Called "the doyenne of branding" by Campaign Magazine and recognised in the Debrett's 2015 list as one of Britain's 500 most influential people, Rita's early career was in advertising.
She became vice-chairman and strategy director at Saatchi & Saatchi and worked with the agency's highest-profile clients, including British Airways, BT, Procter & Gamble, Visa International, Cadbury Schweppes and the British Army among many others.
In 1997, she joined Interbrand, the world's leading brand consultancy as chief executive before becoming their chairman in 2002. In 2013, Rita co-founded and became chairman of BrandCap, the brand consultancy for the boardroom.
On top of this, Rita was awarded the CBE in the New Year's Honours List for services to the advertising industry.
Rita has featured across a wide variety of TV and radio programs on business, brand, marketing and current affairs, including CNN, BBC Breakfast, Channel 4 News, BBC World Service, Sky, and Radio 4.
She speaks around the world on the importance of branding and why it should be the central organising principle in any business seeking to generate sustainable value. Her writing has included a best-selling book "The Future of Brands," and two editions of The Economist book 'Brands & Branding' .
Rita is a regular contributor in national and international press and magazines including the Financial Times, Management Today, The Observer, Retail Week and Admap.
Other notable achievements include being voted one of the 75 Women of Achievement in the fields of advertising, media and marketing over the past 75 years, and named in the Power 100 list by Marketing magazine, as well as shortlisted for the Credit Suisse Outstanding Business Woman of the Year.