So today I start my new job.
In England.
The last time this happened was in 1989 which blows my mind.
Of course, this situation is quite different to the last situation.
I’ve had a family.
I’ve lived around the World.
I’ve worked – and started – a bunch of companies.
I’m slightly better off than I was back in the late 80’s.
And while I enjoyed my time in the US, I’m very excited about what I’m going to be doing because whereas previously the big opportunity for me was more around understanding different cultures, this new role gives me that while also challenging and teaching me about possibilities that go beyond my areas of experience, because today I start as the head of strategy for R/GA for EMEA.
There were a bunch of reasons for leaving America, but one thing we knew was that there was no point if I wasn’t going to be enjoying myself.
For enjoying myself, I mean pushing me, challenging me, educating me and helping me make a bigger difference than I thought I could make.
I’ve long admired R/GA – especially R/GA London – so when we started chatting, I was fascinated about the opportunity and was incredibly happy/surprised, to learn they seemed to feel the same way.
Quite frankly, while all agencies talk about ‘creating cultural change’, R/GA seem to be the only one trying to make it happen on an ongoing basis. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some agencies out there who definitely help shape cultural behavior and attitudes – like my beloved W+K – but R/GA want to create the ideas, systems and communication that can encourage longer term cultural change rather than momentary effect.
At the end of the day, the idea of working with smart people who want to use creativity to impact the future and smart clients who want to walk towards the future was hugely infectious for me, especially at my age.
What makes it even better is that my remit means I’ll still get to work and discover different cultures, which is something I’ve done for the past 20 years all around the World … though given it’s been 24 years since I’ve lived in the UK, I’m pretty sure I’m going to find it fascinating understanding what is making this country tick.
All in all, I’m super excited.
At the interview I was asked why I wanted the job and I told them about a friend of mine who works for architect extroidinaire, Sir Norman Foster.
My mate is disgustingly epic … smart, charming and as handsome as hell … but despite all those enviable attributes, the thing I’ve always been jealous of is that his job requires him to create stuff that will outlive him.
I love advertising.
I think it is massively undervalued.
But the way the industry is going – focusing on the present, not building for the future – is scary as hell.
Not just in terms of the longevity of adland, but the ambitions of brands.
So to have a chance to work for a place that attracts clients who want to build rather than just plunder is very exciting for me.
Especially if there’s a shot of creating something that could outlive me.
Let’s just hope I can fool them into thinking I’m worth keeping around for more than a week …
Given my love of chaos, that might be over-ambitious.