The IPA is an unusual organisation because we are arranged in two halves. First there's the day-to-day running of the IPA and its initiatives, this falls to the dedicated IPA staff under the leadership of our Director General. Secondly there's the governance of the IPA, this is the responsibility of the Council which is made up of elected members.
It is the agency practitioners who are responsible for setting and approving the IPA's agenda. This is unnusual in that it makes us a listening, and proactive professional body, especially when we have a mandate for change.
IPA Council meets quarterly and is chaired by the IPA President with support from the Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. The council is made up of 48 members who have each been formally elected for an initial three-year term. The positions of President, Honorary Sec and Honorary Treasurer undergo annual elections with the President serving a maximum two-year term.
The Membership Committee and the Finance Committee are our Governance Committees and are chaired by the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer respectively.
We also have three leadership groups that report into Council covering three different areas.
There are a number of other issue-based working groups too, for example on the industry's media policy. That means there are thirty IPA Communities in all.
The IPA Staff meanwhile are experts in their fields. They can give you advice on a whole range of issues from advertising law to agency contracts and media research to new business pitches.
So, if you have an advertising question, don't hesitate to get in touch with the IPA. We're here to help.