The Immortal Life of Agencies
Co:definery 95 episodes Nov 10, 2026
The Immortal Life of Agencies is a podcast from Co:definery, an agency consultancy, that celebrates the people working to future-proof the agency business. Each episode features CEO Robin Bonn in short, candid conversations — sometimes friendly arguments — with influential thinkers and leaders from across the industry. Guests share hard-won stories of progress, change and the realities of running agencies. The tone is optimistic and informal, offering practical insight alongside untold behind-the-scenes tales.
Episodes
Ragged Edge's Co-founder: Where business growth meets personal growth – Max Ottignon
Today’s guest is Max Ottignon, Co-Founder of the branding company, Ragged Edge.In this reflective and personal conversation, Max reflects on nearly 20 years of building the business – and his own evolution along the way.He shares why sustainable growth means knowing when to scale, when to say no, and how a strong culture and careful hiring protects creative standards.He also explores how winning l
Motto’s CEO: The discipline of becoming a leader – Sunny Bonnell
Today’s guest is Sunny Bonnell, Co-Founder and CEO of Motto, the brand transformation agency. For more than two decades, Sunny has helped brands find their purpose while building her own business – one rooted in conviction, culture and excellence.Having launched the agency in her early 20s with just $250, she reflects on wearing every hat in the early years, then learning to let go, trust others a
Lighthouse Creative’s Co-Founder: Optimising for vibes – Sam Slaughter
Today’s guest is Sam Slaughter, Co-Founder of Lighthouse Creative, the employee-owned agency choosing happiness over relentless growth.After being fired from his own tech startup, Sam and his co-founder set out to build something different. No investors, no pressure to sell and no obsession with numbers. Instead, they made employee happiness their primary KPI.Sam explains how employee ownership an
StrawberryFrog's Chairman & CEO: Seamless succession – Scott Goodson & Steve Scutellaro
Today’s guests are Strawberry Frog’s Founder and Chairman Scott Goodson and new CEO Steve Scutellaro. They discuss leadership succession, agency differentiation and staying relevant after nearly three decades in business.Scott reflects on finding a successor who can build on the agency’s legacy without being constrained by it, while Steve shares how he’s aligning people, culture and capabilities f
Big Spaceship's CEO: Explorers, Not Settlers - Taryn Crouthers
Today’s guest is Taryn Crouthers, one year in as CEO of Big Spaceship, bringing a distinctly commercial and entrepreneurial perspective to her first agency role.Taryn reflects on the challenge of evolving a 25-year-old agency without losing the heritage that made it distinctive – not least how Big Spaceship’s culture of “explorers, not settlers” shapes everything from operating structures to clien
The Working Assembly's Founder: From side hustle to exit – Jolene Delisle
Today’s guest is Jolene Delisle, Founder of The Working Assembly, the New York-based design-led creative agency she built around a simple idea – assemble the right people around the problem, rather than force every client through the same agency model.Jolene reflects on the unconventional origins of the business, which began as a side hustle while she was working at Meta and pregnant with her daug
The Intangibles' Founding Partner: Unlocking the uncharted – Jon Wilkins
Today’s guest is Jon Wilkins, best known for co-founding Naked Communications and now a founding partner at The Intangibles.First Jon reflects on what made Naked distinctive – not least how they attracted “brilliant misfits”, protected their culture as they expanded internationally, and built trust by putting client interests first.We also explore his transition via Karmarama into Accenture, helpi
isobel’s Managing Partner: Why isobel Chose to Start Again - Jamie Williams
Today’s guest is Jamie Williams, Managing Partner at Isobel, the independent agency that’s recently repositioned itself as ‘the brand reset company’.Jamie explains what prompted the change and how it’s designed to capitalise on what the agency does best, as well as reflect where they believe the market is heading.He also shares how productisation helped turn their refined proposition into a clear,
4As’ CEO: The opportunity in change – Justin Thomas-Copeland
Today’s guest is seasoned agency leader, Justin Thomas-Copeland – now CEO of the 4As – unpacking their transformation from agency trade body into a more proactive, service-led organisation.He explains why agencies also need to look in the mirror, identify what they’re genuinely brilliant at and resist the temptation to be everything for everyone. Justin shares how specialisation strengthens cultur
