The Immortal Life of Agencies

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 anywhe...

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...

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, strateg...

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 per...

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...

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 habi...

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 powerfu...

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...

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 eve...

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 g...

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...

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 explor...

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...

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 r...

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...

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...

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 insula...

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 overu...

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 au...

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,...

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 com...

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...

“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...

“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’...

“Creativity is our ‘special sauce’”. Really, though - is it?  This is the episode I’ve wanted to record for ages. I finally get to address my bemusement at agency leaders claiming that ‘creativity’ is their agency’s point of difference, and then delivering conference keynotes where they also say it’s the whole industry’s USP.  Thankfully, here’s Jo Wallace - the always eloquent Global EC...