Edward Ney is a businessman and former diplomat with unique perspectives on global, political, economic and social issues. He is widely regarded as one of businesses' leading advertising counselors and strategic marketers.
In 1989 President Bush appointed Ney U.S. Ambassador to Canada. He served as Ambassador until July 1992, during which time he played a key role in efforts to expand the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement to include Mexico. In 1990 he also initiated The Fulbright Award Program in Canada and is the honorary chairman of that organization in Canada.
Prior to his diplomatic service, Ney was for many years chairman, president and CEO of Young & Rubicam Inc., the world’s largest independent advertising company. He is generally credited, with developing the concept, in the early 1970s, of integrated communication specialties
(public relations, direct marketing, et al) into Y&R, calling the new offering the Whole Egg.
After serving his ambassadorship he returned to New York to work at Burson-Marsteller as chairman of Burson-Marsteller’s worldwide board of advisors, during which time he advised clients on public policy, corporate communications and marketing strategy. In 1995 he also became chairman of Marsteller Advertising, a well-regarded agency for years, which became subsumed in Young & Rubicam in 1979, when they merged together. During his long career at Young & Rubicam, he continued to shape the firm’s diversified global communications framework.
Ney returned to Young & Rubicam at 285 Madison Avenue, adding the title of chairman emeritus, Y&R Advertising in 1998. He has taken on a few more tasks including an expanded role in representing Y&R Advertising within the industry and acting as an advisor with a few select clients and on some of international development prospects.
Ney serves on the International Advisory Board of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and is an honorary chairman of the Advertising Council. He is a trustee of the Museum of TV/Radio, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Also, he received the Gold Medal (for Advertising) from the International Radio & Television Society.
A graduate and life trustee of Amherst College, he is also a trustee of both the Bush Presidential Library Foundation Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, and the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He holds honorary degrees from Amherst College, Georgetown School of Business, IONA College and St. Lawrence University - and was a founding trustee of Hampshire College in 1970.