Beers with Friends' Founder: Serving creativity on tap – Dana Hork
Today’s guest is Dana Hork, Founder of Beers with Friends, the sprint-based creative agency that makes creative firepower available on tap.Drawing on her experience as a brand-side marketer at Jet.com, Walmart and Wonder, Dana explains why she felt the traditional agency model was no longer keeping pace with modern marketing.That’s why Beers with Friends takes a radically different approach – work
Generation Media's Group Managing Director: Embracing entry-level talent – Lisa Morgan
Today’s guest is Lisa Morgan, Group Managing Director at Generation Media, the independent media agency specialising in children, youth, communities and fandom.Lisa explains why AI should redesign entry-level roles rather than replace them, liberating people from repetitive processes to focus on using their brains.She shares how Generation Media identifies and develops young talent, balancing curi
Saatchi & Saatchi's CEO: Reviving an icon – Claire Hollands
Today’s guest is Claire Hollands, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, one of the most iconic agency brands in advertising.Claire unpacks how she revitalised this “legacy brand” by giving its most famous belief – ‘Nothing is impossible’ – renewed meaning for a more client-centric age.She describes creating an operating model around realising impossible ambitions – from seeking clients at transformative m
X&O's Co-Founders: Embracing your superpowers – Eric Segal & Brett Banker
Today’s guests are Eric Segal and Brett Banker, Co-Founders of X&O – the sprint-based agency with an expert-only model, bringing together specialist talent to solve client challenges in double quick time.Drawing on more than 20 years leading teams inside traditional agencies, they share why they chose not to replicate what exists, but to rethink how the work gets done.Brett and Eric explore th
Digitas EMEA's CEO: Meeting clients where they’re at – Sam Hawkey
Today’s guest is Sam Hawkey, CEO EMEA at Digitas and former CEO of both Saatchi & Saatchi and AMV BBDO. He shares his perspective on how clients and agencies must evolve together.He talks about prioritising genuine client fit – getting beyond the excitement to really understanding the likelihood of working well together. Sam unpacks his two most important criteria – the client's readiness for
Acceleration Community of Companies' Founder & CEO: Follow the consumer – Michael Nyman
Today’s guest is Michael Nyman, Founder and CEO of the Acceleration Community of Companies (ACC), an agency group designed specifically in response to the traditional holding company model.Having spent his prior career within that model, Michael explains that clients now demand speed, specialist expertise and a deeper consumer insight. So rather than accepting internal competition, ACC is optimise
Ogilvy's Former CEO EMEA: Pivoting a life and an industry – Patou Nuytemans
Today's guest is Patou Nuytemans, former CEO of Ogilvy EMEA, whose remarkable 30-year journey from intern to regional chief has given her a rare perspective on leadership, reinvention and the future of agencies.Patou reflects candidly on the emotional reality of leaving the business that shaped her, explaining how heartbreak became gratitude and ultimately inspired a new chapter of reflection and
Don't Forget to Look's Founder: Crack the Procurement Code – Stuart Dunk
Today’s guest is Stuart Dunk, a former marketing procurement leader at the likes of Nike, Reckitt and Danone. He now runs his own consultancy, Don't Forget to Look.Procurement remains one of the most misunderstood client-side functions. Stuart offers a rare insider’s perspective on what agencies get wrong and how they can engage more effectively with the people influencing buying decisions.He expl
Boathouse's CEO: Going back to basics – John Connors
Today’s guest is John Connors, CEO of the Boston-based, full-service agency, Boathouse.John argues that agencies have become too transactional, weakening client relationships as well as their impact on business outcomes. So he’s built a client-centric culture that deeply understands the drivers of commercial performance.The conversation explores the disconnect between client-side CEOs and CMOs, an
Main Character's Co-Founders: Making the impossible happen – Courtney Worthman & Stacey Gersten
Today’s guests are Courtney Worthman and Stacey Gersten, Co-Founders of Main Character, the celebrity partnership specialists helping brands stop buying celebrities and start buying into culture.Drawing on two decades of experience across entertainment, advertising and PR, Courtney and Stacey explain why moving ‘at the speed of culture’ has become a practical necessity and how building celebrity p
