2026 Virtual Coaches

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Debbie Ellison
EMEA CEO
Croud
London
, United Kingdom

Debbie Ellison stands at the forefront of brand transformation, with over two decades of experience driving innovation at the intersection of technology and marketing. Previously, Global Chief Digital Officer of VML (WPP’s largest creative and technology agency), Debbie led multi-disciplinary teams to deliver award-winning connected brand and commerce experiences for global brands such as Coca-Cola, Bayer, Diageo and Wendy’s. She launched The Home of Connected Brands - enabling brands to understand how they show up across every channel - from social to in-store and at home and developed both the agency’s innovation and social commerce+ proposition.
 
As of March 2025, she serves as EMEA CEO of Croud, a global full-service independent digital marketing agency, where she leads with a clear mandate: to scale innovation, inspire performance, and deliver meaningful results for clients in a rapidly evolving, connected digital media landscape. At Croud, she is building on this legacy, leveraging the agency’s proprietary tools and its distinctive Croudie and Agentic Croudie network to unlock new growth opportunities across the EMEA region. Her focus extends beyond technology to the people behind it, cultivating inclusive, high-performing teams that are empowered to innovate and deliver with purpose.
 
Debbie’s innovation and professional leadership has landed the following recognition: 
•    2026, Campaign, Inspiring Women Jury
•    2025 LIA Jury, Evolution and Creative Use of Data
•    2025, Effies Jury, 2025 Global Best of the Best Effie Awards
•    2025, Cannes Shortlist, Sound Scales, Baileys, Diageo
•    2025, 2 x The One Show Merits, Sound Scales, Baileys, Diageo
•    2024 Eurobest President, Creative Commerce - Brand Experience & Activation - Glass: The Award for Change
•    2024 Eurobest Silver & Bronze, Sound Scales, Baileys, Diageo
•    2024 2 x Cannes Silver, Sound Scales, Baileys, Diageo
•    2024 D&AD Wood Pencil, Sound Scales, Baileys, Diageo
•    2023 Cannes Jury, Creative Commerce Lions 
•    2023 Oystercatchers Champion for Change / Industry Influencer (WINNER)
•    2023 EMpower /Yahoo Finance Ethnic Minority Role Model List
•    2022 Hewlett Packard Enterprise: Named a global 100 Chief Digital Officer 
•    2022 Cannes Shortlist Judge, Mobile Lions 
•    2022 EMpower /Yahoo Finance Ethnic Minority Role Model List
•    2021 EMpower /Yahoo Finance Ethnic Minority Role Model List: Named in Top 5 
•    2020 Ethnicity Awards: Shortlisted, Inspirational Leader
•    2020 EMpower /Yahoo Finance Ethnic Minority Role Model List
•    2019 Women in Marketing Global Awards: Named Industry Shaper
•    2016 Campaign/IPA Woman of the Tomorrow: Technology & Innovation