What does it actually take to build a global agency from the ground up and lead it for over 25 years?

In this conversation, Ian Millner sits down with Rob Mayhew to reflect on the reality of building the global creative network Iris. How it started, what shaped its growth and the decisions that mattered along the way.

From culture and leadership to scaling the business and staying relevant, Ian shares a clear view on what building a business really involves and what he has learnt from doing it over the long term.

This is a clear and honest account of what it takes to build, lead and sustain a business over time and the mindset required to build something that lasts.

Credits:

Host: Rob Mayhew

Special guest: Ian Millner

Produced by: Iris

Editorial: Vino Vethavanam

Series: Entrepreneurs in The Wild

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode of Entrepreneurs In The Wild is the third and final installment in the Iris 25 festive mini-series. Host Ian Millner leads a conversation exploring how strategy, participation, and planning have shaped Iris’s journey and their impact on the industry.

Ben Essen, Global Chief Strategy Officer at Iris, Karen Correia da Silva, Senior Strategy Director, and John Grant, experienced strategist and author, join Ian to share their expertise. Ben reflects on Iris’s evolving strategy, from experimentalism to market-leading brand strategies, always grounded in participation.

Karen discusses how culture mediates MarComms, with social media empowering individuals as brands. Platforms like TikTok put all brands on equal footing, and success comes when brands engage with people, not just talk at them.John explores the role of participation in effective marketing. He highlights the need for connection, from big ideas to internal agency accounting and target communities.

The conversation shifts to short-termism in marketing. Karen highlights Nike’s shift from OOH ads to digital during the pandemic. While large brands may focus on short-termism, smaller brands are investing in long-term views, offering their communities something to believe in.

The team finishes by discussing the future of climate-focused marketing. As almost every brand adopts a green philosophy, consumers demand change, and green innovation is poised to thrive as the corporate market recovers.

Ian Millner / EITW

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Ben Essen

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benessen/

Karen Correia da Silva

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karencorreiadasilva/

John Grant

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejohngrant/

Music courtesy of Filmstro | Music that Moves

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winner in the Creating & Marketing category of the 2024 Signal Awards, Entrepreneurs In The Wild unveils the second part of the Iris 25 festive mini-series. Host Ian Millner explores how Iris has become one of the world’s most influential creative marketing agencies over its 25-year history. This episode dives into the intersection of creativity and culture in an industry undergoing a major shift due to AI.

The panel includes four pivotal figures: Grant Hunter and Shaun McIlrath, who bring 30 years of senior leadership at Iris, and two rising stars, ECD Katy Hopkins and Global CCO Menno Kluin.

The conversation reveals how Iris’s early, anything-goes spirit still thrives today. Once an upstart challenging the industry’s conventions, Iris now proves its creative expertise in an era where clients are more informed, and AI plays a growing role. Yet, the human connection remains vital, with Iris continuing to challenge the status quo.

Grant and Shaun share memories of navigating the industry’s changing landscape, while Katy discusses Iris’s role as an outsider and disruptor. Menno offers a unique perspective from his career journey from The Netherlands to the US, now landing in the UK.

Ian Millner orchestrates the conversation, drawing parallels between Iris’s past and future. Despite industry changes—cultural influences, emerging tech, and shifting consumer behaviour—his lessons from Iris’s evolution feel like timeless truths.

Ian Millner / EITW

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

X: https://x.com/EitW_podcast

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Katy Hopkins

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-hopkins-6422a747/

Grant Hunter

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/granthunteriris/

Menno Kluin

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mennokluin/

Shaun McIlrath

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-mcilrath-842564b/

Music courtesy of Filmstro | Music that Moves

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.