Bakery Agency's CEO: What clients don’t understand about indies – Micky Ogando
Today’s guest is Micky Ogando, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of the 80-person, Austin-based independent creative agency, Bakery.Unpacking the trend of big brands choosing indies, Micky explains why many clients misunderstand what they’re actually buying when they swap HoldCo. polish for opinionated misfits, and how this friction can be channeled into better work.The conversation also covers how B
Eidra's Co-CEO: How pragmatism drives growth – Måns Hosk
Today’s guest is Måns Hosk, Co-CEO of Eidra, the Swedish consultancy collective that’s grown from five founding businesses into a 1,500-person organisation spanning Europe and the US.Måns shares how Eidra was built around a simple idea: modern client challenges rarely fit neatly into a single discipline. He explains how strategy, creativity, technology, data and AI have been brought together to so
Huge's CEO: When everything changes all at once – Josh Campo
Today’s guest is Josh Campo, CEO of Huge. And if you think your to-do list is long, you might need to reconsider.On top of the wider market disruption, Josh is overseeing all manner of change – still fresh from exiting IPG, Huge is navigating PE-ownership, integrating with Hero Digital and continuing its productisation journey.On the integration with Hero, he explains why successful integration re
Koto’s CEO: How client-centricity drives growth – James Greenfield
Today’s guest is James Greenfield, Co-Founder and CEO of Koto, the globally recognised branding agency working with companies like Netflix, Spotify and Google.James explains how listening closely to client needs has shaped the agency’s evolution, remaining anchored in brand, but also delivering high quality campaigns and digital products.The conversation also explores how Koto’s buyer landscape is
Parakeeto's CEO: The simplest path to profit – Marcel Petitpas
Today’s guest is Marcel Petitpas, CEO of Parakeeto – the agency profitability specialists. He brings a clear and often counterintuitive perspective on how agencies actually make money.Marcel challenges one of the industry’s most deeply held assumptions, arguing that most agencies don’t have a revenue problem, they have an operational one. Through the lens of what he calls “indigestion, not starvat
Accenture's Head of Innovation: The changing face of innovation – Enda King
Today’s guest is Enda King, Head of Innovation for Communications, Media and Technology at Accenture. Having also worked in media, advertising and brand, he offers a rare perspective on the convergence of agencies and consultancies.Enda describes how innovation has shifted from long-term strategy decks to faster, more adaptive thinking based on experimentation, collaboration and real-world testing
Amplify's Global CEO: Evolving your core discipline – Jonathan Emmins
Today’s guest is Jonathan Emmins, Founder and Global CEO of Amplify, the creative agency known for redefining brand experience for the likes of Google, Netflix, and PlayStation.Jonathan shares how Amplify evolved from experiential onto a broader creative canvas, helping brands become “match fit for 3-D world”. He explains why worldbuilding sits at the heart of their approach, creating ideas that l
Dovetail IT's Co-Founder: From back office to boardroom – Greg Caplan
Today’s guest is Greg Caplan, Co-Founder of Dovetail, the IT managed service provider trusted by leading agencies including Uncommon, Quiet Storm and Isobel.Greg brings a rare perspective on how technology is quietly reshaping the agency business model from the inside out. With a background in post-production and years spent supporting creative companies, he explains why IT is no longer a back-off
the7stars' Owner: Being a media indie in 2026 – Jenny Biggam
Today’s guest is Jenny Biggam, Owner of the7stars – and one of the most respected voices in independent media. With 20 years at the helm of the UK’s largest independent media agency, she offers a clear and compelling view of what it really means to stay independent in a market obsessed with scale.She explains how only a purely fee-based model creates true neutrality, why transparency isn’t a sloga
Simbioniq's Co-Founder: Thriving in the AI industrial revolution – Justin Billingsley
Today’s guest is Justin Billingsley, Co-Founder of Symbioniq and former CMO of Publicis Groupe. With his prior client-side career with the likes of Unilever, Coca-Cola and Nokia, Justin brings a rare – and often forthright – perspective on our industry.He reflects on Publicis’ transformation and the criticism their ‘Power of One’ strategy received at the time, despite it now arguably inspiring the
MSQ's Executive Director: Growth in the ‘Goldilocks’ zone – Ben Rudman
