At the recent The Marketing Society Annual Dinner in London over 500 Members, friends and guests celebrated the exceptional brand excellence and inspiring leadership in our industry by crowning Domino’s Pizza UK & Ireland as Brand of the Year 2025 alongside two outstanding marketing leaders who are shaping the future of modern marketing.
The Brand of the Year award, in partnership with Sky and in association with Campaign UK, recognises the brands that have innovated and adapted to the social and economic challenges in yet another turbulent year. From a shortlist of 10, guests at the dinner chose Domino’s as this year’s top brand during a tense live vote.
Domino’s Harry Dromey summed up exactly what it means:
"As it's Brand of the Year, it's extra special because it's just about the only award going that recognises everything we do for consumers (e.g. not just advertising)."
Harry Dromey Domino's
The win reflects the dedication of the entire Domino's team, including Sarah Barron and Louise Pilkington, whose creativity and resilience continue to set the standard for effective marketing.
Mark Given: Leadership That Lifts Others
Mark Given, Chief Technology, Data & Marketing Officer at Sainsbury's, was named Inspirational Marketing Leader 2025, a fitting recognition for someone who embodies the very best of modern marketing leadership. Given stood out among the impressive shortlist featuring leaders from HSBC UK, Tesco, The Very Group, EY, and Paddy Power. Over 12 years at Sainsbury's, his unified approach has brought technology, data and marketing together to drive customer insight and innovation.
His reimagining of Nectar transformed it from a traditional points card into a personalisation engine that delivers 500 million tailored offers every week. What truly distinguishes Mark is his human approach to leadership. As Operating Board Sponsor for LGBT+ inclusion, he's championed a culture of openness across the business leading with humility and recognising that people are the foundation of growth.
The judges summed up his qualities perfectly:
"He is the epitome of exactly the kind of person that deserves to be on this list: a strong commercial leader who's genuinely loved by colleagues and gets things done."
Briar Reidy: Tomorrow's Leadership, Today
Briar Reidy, Head of Brand and Campaigns at Metro Bank, received the Future Marketing Leader 2025 award in partnership with Google. Her achievement reflects the kind of transformational leadership that's shaping the industry's future. Briar has led a complete brand and cultural reset at Metro Bank, successfully navigating the shift from B2C to B2B whilst rebuilding team pride during challenging times. Her approach grounded in what she calls the "4Cs" of Creativity, Consistency, Collaboration, and Celebration shows how commercial rigour and people development go hand in hand.
She'll join the 2026 cohort of The Marketing Leaders Programme (now open for applications), continuing a leadership journey that promises even more impact ahead.
The evening at City Central at the HAC reminded us all why these awards matter: they celebrate not just what great marketing achieves but the people and teams who make it happen.
