Peter Riley becomes top advisor to United Nations

peter riley 2Peter Riley, the man who went from designing flyers for ‘Madchester’ bands to one of the pioneers of digital marketing at 20:20 London, has been appointed by the United Nations to identify emerging technologies that can solve humanity’s biggest global challenges.
Riley, who will continue in his role as head of creative for Facebook Asia Pacific, will sit on the 6-person advisory board for the United Nations Innovation Facility, with responsibility for innovation and emerging technology.
The group works with governments across Asia and the Pacific to develop technologies that can better the lives of disadvantaged people.
Riley has been based in the region since June 2012, when he became executive creative director at OgilvyOne Worldwide in Hong Kong. After six months he was promoted to regional ECD, responsible for creative leadership of 16 offices in 13 countries across O&M.
He started his career in his home city of Manchester but came to prominence in the UK agency scene in 2003, when he co-founded 20:20 London. It was one of the first digital agencies to unite technology with direct marketing techniques and won numerous industry awards for its viral personalisation campaigns for the likes of Channel 4.
Riley led the agency through rapid growth, sustained profitability and the subsequent sale to Digital Marketing Group – then headed up by Ben Langdon – resulting in 20:20 becoming the UK’s largest digital agency, with a claimed headcount of 550.
When Langdon left in April 2011, DMG agencies were rebranded 20:20 and split into three companies, 20:20 Agency, 20:20 Dialogue and 20:20 Technology. Riley quit in May 2012; the group rebranded Jaywing in 2013.
Describing himself as a digital and direct evangelist, Riley is International Interactive jury chairman for the John Caples Awards in New York, a jury member at Cannes International Advertising Festival and sits on the judging committee of the BAFTAs.
Over his career, he has won more than 100 international advertising awards, including eight Cannes Lions.

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