Today’s guest is Ben Rudman, Executive Director at MSQ, one of the fastest growing, private equity backed marketing services groups, positioning itself between the traditional holding companies and independent agencies.Ben shares why the agency model is at a pivotal moment, as AI accelerates the shift from selling time to selling outcomes, products and packaged services. He explains how MSQ has sc
M+C Saatchi Group's Global CEO: When a client CMO leads an agency – Zaid Al-Qassab
Today’s guest is Zaid Al-Qassab, Global CEO of M+C Saatchi Group. Fascinatingly, having been client-side CMO with the likes of P&G, BT and Channel 4, this is his first agency role. So his rare perspective is gold dust.Zaid explains why agencies must stop talking to themselves and start truly understanding the complexity faced by modern CMOs – not least how the old brief-led model is being repl
Code and Theory's CCO: Raising the bar for customer experience – Craig Elimeliah
Today's guest is Craig Elimeliah, Chief Creative Officer at Code and Theory, sharing his passion for why technology and creativity must go hand in hand.In his view, clients have been carrying the burden of fragmentation for far too long. That’s why his role blends engineering, strategy and craft to help clients navigate modern complexity.The discussion also explores Stagwell’s orchestration platfo
Rethink’s Global Chief Strategy Officer: Showing up with a point of view – Sean McDonald
Today’s episode features Sean McDonald, Global CSO and Partner at Rethink, exploring the power of belief.Sean’s built a reputation for candour, competitive ambition and an unwavering belief in setting the standard. But he hasn’t always led that way. He reflects on how letting go of the need to ‘win’ every meeting transformed his leadership and why discovering the answer matters more than having it
Toptal’s Practice Director, Advertising & Brand Marketing: Redefining on-demand talent – Christine Olivas
Today’s guest is Christine Olivas – Practice Director, Advertising & Brand Marketing at Toptal, the world's largest, fully remote workforce.Christine describes how on-demand talent has evolved from a stop-gap to a strategic growth lever for modern agencies, enabling them to build flexible teams that respond faster, protect margins and deliver stronger work.Drawing on her experience scaling on-
Acadia's CEO & Co-Founder: How principles are good for business – Jared Belsky
Today’s guest is Jared Belsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Acadia – the hugely successful digital marketing and analytics agency. This is a masterclass in optimism, principled leadership and long-term thinking.Jared shares why bravery and belief sit at the heart of great leadership, from taking outspoken ethical stances, to building an agency designed to nurture future CEOs.We explore how Acadia has del
Dentsu North America’s CEO: Why Dentsu believes in agency brands – Beth Ann Kaminkow
Beth Ann Kaminkow is CEO of Dentsu North America. She brings a rare candour about why so many agency groups struggle to articulate their strengths, and why Dentsu is choosing to double down on strong, clearly positioned brands rather than chasing endless consolidation.She shares her perspective on where independents are winning, why speed and specialisation matter more than ever, and how global ne
Bodacious' Founder: A life more curious – Zoe Scaman
Today’s guest is Zoe Scaman, founder of Bodacious – and one of our industry's most original and outspoken thinkers. She’s built her career by following her curiosity, from her early days at Naked Communications to optimising her own business around freedom and variety.Zoe shares her take on why the traditional agency model has reached breaking point, how creativity is being squeezed by efficiency,
SILVERSIDE AI's Co-Founders: Inside Coke’s AI-powered Christmas campaign – PJ Pereira and Andrew O'Dell
Today’s guests are PJ Pereira and Andrew O’Dell, co-founders of renowned creative agency Pereira O’Dell as well as their AI venture SILVERSIDE– fresh from delivering Coca-Cola’s fully AI-generated 2026 Holidays Are Coming campaign.Alongside the controversy and lessons learned, PJ and Andrew explain why SILVERSIDE was spun-out as a separate business, how speed and experimentation are reshaping crea
Agency Business' Co-Hosts: Going deep on decision-making – Olivia Morley & Brian Wieser
Today’s guests are Brian Wieser and Olivia Morley – not only the co-hosts of the fantastic ‘Agency Business’ podcast, but Brian is also a seasoned analyst across advertising, tech and finance, and Olivia is an editorial and communications specialist, formerly of Adweek and Forrester. Together, they bring an unusually rigorous focus to the choices agency leaders make. We explore why the sector is n
