This year, I didn’t have to stand for election as I’ve been Chairman of the Board, both in Europe and Globally, which has been fun, though like any such role has its ups and downs. This means that I get kicked upstairs to become Chairman Emeritus. We haven’t really had such a beast for a couple of years as both previous examples promptly left the industry and therefore resigned immediately on taking office. I hope this isn’t mandatory.

Anyway, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to both old, careworn colleagues as well as the new blood, which I hope will inject some new thinking and energy into the MMA. This is in no way a criticism of the outgoing board (which would be shooting myself in the foot), just a simple observation that an organisation like the MMA must be dynamic and adopt to the changing environment which we continually face.

The full Board is:

• Arda Kertmelioglu, VP / Business Development, Mobilera BV
• Charles Sword, Director of Mobile Monetisation, Yahoo!
• Clare Grant, Director of Marketing, Velti
• Daniel Rosen, Head of AKQA Mobile, AKQA
• Diego Conforti, Corporate Management Director, Zed Worldwide
• Ed Kershaw, Vice President of Mobile Media, The Nielsen Company
• Jon Wade, Digital Strategy Director, Wunderman
• Kate Barry, General Manager, PlayPhone
• Michalia Negri, VP Business Development & Strategy, Out There Media
• Scott Seaborn, Group Head of Mobile, Ogilvy Group

The new board members join the following existing board directors in Europe:

• David Hendry, Strategic Planning & Commercial Development – Mobile Advertising, Vodafone Group Services Ltd.
• Laurent Samama, Marketing Director, Orange
• Mark Wachter, MMA Germany (BVDW Section Mobile)
• Martin Peters, Head of Mobile Search and Advertising, T-Mobile International
• Melis Turkmen, Mobile Marketing & Advertising Unit Head, Turkcell IIietisim Hizmetleri A.S.
• Roland Tauchner, Managing Director, MMA Austria (DIMOCO Direct Mobile Communications)
• Russell Buckley, VP Global Alliances, AdMob Inc.
• Salvador Carrillo, Managing Director, MMA Spain (Mobile Dreams Factory)
• Sven-Stormer Thaulow, Business Development Director, Telenor Nordic Mobile
• Tanya Field, Head of Mobile Internet, O2

Congratulations and I look forward to working with you all. It’s an exciting time for our industry and the MMA is a strong position to lead us forward.

Anyway, with my Global Chairman of the Mobile Marketing Association hat on, we’ve just made the new mobile advertising guidelines available for public comment. So if you’re in this space, head on over there and have your say, even if it’s just to congratulate the committee on doing an excellent job.

Comment is open to everyone, even if you’re not a member of the MMA. But you have to ask yourself why you’re not if your company operates in mobile marketing.

Comments are accepted before 5th September.

The MMA is launching a search for a replacement, so if you fancy throwing your hat into the ring or just would like more information, drop me a line. It’s got to be one of the most exciting and high profile jobs in the industry.

As for Laura, she’s being kicked upstairs to take on the President Emeritus position on the MMA Global Board of Advisors and has agreed to remain actively involved while a replacement comes on board. Long may her contribution continue.

I’d like to wish her the best of luck with whatever role she takes on next and I’m sure she’ll be a great success. If you’re looking for a great talent to be based in Canada (OK, I know it’s a big place) please get in touch with her, or ask me for an intro.