Chris Hirst

Chris is an award-winning author, consultant, former Global CEO and a regular commentator and contributor for the Financial Times, Sky News, Evening Standard and BBC radio.

As the former Global CEO at Havas Creative, Chris led over 8,000 people across Havas’ global territories and built the first truly integrated agency model many in the industry are looking to emulate.

Prior to joining Havas, Chris was the CEO at Grey London for 6 years. Under his leadership, Grey London went from a failing and ‘safe but dull’ agency to double in size through rapid growth to become the hottest creative shop in London.

Chris is a UK board member at Vivendi, a trustee of the MOBO Foundation and a member of the Marketing Group of Great Britain. He also holds a number of non-exec positions within the startup community and is determined to use his platform and his success to ensure the creative industries as a whole are fit for the future. Chris is a columnist for Management Today and Forbes and is a regular commentator and contributor for the Evening Standard, Financial Times, Sky News, ITV News, BBC Radio 5Live and BBC Radio 4. He is the host of the No Bullshit Leadership podcast created in partnership with Intelligence Squared.

His book ‘No Bullsh*t Leadership: Why the World Needs More Everyday Leaders and Why That Leader is You’ was named Business Book of the Year in March 2020 and is a Waterstones Business Chart No 1 bestseller.