MIRIMAR's CEO: Making it ‘worth it’ – Luke McKelvey
Today’s guest is Luke McKelvey, Co-Founder and CEO of MIRIMAR – the creative company helping brands achieve cultural significance in a world where traditional advertising isn’t enough. And as of last week, ADWEEK’s newly minted small agency of the year for 2025.Luke reflects on MIRIMAR’s early challenges, from launching ‘too soon’ in 2019 to navigating the pandemic. He also shares how conviction,
Saatchi & Saatchi’s former Chief Strategy Officer: A rallying cry for brilliance – Richard Huntington
Today’s guest is Richard Huntington – former Chief Strategy Officer and Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi. He brings a rare blend of honesty, affection and sharp-edged provocation to this conversation about the agency business. Richard describes an industry that’s been commodified – caused by the “creative” agency label that stripped out the commerciality, as well as a pitching culture that t
Cornett's CEO: Why female ownership matters – Christy Hiler
Today’s guest is Christy Hiler, owner of Cornett – the Lexington-based creative agency – and one of our industry’s leading voices for women-owned agencies. A huge advocate of empowering talent, Christy candidly shares her own unusual journey from being Cornett’s president to its owner, including the convictions that guided her forward – and the doubts that held her back. She talks about
FCB's Global CEO: Excellence as usual – Tyler Turnbull
Today’s guest is Tyler Turnbull, Global CEO of Interpublic’s FCB – remarkably, the winner of Cannes Lions’ North American Network of the Year for seven years running. Tyler shares the mindset that’s driven this sustained creative and commercial performance. He unpacks where resilience comes from, and how curiosity, experimentation and a willingness to challenge legacy thinking underpins FCB’s
Yes&'s CEO: What’s in a name? – Zihla Salinas
Today’s guest is Zihla Salinas, CEO of a 40-year-old indie that rebranded as ‘Yes&’. She shares the story behind the name, including how the improv-inspired mindset of ‘accept and build’ has become a blueprint for the business. This philosophy shapes everything from their M&A strategy and client partnerships, to leadership development and creative delivery. You’ll hear why figure-it-o
UEG's Global CEO: Culture, entertainment and commerce – Jarrod Moses
Today’s guest is Jarrod Moses, Founder and Global CEO of United Entertainment Group (UEG) – part of Edelman.Jarrod unpacks how brands, creators, sports stars and celebrities meet in the fast-evolving world of culture and entertainment marketing. He reveals how UEG structures partnerships that go beyond timesheets and deliverables to also reward performance and behaviours. Jarrod also discusse
Publicis Groupe's Global CSO: Unpacking the ‘Power of One’ – Loren Grossman
Today’s guest is Loren Grossman, Global Chief Strategy Officer of the ‘Solutions Group’ within Publicis Groupe – so he’s right at the centre of how the agency world is evolving.Loren describes a ‘golden age’ of impact, explaining how Publicis has built a future-facing model that goes far beyond marketing communications. From bold acquisitions like Epsilon and Sapient, to their ‘Power of One’ appro
Party Land's Co-Founder: Comedy’s greatest ad agency – Haley Hunter
Today’s guest – for our 50th episode! – is Haley Hunter, Co-Founder of Party Land – proudly known as comedy’s greatest ad agency. In this lively conversation, Haley unpacks how humour has become a strategic superpower, not just a punchline.She shares how Party Land went from convincing clients that comedy belonged in advertising to being the go-to agency for those wanting to master it – not least
JOAN's co-founders: Building modern legends – Jaime Robinson & Lisa Clunie
In a first for the show, today we have not one but two guests – Jaime Robinson and Lisa Clunie, co-founders of the creative agency JOAN, born in NYC and now smashing it in London and Berlin too. Jaime and Lisa reveal how they’re blending the rigour of classic brand building with the pace and energy of modern culture. They share why they believe now is a golden age of creativity, how disruptio
ITG’s CEO: The AI-enabled creative renaissance – Andrew Swinand
Today’s guest is Andrew Swinand, CEO of Inspired Thinking Group, a PE-backed and AI-enabled content business that is scaling faster than most in our industry. With two decades at Publicis, including running Leo Burnett and leading creative in the US, Andrew brings a rare dual perspective on both the creative and operational sides of the business.He shares why the HoldCo.s are trapped in the classi
Worldwide Partners' President & CEO: A balanced take on indies vs HoldCo.s – John Harris
