From MRM to Wunderman Thompson: meet The Drum Awards for Agency Business jury 2020

Mears is from Birmingham and is the co-founder of The Elephant Room. She has previously assisted on supporting brands such as Adidas and Britvic to find talent for global commercials whilst very early in her career. Mears was the face of the official UK campaign by LinkedIn in 2018. She has a real passion to be a voice and a relatable representation of what she hopes the industry can become in the near future. She is former brand manager for GUAP magazine and runs a community platform called Girls, Lets talk.

Romagnoli has over 25 years of experience working in digital and has helped over 200 businesses – from international companies to start-ups – navigate their marketing approach. He excels in defining online strategies and concepts for exclusive and luxury brands through digital marketing, especially for superyachts, aviation, real estate, luxury travel, hotels, beauty and fashion. In addition, Romagnoli frequently gives talks at conferences like BrightonSEO and Digital Marketing World Forum and contributes to platforms like The Drum and Forbes Monaco. He is also an adjunct professor of digital marketing at the International University of Monaco.

Lee worked at Saatchi & Saatchi and BBH, before arriving at Leo Burnett where she worked on McDonald’s, Homebase and COI before becoming marketing director and latterly managing director. She left the big agency world fascinated by the world of small, ambitious start ups with a different offering and perspective on the world. Lee was Gravity Road’s first managing director, helping to grow and structure the business as it became a respected independent agency. She then worked at Sunshine. Mears had a disastrous 21 days at Y&R before it merged with VML, but emerged to become chief executive officer of Lucky Generals.

Kenna is chief executive officer and founder of Brand Advance. He is also the director of diversity and inclusion at Outvertising, the advertising industry lobbying group and as a mixed race, out gay father – is a strong advocate for diversity and representation within the media and advertising industry as a member of the WFA Diversity Advisory Board and is also on the advisory board for the V&A Museums. An award winning entrepreneur having received the Innovator of the Year Award at the second annual Ex-Forces in Business Awards and was recently named on EMPower’s 100 Ethnic Minority Executives 2020.

Over the years Johnson has been instrumental in building a successful global business at creative communications agency Leagas Delaney, where she has been group chief executive officer and co-owner since 2007. In 2006, she was appointed as a non-exec of the Admiral Group a top FTSE 100 company. Post her retirement from the group board in 2016, Johnson took up the role of non-exec director of Confused and the international price comparison boards of the Admiral Group. She was awarded an OBE in 2013 for her services to the creative industry and voluntary services. She is a trustee of Now Teach, the organisation dedicated to helping successful late career-changers become teachers. Previously, Johnson help to found and was co-chair of the British Red Cross women’s philanthropy group, The Tiffany Circle.

Khan is one of the post millennial marketing communication leadership individuals in Bangladesh. Today, he proudly leads a team of more than 70 across four organizations – MACOMM, MediaAxis, D’reach and Creinse, from a start of a three member single boutique agency in 2005. Khan has led the companies to be among the top five across the media, creative and digital scene in the country. Currently he is heading the organization’s efforts to foray into Africa with digital advertising and also exploring entry into south Asian and South East Asian region as well in the post pandemic future. Khan is also working with business expansions into technology and digital startups. His personal portfolio of experience is diverse – he has worked in projects with IFPI, Sony Music, ESPN Star Sports, International Cricket Council, MTV Asia and also spearheaded the launch of the two biggest multiplex cinema theatres in Bangladesh as a consultant.

Franklin develops and drives the strategic vision globally for Spark Foundry and its clients as president, global strategy and cultural fluency. An integral leader in the advertising community, she was named Advertising Woman of the Year by the Chicago Advertising Federation in 2018. In her current role, Franklin has been instrumental in pioneering Spark’s approach to strategy Heat, grounded in the concept of cultural fluency. By encouraging marketers to embrace an ‘inside out’ perspective, she has helped iconic brands – and the industry – understand the cultural identities, needs, motivations and media consumption habits of local and global audiences. Drawing on extensive industry experience, Franklin offers a unique perspective in any situation and, as a result, has strategically driven and enriched successful pitches for major accounts such as, Macy’s, Marriott International, Southwest Airlines, Mattel and more.

Based in Singapore, Burge is accountable for the performance and success of BBDO in the Asia region. He began his career at JWT London in 1998 and joined BBDO in 2004, rising from account management, to office management and since 2015 leading the regional network. Over the last decade, BBDO Asia is the most-awarded network for creativity and effectiveness in the region. With representation in more than sixteen countries, the network is known for creating award-winning advertising and brand communications solutions for clients including Hewlett-Packard, Visa, ExxonMobil, FedEx, Guinness, Mars, Pepsi, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Mattel, Mercedes-Benz and Fonterra.

Clarkson is a world class business leader having created herself as a trusted partner to her clients, advising them on forward thinking solutions that solve both brand and cultural problems within the digital and social landscape. Working with Microsoft, Aviva, Vodafone, Hovis, Dreams, Pringles, Very and numerous UK government departments, she has led teams with creative thinking and an empathetic style. She takes pride in mentoring her team and creating space for collaborative thinking and alternative solutions. She runs a progressive enterprise that swims against the tide of many traditional adland behaviours.

Kwittken is founder, global chairman and chief executive officer of global brand strategy and public relations agency KWT Global. He oversees the firm’s global growth strategy, it’s brand purpose specialty group and marketing technology product development unit, with a personal expertise that spans all aspects of corporate reputation and brand management, crisis and issues management and integrated communications. A tireless advocate for the intrinsic value communications brings to a brand’s key stakeholders, Aaron also writes a regular column for the Forbes CMO Network, makes guest appearances on CNBC, FOX Business Network and Bloomberg TV, and is the creator and host of the popular Brand on Purposepodcast.

