I’m
Sam

I’m a brand marketing and communications leader, strategist, and tactician - and a few other important things too.

I grew up Aotearoa New Zealand believing it’s possible for anyone to change the world. I’ve spent the last 20 years pursuing that ambition, working with global brands, CEOs, and political leaders.

During that time I’ve become an expert in using marketing and communications to turn change into competitive advantage. I have a uniquely global perspective, informed by experience working in design, data science and artificial intelligence, media and marketing, corporate communications, political consulting, and market research.

I care deeply about the future and am passionate about helping companies and leaders make the world better for everyone. I love helping people chase down big ideas, making complicated issues easier to understand, and creating strategic advantages for businesses that benefit the world.

I’ve come to believe that effective leadership combines bold action with clear communication; that words and ideas are great but that it’s what you do with them that matters most; and that the best way to win arguments is to make them obsolete.

The last two decades have been exciting, but the opportunities ahead of us - for innovation, progress, and growth - are bigger than ever. To realize them, we need leaders who can communicate clearly and help people make sense of change. Helping them succeed has never been more important.

Keep reading for more detail on what I do for both love and money. And if you’d like to get a better sense of my personal interests, check out my Shared Items.

i like helping people do big things

I specialize in advancing brands and reputations that enable companies - and the people who lead them - to do big and important things.

Currently, I lead global marketing and communications for GroupM, the world’s largest and most influential media investment company, responsible for more than $60B in annual global advertising spend. We’re working to reimagine how media, technology, culture, and business combine to solve some of the world’s most challenging coordination problems - at the same time as we grow businesses and fuel the global economy.

In the decade prior, I built and managed the brands and integrated marcomms teams for Huge and Essence, helping to generate nearly $4B in revenue for two companies foundational to modern approaches to brand experience design and data-driven marketing.

I began my career in political consulting and market research. In the early-mid 2000s, I helped Labour Parties in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK secure unprecedented re-election victories and supported Democratic campaign efforts in multiple American election cycles.

Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to work for and learn from many people I admire. Stephen Mills, Stan Greenberg, and Aaron Shapiro all taught me the value of being relentless in the pursuit of things that matter. Joe Stewart made me believe in the power of designing things for people. My time at Rubenstein taught me the importance of accountable and egoless leadership. I try to bring all of those things with me to the way I lead teams and approach work.