The Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA), which
represents 300 advertisers including McDonald’s and Procter and Gamble,
has appointed former Conservative MP Ian Twinn as its first public
affairs director.
Twinn started his job this week and will be in charge of promoting
ISBA’s objectives among opinion-formers in Westminster and Brussels. His
reponsibilities include lobbying and media relations.
ISBA’s public affairs function was previously handled by its director
general, John Hooper, who Twinn will report to. He will work with
recently appointed PR and information executive, Julie McGuckian.
One of ISBA’s main objectives is to maintain the self-regulation of
advertising.
The society will lobby against regulations by the European Commission
limiting advertising to children. The regulations are expected to be
proposed once Sweden assumes the Commission presidency next year.
Twinn was the MP for Edmonton for 14 years until he lost his seat at the
general election in May last year. Since leaving Parliament, Twinn has
worked as a freelance political consultant.
He said: ’I hope the experience I bring to ISBA will enable the
organisation to promote and protect the freedom of commercial
communications into the next century.’
