11th March 2025
Toby Southgate on the value of constraints, optimism and empowerment
Episode 23
Toby Southgate
Global CEO, We Are Social
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 overused buzzwords, to why ‘the work’ isn’t what wins clients’ hearts and minds.
He also describes how optimism and empowerment are critical ingredients for successful agency leaders – especially given the fragility of creative cultures and the constraints of the modern marketplace.
HIGHLIGHTS:
[01:52] Defining a ‘creative’ business
[03:30] How to make the whole industry stronger
[07:12] Why the agency market isn’t oversupplied
[11:43] Building a meaningful value proposition
[14:41] How leadership can energise agency teams
[21:22] Balancing change and stability
[24:57] Getting the right people on board
[32:10] Letting people do what they do best
[38:46] Keeping talent happy and engaged
Previous episodes
Culture, entertainment and commerce
Episode 52
Jarrod Moses
Global CEO, UEG
Unpacking the ‘Power of One’
Episode 51
Loren Grossman
Global CSO, Publicis Groupe
Comedy’s greatest ad agency
Episode 50
Haley Hunter
Co-founder, Party Land
Building modern legends
Episode 49
Jaime Robinson & Lisa Clunie
Co-founders, JOAN
The AI-enabled creative renaissance
Episode 48
Andrew Swinand
CEO, Inspired Thinking Group (ITG)
A balanced take on indies vs HoldCo.s
Episode 47
John Harris
President & CEO, Worldwide Partners Inc.
Bringing contagious positivity
Episode 46
Karen Martin
CEO, BBH London & Dublin
Evolving the business of creativity
Episode 45
Guy Wieynk
Global CEO, AnalogFolk Group
Scaling culture at pace
Episode 44
Dimi Albers
CEO, Dept
Retaining the soul of creativity
Episode 43
Mark Figliulo
Founder, FIG
The power of ownership
Episode 42
Rania Robinson
CEO, Quiet Storm
Pioneering a new agency model
Episode 41
Luke Smith
CEO, Croud
The alchemy of modern media agencies
Episode 40
Richard Morris
CEO, UK and EMEA, IPG Mediabrands
Standing up for the next generation
Episode 39
Tesa Aragones
CEO, The Americas, AKQA
The hidden goldmine of B2B
Episode 38
Valerie Beauchamp
VP Global Head of Agency Development and Marketer Education, LinkedIn
Reinventing your passion
Episode 37
Armando Turco
President, Mojo Supermarket
Building a Market of One
Episode 36
Laurence Green
Director of Effectiveness, IPA
Coaching for commercial growth
Episode 35
Maureen Falvey
Lead Coach & Trainer, Strong Training & Coaching
Differentiating your client experience
Episode 34
Allen Adamson
Co-Founder, Metaforce
Leading the next phase of digital
Episode 33
Michael Olaye
EVP, Huge
AI and the pursuit of happiness
Episode 32
Matt McNeany
President, WPP Open
Knowing the people behind the creds
Episode 31
Lisa Colantuono
President, AAR Partners
Creativity as a process
Episode 30
Eric Zuncic
Global MD & CPO, Forsman & Bodenfors
A human-first future for agencies
Episode 29
Holly Maguire
Global Chief Growth Officer, Design Bridge & Partners
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