Armstrong is most notable for making his name as the Honda car client who helped reset the brands perception through innovative and daring campaigns. He moved to head of European marketing for cars, motorcycles and power equipment to run their European marketing operation. In 2012, Armstrong joined Jaguar Land Rover as its global marketing communications director and was the briefing client behind the British Villains strategy, unleashing the power of the brand through the lens of charm, wit and a unique positioning. He left JLR in 2018 and started his own business called Topaz One, offering consultancy services in marketing. He is also chairman of an experiential agency, Kinetics Group, Advisory Board member of a content engagement platform, StoryStream.

Oriel Davis-Lyons used to be a chef. But, after getting tired of the long hours and intense pressure he decided to get into advertising. He started his career in New Zealand at Colenso BBDO and in 2015 made the move to New York where he worked at R/GA and Droga5 before joining Spotify. He has won over 100 awards across every major show and his work often uses a non-traditional approach to highlight social issues, like creating a partnership between Amnesty International and AdBlock to protest online censorship or a campaign to put graphic warning labels on boxes of ammunition. He is also the founder of ONE School, a free, online portfolio program for Black creatives and an attempt to address systemic barriers to entry in the advertising industry. He lives in Brooklyn with his family in an apartment that gets smaller every day.

Powar is the co-founder and chief executive officer of independent digital agency, Rebel Owl. Based in Singapore, Rebel Owl works with leading brands globally to design and scale digital solutions that help brands connect with their customers in smarter, more efficient ways. Kenny was previously the chief executive officer of highly awarded startup digital agency BLUE, which was acquired by WPP. Following the acquisition, he was instrumental in creating global WPP digital agency, Possible, and was chief executive for the Asia Pacific region. Kenny currently also advises, mentors and invests in fast growth Fintech and B2B start up technology companies, and, is a board member of The Esplanade – Singapore's national performing arts centre.

Bullard was the first creative woman to become chair of a UK marketing agency, that being multi award-winning MRM in London. Creatively recognized across nearly all the major shows, Bullard thinks she’s probably worked across every media and sector - but direct and digital are where her heart lies. She’s been writing professionally for 30 years and despite running a huge operation, she also keeps her hand in writing and ideating as often as she can. She is a fierce champion of the customer and believes insight is all. She is also hugely passionate about effectiveness - it’s only great work if it works.

Watt is an ex-agency founder, post exit. He founded Thinking Juice in 2003, merged the business becoming Group MD and chief creative officer of Emerge Group, and by way of organic growth and M&A become the twelfth largest independent agency business in the UK at time of exit in 2016. Today, Watt consults with brands direct, writes, invests in tech startups, troubleshoots for agencies, advises on growth, and is activist on the subjects of Mental Health and Addiction in the creative industries and beyond.

Webser is CEO of Walrus, a full-service advertising and media agency she co-founded with Deacon Webster in 2005. Before Walrus, Frances was CMO at Mad Dogs and Englishmen and BSSP. A graduate of the University of the South (Sewanee), Frances is a member of the university’s board of trustees. She also sits on the 4A’s Eastern Region Board. As an active proponent of the industry, she is a regular speaker at industry conferences, including Advertising Week, 4A’s Management Conference, and Ad Age Small Agency Conference. Frances appeared on the Ad Age Ad Lib podcast, and has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Huffington Post, Adweek, Campaign US, Business Insider, The Drum, and Ad Age.

Myers-Lamptey is the founder of The Barber Shop, a strategy-led creative company that aims to solve the biggest business problems through data, distribution and disruptive ideas. They work with businesses that are driven by a purpose and which strive to enrich culture through the pleasure that they bring. Their clients include Karma Cola, The Athletic, Tobefrank and Parkinson’s UK. He is also a board member of the UK Effies and a NED for the Brixton Finishing School. In 2019 Dino was recognised as a Top 10 Media Planner by Campaign. Myers-Lampte is also a founding member of MEFA (Media For All), and has recently founded Diverse Speakers.

Over the past 15 years Wilson's career has taken him from Australia to Asia working across APAC at five digital agencies, one of them his own, in roles ranging from regional director, vice president, managing director and CEO. In that time he also held senior board and advisory roles across both startup and industry bodies including two years as Chairman of the IAB. Wilson is now heading up growth for one of the most exciting companies in the industry, MediaMonks, in one of the most dynamic regions in the world, APAC. He is fiercely passionate about all things culture and creative and the effect that those creations and experiences can have on his fellow humans and colleagues and MediaMonks is a perfect conduit for that passion.

Rahaman is the founder and lead consultant at Society Redefined Agency. She is a big vision, dot-connecting, solutions builder. A hybrid between the worlds of strategy, cultural insights and client relationships. A multi-disciplined advertising, marketing and communications professional with over 15 years of brand, strategy and marketing experience. Supporting both national and global brands. Leading humans, campaigns, experiences and inspiring ideas.

Hulbert is the UK chief executive officer of Wunderman Thompson. Since taking the helm of the newly formed agency, Wunderman Thompson has enjoyed major client wins including Centrica, Duracell, INGKA, Toyota, Kaspersky and BT Sport and won over 75 awards including BT’s first ever D&AD Yellow pencil, a bronze Effie for HSBC UK and a Gold Cannes Lions for the NCDV. Hulbert has also worked hard to build a culture that sets Wunderman Thompson UK apart and allows people to bring their whole selves to work. This includes putting wellbeing, learning and development and diversity and inclusion at heart. A dedicated wellbeing studio and learning lab provide physical reminders of the agency’s commitment, supported by a calendar of classes, events and talks available for employees on and offline. Under Pip’s leadership the agency has also launched core initiative groups focussing on advancing the equality of LGBT+, BAME and women’s rights.