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
When everything changes all at once
Episode 75
Josh Campo
CEO, Huge
How client-centricity drives growth
Episode 74
James Greenfield
CEO, Koto
The simplest path to profit
Episode 73
Marcel Petitpas
CEO, Parakeeto
The changing face of innovation
Episode 72
Enda King
Head of Innovation, Accenture
Evolving your core discipline
Episode 71
Jonathan Emmins
Founder and Global CEO, Amplify
From back office to boardroom
Episode 70
Greg Caplan
Co-Founder, Dovetail IT
Being a media indie in 2026
Episode 69
Jenny Biggam
Owner, the7stars
Thriving in the AI industrial revolution
Episode 68
Justin Billingsley
Co-Founder, Simbioniq
Growth in the ‘Goldilocks’ zone
Episode 67
Ben Rudman
Executive Director, MSQ
When a client CMO leads an agency
Episode 66
Zaid Al-Qassab
Global CEO, M+C Saatchi Group
Raising the bar for customer experience
Episode 65
Craig Elimeliah
CCO, Code and Theory
Showing up with a point of view
Episode 64
Sean McDonald
Global Chief Strategy Officer, Rethink
Redefining on-demand talent
Episode 63
Christine Olivas
Practice Director - Advertising & Brand Marketing, Toptal
How principles are good for business
Episode 62
Jared Belsky
CEO and Co-Founder, Acadia
Why Dentsu believes in agency brands
Episode 61
Beth Ann Kaminkow
CEO, Dentsu North America
A life more curious
Episode 60
Zoe Scaman
Founder, Bodacious
Inside Coke’s AI-powered Christmas campaign
Episode 59
PJ Pereira and Andrew O'Dell
Co-Founders, Pereira O’Dell and SILVERSIDE
Going deep on decision-making
Episode 58
Olivia Morley & Brian Wieser
Co-hosts, Agency Business
Making it ‘worth it’
Episode 57
Luke McKelvey
CEO, MIRIMAR
A rallying cry for brilliance
Episode 56
Richard Huntington
Former Chief Strategy Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi London
Why female ownership matters
Episode 55
Christy Hiler
CEO, Cornett
Excellence as usual
Episode 54
Tyler Turnbull
Global CEO, FCB
What’s in a name?
Episode 53
Zihla Salinas
CEO, Yes&
Culture, entertainment and commerce
Episode 52
Jarrod Moses
Global CEO, UEG
Subscribe to
Believe in Better
Our regular newsletter helps your agency stand out and grow faster. Packed with new thought pieces and our latest podcast episodes.
"*" indicates required fields
Our regular newsletter helps your agency stand out and grow faster. Packed with new thought pieces and our latest podcast episodes.
