Most recently as Global CEO of Grey, only the sixth in the company’s celebrated 105-year history and first woman to attain the role, Laura spent 3+ years building on Grey’s international capabilities while bringing people together from across WPP to deliver breakthrough work for some of the world’s most loved brands. In addition to shaping Grey’s global strategy across six continents, she built on the strong foundation of Grey’s ‘Famously Effective’ work by fueling a values-led culture of creativity, innovation, and impact.
Before being appointed Global CEO of Grey, Laura served as CEO for Havas in North America driving a culture of purposeful growth and steering a turnaround that earned the flagship agency Digiday’s Most Innovative Culture, Ad Age’s Best Places to Work, AdExchanger’s Best Collaborative Agency Team, The Drum’s Network Agency of the Year, Digiday’s Employer of the Year—and, was the first major network agency in the US and globally to become a certified B Corp. She also oversaw several specialists including a culture-first creator studio (Annex88) and a global customer engagement agency (Havas CX).
A recognized industry voice speaking at ANA, Ad Age, Adweek, CES, ChiefX, Digiday, Economist, Forbes, HBR, World Congress, WEF in Davos and more, Laura’s accolades include: one of the first agency leaders to take 3% Conference’s Pledge for Pay Equity; Working Mother of the Year and Changing the Game Quantum Leap winner by She Runs It; Campaign magazine Female Frontier honoree for Championing Change; Creativepool’s Top Influencer of the Year & Top 25 CEO; Digiday’s Top Boss for Worklife; a finalist for The Drum’s CEO of the Year; Act Responsible’s 2022 Ad Industry Champion of Good at Cannes; Creative Leader of the Year at Creativepool’s 2023 Annual Awards; Campaign US 2024 Inspiring Women Leading the Charge; and, Chief’s New Era of Leadership 2025 Winner.
Laura is also an investor and advisor through Village Global and her own fund This Is Wholehearted, and is a founding member of Chief, Women’s Purpose Community, and The Post—a private network of former collegiate & pro athletes Built By Sport.