David Jones

That was the first piece, which I just thought, this is really interesting because I'm fascinated by people and what makes them tick and really into creativity. And it was a golden era. UK advertising back then was pretty amazing. TV advertising back then, it was a very different world. What's going on in the world of tech and Gen AI today is exactly what was going on in TV back then.

That was the first piece, which I just thought, this is really interesting because I'm fascinated by people and what makes them tick and really into creativity. And it was a golden era. UK advertising back then was pretty amazing. TV advertising back then, it was a very different world. What's going on in the world of tech and Gen AI today is exactly what was going on in TV back then.

And then I was like, hey, I want to go on this tennis tournament. I don't really have time to wait for lots of replies. So what's the fastest way of doing it? We just call people. But are they really going to listen to someone saying, hey, I'm a student. I'd like an internship. No. But if you pretend that you're a big client and you're going to do a pitch, you'll get through to anyone.

And then I was like, hey, I want to go on this tennis tournament. I don't really have time to wait for lots of replies. So what's the fastest way of doing it? We just call people. But are they really going to listen to someone saying, hey, I'm a student. I'd like an internship. No. But if you pretend that you're a big client and you're going to do a pitch, you'll get through to anyone.

And then, you know, from then on, it's just it's a bit of a lottery as to what happens.

And then, you know, from then on, it's just it's a bit of a lottery as to what happens.

There's another thread, which is just about learning from different countries and cultures. And also many of the things I did early on in my career. were potentially stupid moves because you're stepping out of something that is what you should be doing.

There's another thread, which is just about learning from different countries and cultures. And also many of the things I did early on in my career. were potentially stupid moves because you're stepping out of something that is what you should be doing.

And the fast version I ended up, because I spoke German, getting a crazy amount of responsibility on a pitch because at the time, no one in the UK really cared about pan-European advertising. And I thought international and global was the future. So I pitched with the CEO and the MD. I presented to Henkel's worldwide board when I was 21 and we ended up winning the business.

And the fast version I ended up, because I spoke German, getting a crazy amount of responsibility on a pitch because at the time, no one in the UK really cared about pan-European advertising. And I thought international and global was the future. So I pitched with the CEO and the MD. I presented to Henkel's worldwide board when I was 21 and we ended up winning the business.

So they asked me to stay on. But firstly, the fact that I'd lived and worked in

So they asked me to stay on. But firstly, the fact that I'd lived and worked in

germany that i understood german culture that i spoke german gave me a level of responsibility that i would never have had if i'd just been the english intern speaking english and then that led to me wanting my next move and i moved out to paris to work at j waltz thompson and i didn't speak french and i had a really tough time for a year or so but then i learned fluent french and french culture and all of those things just add to your learning and knowledge and understanding

germany that i understood german culture that i spoke german gave me a level of responsibility that i would never have had if i'd just been the english intern speaking english and then that led to me wanting my next move and i moved out to paris to work at j waltz thompson and i didn't speak french and i had a really tough time for a year or so but then i learned fluent french and french culture and all of those things just add to your learning and knowledge and understanding

both in terms of cultures and in terms of doing business in different ways, in terms of particularly if you come from the US or the UK, where you're usually used to sitting at the center thinking you know how the world is. And actually, no, you don't. So it's good to be on that. And then the language piece. I mean, I ended up CEO of a French publicly listed company.

both in terms of cultures and in terms of doing business in different ways, in terms of particularly if you come from the US or the UK, where you're usually used to sitting at the center thinking you know how the world is. And actually, no, you don't. So it's good to be on that. And then the language piece. I mean, I ended up CEO of a French publicly listed company.

In fact, the only British CEO of a French publicly listed company at the time. I'd never been able to do that without speaking French. Forget any of the other things. So there was that sort of journey that led me down an international path. But also, my wife and I, we met and we were super interested about not just being in London or Paris.

In fact, the only British CEO of a French publicly listed company at the time. I'd never been able to do that without speaking French. Forget any of the other things. So there was that sort of journey that led me down an international path. But also, my wife and I, we met and we were super interested about not just being in London or Paris.

And we decided we would either go and live in... We identified three places that had great ad industries. and that were really good places to go and live, which were Buenos Aires, Cape Town and Sydney. We started off going down to Sydney. Both of us got jobs down there. I arrived down there in 1998.

And we decided we would either go and live in... We identified three places that had great ad industries. and that were really good places to go and live, which were Buenos Aires, Cape Town and Sydney. We started off going down to Sydney. Both of us got jobs down there. I arrived down there in 1998.