10th June 2025

AI and the pursuit of happiness

Matt McNeany on disruption, reinvention and investing in your own future

Episode 32

Matt McNeany

Ex-Chief Transformation Officer, Omnicom

Today’s guest is Matt McNeany, former Chief Transformation Officer for Omnicom’s Precision Marketing Group. Drawing on two decades of experience helping the world’s biggest brands and agencies navigate digital transformation, Matt offers some much needed big picture context around AI.

His ‘streamline, expand, disrupt’ model extends the established benefits of greater productivity and unpacks why differentiated agencies will be more essential than ever as the brand, marketing and customer experience rule books are rewritten.  

Matt also offers an unfashionable take on the prospects of the holding companies vs challengers like Brandtech, Stagwell and Accentre Song. 

Finally he reflects on the human side of transformation, offering valuable advice to all of us knowledge workers to ensure we remain essential. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

[05:59] Why optimism beats uncertainty

[07:46] How AI changes businesses 

[12:34] Efficiency is just the beginning

[16:39] How HoldCo.s vs indies will play out

[22:10] Pricing in an AI-driven world

[27:59] The increasing risk of agency commoditization 

[29:39] Embracing the reinvented customer journey

[32:43] Disruption to white-collar jobs

[36:36] The promise of greater fulfillment

[37:37] Taking responsibility in the AI revolution

Previous episodes

Leading the next phase of digital

Episode 33

Michael Olaye

EVP, Huge

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

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

The quest for agency simplification

Episode 20

Ruud Wanck

CEO, Candid

From phoney to fearless: building an agency ‘for the culture’

Episode 19

Omid Farhang

Founder & CEO, Majority

Honest leadership in times of change

Episode 18

Josh Krichefski

CEO, GroupM EMEA

The risks of malicious obedience

Episode 17

Greg Hahn

Co-founder, Mischief

Why creativity relies on diversity

Episode 16

Jo Wallace

Global ECD, Jellyfish

The business case for differentiation

Episode 15

Anthony Freedman

CEO, Common Interest

When change becomes transformation

Episode 14

Neil Perkin

Founder, Only Dead Fish

How to maintain entrepreneurialism at scale

Episode 13

Tim Ringel

CEO, Meet The People

How AI is changing the agency business model

Episode 12

Chris Johnson

CEO, TomorrowToday

The secrets of successful client relationships

Episode 11

Alex Lubar

Global CEO, DDB

The recipe for agency swagger

Episode 10

Natalie Graeme

Founder, Uncommon Creative Studio

Building careers in a changing world

Episode 9

Sue Unerman

Chief Transformation Officer, EssenceMediacomX

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