Ping comes into his two-year term after spending two years as the DMA's deputy chairman. He has said he will continue the work undertaken by himself and his predecessor as chairman, David Coupe.
This work concentrated especially on the environment. Ping chose this as the DMA's second challenge to ensure that the DM industry meets the needs of the environmental agenda.
Rosemary Smith has been elected the new deputy chairman. In her role chairing the DMA's governance committee, she will lend assistance on what Ping said was the third challenge of "strong governance".
According to Ping: "We need effective rules and sanctions across all areas of direct marketing. We have to continue to demonstrate our ability to self-regulate and the DMA's approach to governance is key to securing a strong future for the industry."
Ping, as head of customer relationship marketing at Guardian Newspapers, is from the client side, while Smith is the managing director of list management and consultancy company RSA Direct. Ping is also a director of the Advertising Standards Board of Finance.
Coupe is managing director of Experian's marketing services division.
"Coupe did much to help raise standards within the direct marketing community and I am delighted he will continue to be involved with our association," James Kelly, managing director of the DMA, said.
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