About me

As Global CEO—only the sixth in the agency's celebrated 105-year history—Laura's building on Grey's international capabilities and AKQA Group's expertise while bringing people together from across the network to deliver breakthrough, high performance work for some of the world's most loved brands. In addition to shaping Grey's global strategy in 50+ countries, Laura is committed to building on the strong foundation of Grey's storytelling prowess and famously effective work by fueling a values-led culture of camaraderie, creativity, innovation and impact.



Since taking the helm of Grey in September of 2022, Grey has been shortlisted as a Global Agency of the Year [Campaign], been named a Top 100 Global Most Loved Worlplace [Newsweek], won Grand Effies in every market


Before being appointed Global CEO of Grey, Laura served as CEO of Havas Group's North American flagship agency, Havas New York, driving a culture of purposeful growth and steering a turnaround that earned the 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 globally and in the US to become a certified B Corp. She also oversaw several specialist practices including a culture-first creator studio (Annex88) and a data-driven customer engagement agency (Havas CX).
Prior to her role as CEO of Havas New York, Laura simultaneously served as US Chief Growth Officer for Havas Worldwide North America and Managing Director of Havas Chicago resulting in three consecutive years of more than 35% revenue growth and a >300% increase in profitability. Laura boasts 25 years of strategic marketing and leadership experience ranging from digital pure-plays to globally integrated ad networks. Before Havas, she was based in San Francisco as CMO of Propane Studio. Prior to that, she led growth for IPG-owned FCB West across SF, Seattle & LA, and previously for Chicago-based digital shops including WPP/Wunderman-owned Designkitchen, Black Dog Interactive and Publicis-owned Giant Step (now Arc Worldwide).



A thought leader featured in publications like Business Insider, Forbes, Inc, and Thrive, and a recognized industry voice speaking at ANA, Ad Age, Adweek, Brand Innovators, CES, Digiday, Mirren, .E Summit, USACE, Women In Retail Leadership Circle, YMS, Allyship & Action, Harvard Business Review, The Economist 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, Top 100 Creative Leader; Digiday's Top Boss for Worklife; a finalist for The Drum's CEO of the Year; and was celebrated as Act Responsible's Ad Industry Champion of Good at the 2022 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.



Laura ignites meaningful change as a sustainability thought leader and Board Director—her board roles span the world's largest NGO for abandoned children (SOS Children's Villages, where she serves on the Executive Committee and personally sponsors a young girl from Peru), private venture-backed martech companies (GNB and Alembic), and nonprofits (Tory Burch Foundation, B Lab . & Canada, 4A's and ACT Responsible). She's also a Village Global advisor/investor, a founding member of Chief, Women's Purpose Community, Kindred and ForbesWomen Forum, and a co-chair of 50/50 Women on Boards—the leading non-profit global education and advocacy campaign driving the movement toward gender balance and diversity on corporate boards.



Laura graduated from Loyola University Chicago (returning in 2019 to deliver the Commencement Address and currently serving on the School of Communication Board of Directors). Laura's continued commitment to lifelong learning includes recent graduate certificates from Harvard University in Sustainable Business Strategy and the renowned, by-invitation Sustainability Leadership program from Harvard University's . Chan School of Public Health. She also graduated from Stanford Directors' College and earned a certificate in modern board governance spanning ESG and Sustainability, Corporate Strategy, and HCM Workforce Culture in a pandemic era.



Passionate about giving back, building community and helping others intentionally grow, Laura founded This Is Wholehearted where she consults, advises and invests in ideas designed to make the world better.

Residing in Manhattan's Upper East Side with her husband and athletic son who attends Browning, Laura enjoys SoulCycle, pilates, bold Cali reds, #5amclub sunrises and walks in Central Park. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, Snap and Threads @lauramaness.

Skills

Acquisitions, Advertising, Agile Development, Brand Management, Business Development, Change Management, Client Services, Communications, Digital Marketing, Digital Strategy, Marketing, Negotiation, Social Media

Sector Experience

Automotive, Banking, Consumer Durables, entertainment, Finance, Food & Beverages, Healthcare, Information Technology, Insurance, Retail, Telecoms, Travel & Leisure

Trade Associations

4A's, ACT Responsible, ANA, B Corp, Chief Clubhouse, HeyMama, Internet Advertising Bureau IAB, SheRunsIt