained success.

“She’s proven herself to be an inspirational and visionary leader and I’m delighted that she is stepping up to take the helm as CEO. Along with her brilliant team, I have no doubt she’ll take the business to even greater heights.”

Laura said: “I’m very proud to be running the business I love and plan to continue a culture of creativity, entrepreneurialism, tenacity and excellence, protecting the core DNA of the Agency while ushering in a new decade. This year we added ‘The Passions Agency’ as a signature to who we are and how we work, and I’ll continue to pour my passion into the future of the business, and our incredibly talented team.”

Coller’s promotion follows M&C Saatchi’s recent appointments of Zaid Al-Qassab as Global CEO, Marcus Peffers as UK Group CEO, and Jo Bacon as UK CEO.

Do you have agency news? Email [email protected]