Today’s guest is John Harris, President & CEO of Worldwide Partners Inc. With nearly a decade leading the world’s most collaborative network of independent agencies – and a prior career inside holding companies – he brings a rare balance to one of the industry’s most polarised debates.John explains indies’ undoubted ‘moment’, but also recognises the unique strengths of the holding company mode
BBH’s CEO: Bringing contagious positivity - Karen Martin
Today’s guest is the incomparable Karen Martin, CEO of BBH London and Dublin, and President of the IPA. Known for her infectious optimism, Karen brings a fresh perspective to how agencies can thrive in uncertain times.For her, positivity is more than just a nice-to-have – it’s a business imperative that lifts entire industries. Karen also argues that the sector is in better shape than many fear, a
AnalogFolk Group's Global CEO: Evolving the business of creativity – Guy Wieynk
Today’s guest is Guy Wieynk, Global CEO of AnalogFolk Group. This conversation is a masterclass in the business of creativity. With 17 years at AKQA, followed by a European CEO at Publicis, Guy knows how to blend scale with agility.He unpacks the shift from big ideas to ‘open ideas’, and why connecting brands to culture isn’t optional but essential. From productising services to evolving pricing m
Dept's CEO: Scaling culture at pace – Dimi Albers
Today’s guest is Dimi Albers, CEO of Dept – one of the new breed of fast-growth PE-backed agency groups. And if you think rapid scaling comes at the cost of culture, this conversation will prove you wrong.Dimi shares how Dept has grown from 120 people in the Netherlands to more than 4,000 across 20+ countries – all while maintaining a unique ownership model with nearly 200 equity partners. He expl
FIG’s Founder: Retaining the soul of creativity – Mark Figliulo
Today’s guest is Mark Figliulo, Founder and Creative Chairman at FIG – and if you’re worried about AI’s impact on creativity, then you’ll enjoy his proactive optimism.From working with legends like Lee Clow to launching one of New York’s most respected indies, Mark’s on a mission to keep creativity relevant – not least by cutting through our industry's obsession with this brand versus performance.
Quiet Storm's CEO: The power of ownership – Rania Robinson
Today's guest is an atypical champion of agency independence – Rania Robinson, CEO of Quiet Storm.Rania takes us behind the scenes of Quiet Storm’s 30-year journey – from selling to a larger group, buying the agency back through a Management Buyout, and then transitioning to an Employee Owned Trust.She shares what those decisions meant for their culture, clients and commercial performance, and why
Croud's CEO: Pioneering a new agency model – Luke Smith
Today's guest is Luke Smith, the founder and global CEO of Croud – the digital media agency with a pioneering crowdsourcing model. Luke shares how he left Google in 2011 with the intention of just undercutting the market. But now Croud operates in 120 markets, with 600 people and nearly 3,000 freelance ‘Croudies’, having scaled with private equity investment. He unpacks why investing in
IPG Mediabrands' CEO, UK and EMEA: The alchemy of modern media agencies – Richard Morris
Today’s guest is Richard Morris, CEO for UK & EMEA at IPG Mediabrands. He’s seen the industry evolve from the high-reach, low-cost media buys of the 90s to today’s data-led, tech-powered landscape. But as he explains, the real competitive advantage for your agency isn’t just about speed or efficiency – it’s about blending technology with the human creativity that clients can’t get anywher
AKQA's CEO, The Americas: Standing up for the next generation – Tesa Aragones
Today’s guest is Tesa Aragones, AKQA’s CEO for the Americas – one of few agency CEOs who have also succeeded at the highest level on the client-side. With her background at Nike and Volkswagen, Tesa brings a uniquely empathetic view on what it takes to build stronger, more human relationships between agencies and clients – especially in today’s fast-moving, tech-fuelled landscape.She shares w
LinkedIn’s VP Global Head of Agency Development and Marketer Education: The hidden goldmine of B2B – Valerie Beauchamp
Today’s guest is Valerie Beauchamp, VP Global Head of Agency Development and Marketer Education at LinkedIn. And if you’ve ever written off B2B as a less exciting part of the industry, then this episode will change your mind.Valerie spent two decades agency-side before heading to Amazon and now LinkedIn – so she knows the landscape better than most. She shares why B2B is full of creative, strategi
Mojo Supermarket’s President: Reinventing your passion – Armando Turco
