Today’s guest is Tesa Aragones, AKQA’s CEO for the Americas – one of few agency CEOs who have also succeeded at the highest level on the client-side. With her background at Nike and Volkswagen, Tesa brings a uniquely empathetic view on what it takes to build stronger, more human relationships between agencies and clients – especially in today’s fast-moving, tech-fuelled landscape.
She shares why the best partnerships aren’t driven by selling or posturing, but by purposeful communication, curiosity, and the courage to say ‘I don’t know’. From using AI to solve real business problems, to creating inclusive teams where everyone feels seen and heard, Tesa shows how leadership and client service can be reimagined through empathy and intent.
She also reflects on how her personal story – as a woman, a person of colour and the daughter of immigrants – shapes her values and fuels her mission to represent, empower and inspire the next generation.
HIGHLIGHTS:
[02:11] Loving the work – on both sides
[03:58] How openness beats hard sell
[08:22] Where trust really starts
[13:56] Arriving at AKQA
[17:24] The right tech for the right brief
[20:20] Leading through lived experience
[25:26] Creativity thrives on courage
[29:02] Optimism lives in creative hands
