Member Article

The Marketors announce Richard Christou as new Master

*Experienced legal professional announces the evolution of the CMO as focus for 2018 *

The Worshipful Company of Marketors, “The Marketors” has announced Richard Christou as the new Master for 2018. Christou was installed as Master at a special Installation ceremony on Thursday 25th January at Goldsmiths’ Hall in London.

Choosing ‘The 2020 CMO’ as his theme for the year, Christou’s leadership of The Marketors in 2018 will focus on how the role of the CMO is likely to change over the next few years, and the impact that new and emerging technologies will have on this evolution. This theme will be explored through various content during the year, such as research papers, presentations, guest lectures and a conference.

Christou is a distinguished marketer and executive with a strong background in the legal sector. After studying law at Trinity College, Cambridge, Christou started his career as a solicitor and later inhouse general counsel, before progressing to become CEO and then executive chairman of ICL, the British IT company, acquired by the Japanese multinational Fujitsu Limited in 1990. He then held several senior roles in Fujitsu Limited itself, ending as Corporate Senior Executive Vice President and President of Fujitsu’s Global Business Group, responsible for all Fujitsu’s IT business outside of Japan. He retired in 2012, and is still currently a corporate adviser for the company.

Christou joined The Worshipful Company of Marketors in 2008. He is also a member of the City Livery Club, Tower Ward Club and the Royal Society of St George. He has written several standard legal practitioners’ publications for Thomson Reuters.

Christou says: “It’s an honour to have been announced as the new Master for 2018. My theme for the year, ‘The 2020 CMO’, will focus on how CMOs of the future should make the most of the opportunities thrown up by the new developments in information technology, while minimising risk. I’m looking forward to exploring this topic in more detail throughout the year.”

The guest speaker for this year’s installation dinner was Sir Peter Gershon, who was the first chief executive of the Office of Government Commerce and is now non-executive chairman of the National Grid. In delivering his speech to the evening’s guests, Gershon formally launched the Master’s new theme for 2018.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Elise Ivens-Barnes .