Today’s guest is Mojo Supermarket’s President, Armando Turco – talking about reinventing his passion for agency life. After a standout career at BBH, a transformative spell at Vox Media, and a client-side role in the disruptive world of Oatly, Armando swore he’d never go back to agency life. But as you’ll hear, never say ‘never’. He shares how working client-side changed his entire persp
Co:definery’s CEO: Building a Market of One – Robin Bonn
To celebrate the launch of Robin’s book, Market of One, this special episode features a Freaky Friday-style role reversal, with IPA Director of Effectiveness Laurence Green in the interviewer’s chair and Robin answering the questions. Unpacking the exhausting ‘Big Grind’ that many leaders feel, Robin unpacks how agencies can break out of so-called ‘oversupply’ and build a more profitable and
Strong Training & Coaching's Lead Coach & Trainer: Coaching for commercial growth – Maureen Falvey
Today’s guest is Maureen Falvey. Formerly a senior exec at Grey, Saatchis and McGarryBowen, she’s now a professional coach and trainer. Maureen explores how a coaching mindset isn’t just a personal development tool – it’s a cultural and commercial unlock for modern agencies.She dives into why coaching is all about asking, not telling, and how that shift helps agency leaders unlearn old habits
Metaforce's Co-Founder: Differentiating your client experience - Allen Adamson
Today's guest is the renowned author, branding expert and industry commentator Allen Adamson - co-founder of Metaforce, adjunct professor at NYU Stern School of Business, and former leader at Ogilvy and Landor.Reflecting his brand strategy lens, Allen explores a crucial yet often overlooked question: if every agency claims to be different, why do so many feel exactly the same?Referencing powerful
Huge’s EVP: leading the next phase of digital - Michael Olaye
Today’s guest is Michael Olaye, EVP at Huge - one of the world’s most respected digital agencies - and newly independent after their exit from Interpublic. Michael shares how the recent alignment of Huge and Hero Digital was built on shared values - not just capability - and why that matters more than any press release.His big idea is how agencies can move beyond just ‘making things’ to creating w
WPP Open's President: AI and the pursuit of happiness – Matt McNeany
Today’s guest is Matt McNeany, President of WPP Open. Drawing on two decades of experience helping the world’s biggest brands and agencies navigate digital transformation, Matt offers some much needed big picture context around AI.His ‘streamline, expand, disrupt’ model extends the established benefits of greater productivity and unpacks why differentiated agencies will be more essential than ever
AAR President: Knowing the people behind the creds - Lisa Colantuono
Today’s guest is Lisa Colantuono, President of search consultancy, AAR Partners. With decades of experience and zero time for fluff, Lisa lays bare what agency searches should really be about - forging proper partnerships, not playing matchmaker. Building on themes of trust and transparency, Lisa shares horror stories as well as best practice - including how new-business is never a numbers ga
Forsman & Bodenfors’ Global MD: Creativity as a process - Eric Zuncic
Today’s guest is Eric Zuncic, Global Managing Director and Chief Product Officer at Stagwell’s creative collective, Forsman & Bodenfors. And he’s passionate about the work. Eric describes why our industry’s obsession with outputs is hampering impact. So if your agency is still taking briefs at face value and churning out content, then you’re missing a trick. He unpacks how Forsman br
Design Bridge & Partners' Global Chief Growth Officer: A Human-First Future for Agencies - Holly Maguire
Today’s guest is the highly experienced Holly Maguire, Global Chief Growth Officer at Design Bridge and Partners. She shares her unique perspective on how agencies can evolve with empathy, not ego.As her career has progressed from advertising to brand design, and as a former agency CEO, Holly describes the power she’s seen in humility, collaboration and enduring craft skills. We also explore
SPCSHP's Founder & Executive Chairman: Leading with culture - Michael Lebowitz
Today’s guest is Michael Lebowitz, Founder and Executive Chairman of SPCSHP – an agency that’s defied trends and labels for 25 years, and been a Harvard Business School case study not once, but twice. Using the metaphor of a living, breathing organism, Michael describes SPCSHP as a creative canvas, where culture and imagination are more important than rigid labels or passing trends. We a
4As’ CEO: A unique perspective on agencies - Marla Kaplowitz
Today’s guest is a true agency advocate – Marla Kaplowitz, Chief Executive Officer of the 4A’s.As her 8-year tenure draws to a close, Marla speaks up for the pressures that agencies are under and the opportunities she sees in an industry transformed since the pandemic. The conversation explores the value of creativity, why speed should command a premium and how AI can drive premiumisation rat
