20th May 2025
Holly Maguire on creativity, connection, and change
Episode 29
Holly Maguire
Global Chief Growth Officer, Design Bridge & Partners
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 the growing need for greater emotional intelligence – across industry language, client relationships and agency leadership. As Holly puts it, less talking, more listening – and never be too presidential or too detached from the shop floor.
With heartfelt insight and optimism, Holly urges agencies to know their worth, lead with empathy, and build on what’s already great.
HIGHLIGHTS:
[01:53] Leadership powered by people
[04:20] Creativity needs EQ as much as IQ
[08:38] The role of Narrative in agency positioning
[09:52] Why creds decks don’t build trust
[15:42] Stop talking, start connecting
[19:58] Don’t get too presidential
[22:07] Leadership lessons from legends
[31:58] Unity builds resilience in client relationships
[35:22] Use AI to accelerate what’s great
Previous episodes
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
Leading with culture
Episode 28
Michael Lebowitz
Founder & Executive Chairman, SPCSHP
A unique perspective on agencies
Episode 27
Marla Kaplowitz
CEO, 4A's
Challenging the global market
Episode 26
James Townsend
CEO, Stagwell EMEA
Every moment is a chance
Episode 25
Nils Leonard
Co-Founder, Uncommon Creative Studio
Making a promise to the market
Episode 24
Conrad Persons
President, Grey London
Nurturing creative cultures
Episode 23
Toby Southgate
Global CEO, We Are Social
Breaking the burnout cycle
Episode 22
Bianca Best
Global Growth Officer, Performics
How audacious ideas get made
Episode 21
Trevor Guthrie
Co-founder, Giant Spoon
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