The Commercial Communications Council congratulates Hilary Souter on being appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours.
Hilary has led the Advertising Standards Authority since 2005 and is one of the longest-serving leaders in New Zealand's communications industry.
Through her leadership of the ASA, Hilary and her team have helped ensure New Zealand maintains a strong system of advertising self-regulation, supporting the industry's ability to advertise in a truthful, responsible, and trusted way.
Her appointment recognises a career spanning more than 30 years in the wider media and advertising sector, including significant contributions to advertising standards both in New Zealand and internationally.
Ms Hilary Souter has led the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) as Chief Executive since 2005, developing and maintaining an effective New Zealand advertising regulatory system, considered an example of best practice internationally.
Ms Souter has worked in the wider media industry for more than 30 years. With the ASA, she has overseen work on Advertising Codes of Practice relating to alcohol, gambling and food to support national efforts to reduce harm and promote public wellbeing. She led the overarching Advertising Standards Code, operating through principles of Social Responsibility and Truthful Presentation.
Her industry understanding helped the ASA adapt through a period of rapid media evolution. She led implementation of guidelines surrounding social media influencer marketing in 2020 and the AdHelp initiative. She built strong relationships with stakeholders across industry, government, NGOs, public health and consumer groups to foster engagement and compliance with standards.
Under her leadership, industry compliance with ASA decisions reached 98 percent in 2025. She led ASANZ as a founding member of the International Council of Advertising Self-Regulation in 2016, has served as Vice President, and is currently President.
Ms Souter has also contributed to the New Zealand oversight committee for online safety and harms and is a member of the industry advisory group for Victoria University of Wellington's School of Marketing and International Business.
Congratulations to Hilary on this well-deserved recognition.