Stagwell EMEA’s CEO: Challenging the global market - James Townsend
Today’s guest is James Townsend — CEO EMEA at Stagwell and also CEO of their Brand Performance Network. Stagwell is now a multi-billion dollar challenger to the established agency HoldCo.s, so how are they approaching growth differently to their competitors? In a word: adaptation — by embracing the evolving needs of modern clients. James describes how Stagwell’s digital-first structure aims t
Uncommon’s Co-Founder: Every moment is a chance - Nils Leonard
This episode features Nils Leonard, Co-Founder of Uncommon Creative Studio – one of the world’s most influential creative forces right now.It’s a searingly honest conversation about what it means to matter - as an individual, a creative, an agency, and as a citizen of the world.Nils unpacks why many agencies have a broken relationship with success - and why even for a high-profile creative, it’s r
Grey London's President: Making a promise to the market - Conrad Persons
From President to Presidency, Conrad shares his journey - from chasing Barack Obama around Virginia, to taking the reins at Grey London. He describes the importance of balancing intuition with evidence - an essential skill when balancing change with heritage at Grey over the last 12 months. We dive into value propositions and what makes them succeed, particularly how they become insular
We Are Social’s Global CEO: Nurturing creative cultures - Toby Southgate
Today’s guest is Toby Southgate, newly appointed Global CEO of We Are Social, and this episode is a real treat. Few leaders advocate so vocally for our industry as a whole, or - as you’ll hear - have such a refreshing perspective on their competitive set. Toby shares his perspective on what agencies are getting wrong when it comes to differentiation - from bloated service offerings and overus
Performics’ Global Growth Officer: Breaking the burnout cycle - Bianca Best
Burnout is everywhere. And let’s be honest – agency life isn’t helping. The pressure’s relentless, deadlines never stop and somehow you're just supposed to keep going. So how can you avoid running yourself and your team into the ground?Bianca Best is the Global Growth Officer at Performics – the performance marketing arm of Publicis Media. She’s also the founder of The Burnout Business and the aut
Giant Spoon’s Co-founder: How audacious ideas get made - Trevor Guthrie
Have you ever attached a 270-foot dragon to the top of the Empire State Building? No, me neither. And how do your most audacious ideas make it into the world - especially if your agency doesn’t offer clients the reassurance of a readymade creative reputation? To explore that question, today’s guest on The Immortal Life of Agencies is Trevor Guthrie, co-founder of US-based independent, Gi
Candid’s CEO: The quest for agency simplification - Ruud Wanck
Today’s guest is Ruud Wanck, CEO of Candid - who describe themselves as ‘next generation holding company’. Candid’s offering has been specifically designed to address the defining challenge for modern clients - the twin needs for specialisation and integration. Ruud shares how he’s consolidated his group into three core offerings - brand, communications and media. And by removing so much comp
Majority's Founder & CEO: From phoney to fearless: building an agency ‘for the culture’ - Omid Farhang
This episode features Omid Farhang, co-founder and CEO of Majority - Adweek's newly crowned Multicultural Agency of the Year. This is a fascinating insight into how one man very consciously transitioned from insecurity to market leadership. From starting a podcast that became his personal 'business school curriculum', to purposefully connecting with the CMOs he most admired, Omid shares how M
GroupM’s CEO: Honest leadership in times of change - Josh Krichefski
“Running an agency is like doing a jigsaw with some of the pieces missing.”How’s that for candour from GroupM’s EMEA’s CEO Josh Krichefski? This conversation unpacks the joys and challenges of running an agency of international scale - from the inevitable cycle of client wins and client losses, to the increasingly transformational needs of modern clients. Josh also offers his perspective on t
Mischief’s Co-founder: The risks of malicious obedience - Greg Hahn
“The best way to win the game is by not playing the game.” How’s that for a hot take on the agency business? It’s from Mischief’s fascinating and thoughtful Chief Creative Officer, Greg Hahn. In this episode, we unpack just how pervasive fear has become in the agency business - including where it shows up and what to do about it. In a world where agencies have become so meek, he’s e
