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Ad Standards’ CEO Jani Yates Retires After Over 40 Years in Advertising
May 3, 2023: Ad Standards celebrated the retirement of Jani Yates today at the company’s annual general meeting. Catherine Bate will lead the organization as President and CEO effective today. Cathy joined Ad Standards and Chief Legal and Policy Officer and Corporate Secretary in 2019. She has served as President and Chief Legal Office since 2021.
A succession plan has been in the works since Yates was hired as President and CEO. “When I joined Ad Standards seven years ago, I told the board when I would be retiring. Catherine and I have been working together on a succession plan to ensure a smooth transition for our employees, members, and board for over a year,” explained Yates.
Prior to joining Ad Standards, Bate spent years in private practice as an internationally recognized leader in the areas of marketing, advertising and consumer product regulatory law. Said Yates of her successor: “Catherine and I share the goal of supporting industry through building trust in advertising. I have confidence that the expertise and dedication Cathy brings to this role will be of tremendous benefit to Ad Standards in its mission.
Yates has worked in the advertising industry for more than forty years. She started out in account services, having worked in agencies in Montreal, New York and Toronto. Notably, she spent 18 years at Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA), nine as President.
In addition to her professional contributions, Yates has always been dedicated to volunteerism. She has served as Board Chair for both nabs and the AdClub of Toronto, as a member of the Advisory Board for strategy’s Marketers x Mentors program, and as a Board of Governor for the ACTRA Fraternal Benefits Society (AFBS), among other volunteer capacities.
Yates earned her ICD.D designation, having recently completed the Institute of Corporate Directors Director Education Program. “I look forward to contributing as a board member and giving back,” remarked Yates.
“Jani achieved so much of lasting value to the advertising industry. I am honoured to have the opportunity to build upon what she accomplished at Ad Standards,” said Bate. “Advertising self-regulation plays a crucial and unique role, sitting at the intersection of the public, regulators, and the advertising industry. As the only national self-regulatory organization, Ad Standards serves the entire advertising industry through its commitment to truthful, fair and accurate advertising. I am grateful to our members for their support of our work, and excited to lead us forward to meet the challenges facing the industry now and into the future,” concluded Bate.