Chris Hirst

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

In his role as Global CEO at Havas Creative, Chris leads over 8,000 people across all Havas’ global territories and has been the architect of the first truly integrated agency model many in the industry are looking to emulate.

Previously, Chris was the CEO at Grey London. Under his leadership, the agency went from being a failing, ‘safe but dull’ agency to the hottest creative shop in London. During his 6 years as CEO, Grey London was the fastest growing (doubling its size) agency in the market.

Chris is a UK board member at Vivendi, a trustee of the MOBO Foundation and 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.