E29 | How To Buy The Company You Work For | Neil Henderson, Owner & CEO Of St Luke's

Neil Henderson, now the CEO of St. Luke’s has achieved remarkable success, garnering nominations for Agency of the Year in 3 of the past 4 years and consistently securing a spot on Campaign's Best Places to Work winners list for 5 consecutive years. Neil is an elected member of the IPA Council, holding the esteemed title of IPA Fellow. Additionally, he serves as a BAFTA juror.

Neil's journey commenced at Still Price Lintas, where he worked on Unilever and Nestle's major brands. Later, at BBH, he created one of the UK's top 10 beloved commercials for Boddingtons and contributed to the multi-award winning campaigns for Lynx and Häagen-Dazs.

In this episode, Neil shares poignant tales of his twin brother, navigating the complexities of grief, and finding one's true calling within the right organisation. We Discuss: -The unique experience of having an identical twin brother -The serendipitous discovery of improvisational theatre -The relentless pursuit of a career in advertising -Overcoming the constraints of others' expectations -The profound impact of parting ways with one's twin sibling -Coping with the loss of a parent at the tender age of 24 -The inevitable self-doubt that creeps in about one's chosen industry -Navigating the challenges of working at what may seem like the most daunting company on Earth -Guiding a company through the tumultuous waters of a recession -Ascending to the role of CEO within one of the most esteemed agencies of all time

Chapters:

(00:00) Trailer

(01:25) Intro

(02:09) Ashley’s Poem

(03:05) The Beginnings of St. Luke's

(08:00) Summary

(8:20) Neil’s Childhood/ Early Education

(14:29) Early Years & Sport

(18:00) Discovering Drama/ Theatre

(20:12) LIVE improv example

(22:32) Entry into Advertising

(27:00) Resetting Expectations

(29:14) Turbulent Times

(34:53) Career progressing

(39:54) Business model

(53:54) The Bubble Burst

(1:00:53) Stepping Up

(1:06:32) Changing the business model

(1:15:05) Recession

(1:21:07) Creating a Thriving Business

(1:27:09) The Role Of CEO

(1:34:14) The Future of St. Luke's

(1:37:40) Hiring Diverse Talent

(1:41:23) Sustainability

(1:44:53) Charles' Summary

(1:47:34) Final Poem

(1:48:48) Outro

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Unity & Motion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - A London based production company specialising in commercials and branded content Email: [email protected] This is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UNIFY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast. Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unity & Motion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Credits: Director: Charles Parkinson Poet & VO Artist: Ashley Samuels-McKenzie Sound Recordist: Aurelija Ausembergaite Camera Operator: Stuart Aitken Editor: Catherine Singh