On 30 March, an audience drawn from all parts of the advertising industry and the self-regulatory system gathered together to bid farewell to the outgoing Chairman of CAP and BCAP, Andrew Brown, who had chaired CAP since 1999 and BCAP since 2004. In his speech, the Chairman declined to talk at length about CAP and its achievements, choosing instead to give a moving and modest tribute to what he described as the subtle and complex architecture of the system and the efforts of the many individuals within it to ensure that it remained effective.

Although he downplayed his role as “one of Napoleon’s lucky generals”, Andrew Brown leaves the office of CAP and BCAP Chairman with an impressive list of achievements. He led the industry task force that negotiated the ‘contracting out’ of broadcast advertising regulation from Ofcom as a consequence of the Communications Act (2003). Subsequently he has chaired CAP and BCAP though the extensive review of the Advertising Codes that were launched in revised form earlier this year, having previously led CAP through another Code Review in 2003. Last but hardly least, he oversaw extensions to the remit of the CAP Code to cover marketing communications on websites and in video on demand services, both highly significant developments in the self-regulatory system’s relationship to a changing media landscape.

Andrew Brown was the first salaried Chairman of CAP when he assumed the role in 1999, taking over from a series of Chairmen who combined the position with a demanding day job in industry. It is testament to his achievement that it would now be unthinkable for the CAP Chairmanship to be performed in that manner. At the end of his speech, Andrew welcomed his successor, James Best, telling his audience to expect “an improvement with hardly a ripple of change”.

As the new CAP and BCAP Chairman, James does indeed offer continuity and an assured status, having been Chair of the Advertising Association, President of the European Association of Communications Agencies, a Council member of the IPA (running the Effectiveness Committee) and a Council member of the Advertising Standards Authority. His knowledge of the advertising industry is direct and at a high level: he was previously Chairman of BMP DDB and then of DDB UK. In the words of Asbof Chairman Sir Christopher Powell, “James’ understanding of the advertising business and advertising self-regulation is second to none, we are lucky to have him.” Key CAP member and ISBA Director General Mike Hughes puts it, “I am confident that he will astutely lead CAP/BCAP through the challenges posed by the fast-changing media and regulatory landscape in which we operate". Here at CAP, we look forward to working with James to meet those challenges.

(Update article)


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