Hilton named Creative Access c.e.o. as Dobrin moves to executive chair role

Creative Access has promoted its director of communications Bibi Hilton to the role of chief executive following a recruitment process between January and April this year. 

She succeeds Josie Dobrin, who founded Creative Access with Michael Foster and Nigel Warner in 2012 and who now moves to an executive chair role.

Dobin announced in January: “Creative Access now needs two different senior people who can really focus on their own role. Firstly, a c.e.o who will inspire and lead the organisation, evolve our business model to drive commercial growth, and take Creative Access to the next level – while remaining true to our mission as a social enterprise. And secondly, someone with the time and experience to focus on our social mission, devising innovative and impactful strategies with longstanding and new partners to really deliver long-term change to the creative industries.

“It’s with this in mind that I have decided it’s time to pass on the overall responsibility of growing Creative Access to a new c.e.o. and move my focus to overseeing the development of new and existing partnerships and building on our social mission. To that end, once the new c.e.o. is in post, I will become executive chair of Creative Access. Over the past few years, my work has bridged both roles, but now is the right time to split them across two people. So I am stepping aside as c.e.o., and we are seeking someone exceptional to take on that role.

Hilton joined Creative Access in September 2021. Before that, she was global engagement director for IPG’s team at Unilever, and previously, from 2015 to 2020, she was m.d. of leading comms and digital agency Golin, leading the 150-strong agency to significant growth and multiple agency of the year wins. 

She was also president of Women in PR from 2018 to 2020, in which year she received the PRCA Industry Trailblazer award.

Hilton said: “Creative Access has had an incredible impact in driving greater equity and inclusion in the creative industries in the past decade. I feel incredibly privileged to be taking on this important role and, working alongside Josie, to help shape the next 10 years of this unique organisation. I can’t wait to get started.”

Commenting on the appointment, Stephen Page, chair of Creative Access, said: “Bibi has already made a huge impact on Creative Access in the time she has been here as director of communications and I know is bringing a multitude of ideas, enthusiasm and of course expertise to her new role. 

"This is a super exciting time for us as an organisation and we have seen a huge growth in the volume of companies wanting to work with us. Our co-founder and current chief executive, Josie Dobrin, will continue to work alongside Bibi as executive chair; focusing on our social mission, devising strategies with longstanding and new partners to really deliver long-term change to the creative industries. I am excited to see how Bibi leads and inspires CA’s brilliant team, taking over the day-to-day running of the organisation and evolving the commercial strategies that will drive further growth and impact for us."