Laura Maness

The Ad Exec Who's Making Space for Women — and Racking Up Wins

Since taking the reigns at Grey in 2022 as the first woman CEO in the ad agency’s 105-year-history, Laura Maness has sharpened the firm’s “Famously Effective” approach. She’s a champion for bold ideas, cultural relevance, and meaningful brand impact at scale for global clients like Coca-Cola, P&G, Haleon, and Volvo. And, in 2024, the agency snagged several new partners, including AB InBev, Etihad, and Tourism Ireland. The Grey Health division achieved a 78% win rate, with giants like Astellas and AstraZeneca signing on. The agency also helped Corona become the first-ever global alcohol sponsor of The Olympic Games, launching its largest-ever campaign and powering its continued success in 2024. Grey’s growth is fueled by the culture of creativity, collaboration, and inclusion that Maness infuses from the top down, with a workforce that’s 55% women and a gender-balanced global executive team. This ethos earned the agency a spot on Newsweek’s 2025 list of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women.

By Audrey Goodson Kingo