WACL NED Talk : How Marketeers can become what boards are looking for – 19 May 2025
May 19 @ 12:15 pm - 1:30 pm
Our next NED session focusses on a key topic of interest for WACL members: the critically important benefit of having NEDs who bring marketing DNA to the boards they serve.
At a time when UK and international markets are becoming increasingly complex and dynamic, the experiential diversity and perspective a Marketing NED brings with their ability to look outside a company at the evolving landscape, spot change and opportunity, and interpret what they see to position the company to its greatest advantage, underlines their importance to the creation and development of effective strategy.
As the ‘consumer champion’, they balance the need to create value -for the brand, for its employees, and for its customers – and are central to company success and revenue generation.
To explore this topic in more depth, we are hugely fortunate to have two stellar speakers joining us who will share their perspectives – Francesca Ecsery, SID, NED and Chair of RemCo on a variety of Boards and Richard Sumner partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ London office and regional managing partner of the Consumer Markets Practice for Europe and Africa. The discussion will be facilitated by our very own Jennelle Tilling.
This is a members only event, free of charge and will be held virtually on Monday the 19th of May 2025 at 12:15. Please let us know on [email protected] if you want us to reserve your spot.
Speaker Biographies
Richard Sumner
Richard Sumner is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ London office and regional managing partner of the Consumer Markets Practice for Europe and Africa.
With more than 20 years of experience in leadership consulting, Richard has successfully partnered with global, pan-European and UK clients in the consumer and sports sectors in the recruitment of executives at the general management, C-Suite and board level.
He has an established track record in the Marketing arena, advising a number of global clients on CMO and Marketing leadership appointments across multiple industries.
Prior to joining Heidrick & Struggles, Richard was a partner with another global executive search firm where he spent ten years working with clients across the consumer and sports sectors. In addition, Richard was the European, Middle East & Africa regional leader for the company’s global chief marketing officers practice.
Earlier in his career, Richard had roles in strategic talent acquisition and executive search across both consumer and media industries. Richard attended the University of East Anglia where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in European History and French
Francesca Ecsery
Portfolio SID, NED and Committee Chair. Board Mentor
WACL member since 1996 and Digital Officer on the WACL Executive Committee between 2002 to 2016, Francesca is currently Chairs the NED programme at WACL and is working as a Portfolio SID, NED and Committee Chair with expertise in Marketing and 30+ years’ experience in directing in both blue chip companies and start-ups in the Digital / Retail / FMCG / Leisure Travel industries. Currently, Francesca is a Non-Executive Director on 4 boards, Air France, Henderson High Income Trust plc., Haffner Energy, and the AIC ( Association of Investment Companies). She also works as a Board Mentor and Commercial Coach to several C suite executives and entrepreneurs.
Prior to going plural, Francesca worked as Global Business Development Director and UK General Manager at Cheapflights Media for 4 years. She has extensive experience encompassing consultancy with McKinsey and Co, marketing with PepsiCo, general management in a range of blue-chip travel companies including STA Travel, ThornEMI, Thomas Cook and Going Places, through to entrepreneurial activity working with VCs to set up, establish and exit internet-based travel businesses such as IfYouTravel.com.
A graduate of Geneva University in Political Science and International Relations, Francesca also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. She speaks 6 languages: French, English, Portuguese, Spanish and Hungarian fluently and Italian conversational.She lives in London and Provence with her husband Tim and Cavapoo Loki.
