LEAD, the annual flagship advertising industry summit from the Advertising Association, IPA and ISBA, is set to return on 5th February 2026. 

Taking place at the QEII Centre in Westminster, the event will bring together over 450 senior leaders from the political, media and advertising landscape. This year’s conference will celebrate 100 years of the advertising association and will be themed ‘Leadership through trust.’

“LEAD 2026 promises to be a particularly special event as we mark our centenary. Over the last 100 years the UK ad industry has become a key part of the economy, recognised in the Government’s Industrial Strategy as a key driver of growth, exports and the wider creative industries,” says Stephen Woodford, CEO, Advertising Association.

He continues: “Our agenda of ‘Leadership Through Trust’ captures both our legacy and our future - underscoring how our industry must be trusted and trustworthy to help the UK to grow responsibly in the 21^st century.”

The half-day summit will deep dive into trust in advertising, examine the political outlook and explore how the industry can unlock future growth through creativity, AI, and responsible leadership.

Since its launch in 2012, LEAD has welcomed leading voices from politics, media and advertising, including The Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Dame Carolyn McCall and Sir Chris Bryant. 

This year’s event will be hosted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Journalist and Broadcaster and early additions to the line up include Andria Vidler, CEO, Allwyn UK and President, Advertising Association, Simon Michaelides, Incoming Director General, ISBA, Karen Martin, CEO, BBH London and President, IPA, James Best CBE, Chair of CAP and Credos and Kate Alessi, UK Managing Director, Google. Ozone and Google are set to partner.

The full agenda for LEAD 2026 will be published in the coming weeks. To find out more, please click here.