SUFFOLK managing director Shaun Bailey has been elected chair of the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Agencies Council. Mr Bailey's election follows the departure of former chair Chris Arnold who stepped down in March of this year after four years' service to pursue a new commercial venture.

SUFFOLK managing director Shaun Bailey has been elected chair of the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Agencies Council.

Mr Bailey's election follows the departure of former chair Chris Arnold who stepped down in March of this year after four years' service to pursue a new commercial venture.

Mr Bailey, managing director of the Ipswich and London-based direct response marketing and creative agency Jacob Bailey, formally accepted his chairship at the council's next meeting on April 27.

The Direct Marketing Association UK, Europe's largest marketing trade body, is a key regulator within the direct marketing sector, raising standards among practitioners and safeguarding consumers.

Currently, the council is focused on developing best practice guidelines for a number of areas, including helping agencies to understand intellectual property rights to protect their ideas, and refining the pitch process to make it fairer for both agency and client alike.

Mr Bailey who founded Jacob Bailey just over 10 years ago, has become a key business figure in the area, and offers commentary and guidance to business organisations, education establishments and entrepreneurs.

He said he was “delighted” to take up his new role.

“My predecessor Chris Arnold has done a terrific job steering the Council over the past four years and we all wish him well in his new venture,” he said.

“This is an interesting time to be taking over the Agencies Council chair. We're in the midst of a period of massive economic change, consumer buying power continues to increase and new direct response channels.”