Laura Vipond, Group New Business Director – Karmarama

As Group New Business Director at leading creative agency Karmarama for five years, Laura has been instrumental in keeping the agency at the top of the industry’s new business leagues. She is also a key player in helping the agency towards its ambition to be the most progressive creative company, and has led modern marketing opportunities, such as the hugely successful, award-winning data-driven approach for The Army.

Prior to joining Karmarama in 2013, Laura was Head of New Business at digital and direct marketing agency, Elvis. Here she led the agency’s largest ever pitches, including those for Sky and Mondelez; key wins to Elvis being voted Campaign magazine’s Agency of the Year.

She started her marketing career at Penguin Books, and was part of the team to transition the market-leading Rough Guides and Dorling Kindersley travel imprints across to digital platforms for the first time.

Laura was one of the WACL Future Leaders Award winners in 2014, and studied coding, data and tech at Decoded with the bursary. Realising the potential in the award’s alumni, she then co-founded the Futures Network for the winners in partnership with WACL and NABs, providing learning and mentoring support to women, helping them fulfil their career potential. She has been an IPA Women of Tomorrow 2016 and 2018 finalist, and sits on the IPA New Business & Marketing Group to help drive best practice in the profession. Laura was previously part of the IPA 44 Club committee for 4 years, running inspiring events for those starting out in the industry.

Passionate about giving back, Laura has also led the account for breast cancer awareness charity, CoppaFeel!, and also heads up Karmarama’s CSR activities, KarmaKind supporting local homelessness shelter, Shelter From The Storm. In her spare time, she volunteers for The Cinnamon Trust, St John’s Ambulance and is a keen cyclist, riding for Islington CC with a goal of winning her time trial category this season.