SAMPSON TO CEO OF LEO BURNETT SYDNEY
Leo Burnett has promoted Todd Sampson to Chief Executive Officer for the company’s Sydney office, replacing Tim Castree, who is returning to the United States with his American wife.
Sampson, who joined Leo Burnett Sydney in 2002, is one of the few CEO’s in Australia to come from a strategic background. He has been a Managing Partner and Head of Strategy for over 10 years and during that time he has helped lead some of the most successful and creative agencies in the world. He is also one of the most awarded strategists behind some of Australia’s highest profile work and is the co-creator of the Earth Hour initiative, which last year won a coveted Titanium Lion at Cannes and B&T’s Creative Campaign of the Year in Australia.
Said Sampson: “My focus is really simple: People. Product. Profit (in that order). I want Leo Burnett to be the most creative and imaginative company in Australia and we will get there. I predict in 2008, Leo Burnett will be one of the most awarded creative agencies in the world. But instead of benchmarking us against other agencies, I look to creative companies like Pixar, Apple and Google for inspiration. Equally important, I want to be the best in the world at talent management. I want everyone that works here to say it is by far the best place they have ever worked.”
A dynamic individual, outside work, Sampson is passionate about mountain climbing and has completed a solo climb to the top of Mount Everest.
Castree told CB: “Todd is outstanding and it has been on the cards that he will be the next CEO for 18 months. I’m still working out exactly what I’ll do next. I’m off to NY next week for many meetings and interviews and should be clearer on my next role within 10 days or so. My next role won’t be in an advertising agency, at least not in the traditional sense – I have a lot of interesting things on the boil. I’ll definitely keep you posted.”
45 Comments
Hello Todd,
Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your intelligent and consistent
input on Gruen Transfer.
I hope you’ll sign on for a 2nd season.
Cheers
I too hope that you have a continued input on the ‘Gruen Transfer’. Your comments I feel are well balanced, intelligent and creative, and I’m glad you’ve got your priorities right – that is: People, Product, profit.
I would love to say “When do I start work for you” as I would only ever consider working, leaning and being with the best.
Congratulations. Don’t change your values for anything or any one. What you have is wonderful.
Cheers, Tania
Todd, will you reveal what your accent s ? I think you’re American or possibly Canadian whilst my friend thinks Irish.
Love your work on the Gruen Transfer.
You’re hot
Bring on season two. I enjoyed listening to your intelligent and insightful comments.
Congratulations Todd! I think you ae brilliant.
If you weren’t married I’d ask you out.
I think you are gorgeous and sexy and your wife is so lucky.
i’m in love with you,.
I’m in love with you. Love you on Gruen Transfer.
Hi Todd. I have a natural flair for design and communication as well as having a criminal mind. Is there a better (legal, non gov) vocation for someone like me other than advertising ?
He is gorgeous, intelligent, funny, AND has a social conscious.
Ticks all my boxes.
Gruen is my favourite show on television.
Every week it’s such an eye opener.
Todd, you are a dish!!!
Don’t go changin’!!!
,…wot? he’s married? of course he is. Behind every successful man is a very special woman! lol Great stuff TOD… I only watch that show 2 see you, i like your style. hello 2 Mrs Sampson., hugs from an old bag. lol See ya round the net. if u get bored and visit my website, pls sign my Guestbook. thanx honey. lol ok, i’m gone. lol xox
yes, you are rather dishy
WHAT.. TODD IS MARRIED.. I was hoping we has gay, because I love him too. He is GREAT on Gruen transfer.. I like that he is intellegent, wise…but also very thoughtful, compassionte of various social issues.
Television needs more people like him….
Hi Todd, you certainly have a bit of a fan club going here. I’ve been watching the gruen transfer and find your comments and appraisals to be ethically sound and sensible. You’re obviously passionate about what you do and doing it ethically counts for more than profitability in the future. Hence the GFC to remind us of what is really important. I guess the type of companies that would be attracted to Leo Burnett and your management, would be in the same calibre, & have the same thought -process about their business, like what you’re trying to do with Leo Burnett. I think that this is the future of advertising/success in business – connecting on a more intimate, conscious level with the consumer, because if we don’t move in that direction we won’t be evolving with the consumer. I run an online business and my relationship with my customers is paramount to success and I find the friendly, rather intimate relationship I have with them improves the bottom line better than any other factor, except perhaps my product range.
You might like to consider – Volvo needs to up the ante – they make great cars, but don’t have the presence in Australia that they should. I currently drive a subaru, but I think they’ve lost the plot a bit, sorry to say given they are a client. So I’m looking to move to Volvo based on my own research and liking for the product. The other thing is that subaru misses the female market by a long shot – so much opportunity there, but they haven’t capitalised on it. Hence why I’m moving to Volvo after 10 years with Subaru – as woman I feel alienated by subaru, which is a pity.( have sent same comments to Nick Senior as well)
Hope my comments are useful.
All the best, Susan
Hey Jason, I’m with you, he’s totally wasted on a woman. I think I like him more because of his point of view than because he is smoking hot, but the smoking hot helps.
He’s married? Damn! I’m a complete lesbian but I could completely turn for Todd Sampson. The most intelligent and reasonable guy on the show.
are you married?!
hahaah! this page is oozing with disappointment about you Todd. Well I for one don’t care if your married. Just that you do what you do best…which I’m not sure what it is. Anyway, where is that accent from?
He mentioned once on gruen that he is canadian
u rock on the gruen transfer
Have followed you on the Gruen Transfer and like your ideas. I sent a bad message to the show’s site about an airshow and needing some help. Well I guess I will provide some really good material for the next seasons worst adds ever made session unless I can get some help. Bob
Gee, isn’t this just a little love in! I have to say that Todd concerns me. He seems to think he can change the world with a few pretty little TV commercials. He has style, but can only aspire to substance. At the end of the day he’s just flogging more useless stuff to people who don’t need it anyway. 100 years ago, they were called snake oil salesmen. At least Russell Howcroft admits what he is unashamedly and doesn’t carry on like he’s some post-modern mahatma gandhi.
For someone who’s good looking and in advertising, it’s weird to have an ugly photo of him with plain white background posted. His photo even looked like it was photoshopped quickly unto a white background.
Hi Todd I’m with all those other comments , you are very hot i’m in love too!!!.
That’s not not all there is to you I enjoy listening to you and absolutely love the Gruen Transfer I only wish I had discovered this earlier than 6 weeks ago.
I too am a fan of Todd’s, and really enjoy the show (too few entertaining yet stimulating TV shows in this country!). BUT I find it a crying shame that clearly there is a dirth of charismatic AND intelligent AND ethical AND halfway decent men in these kinds of executive roles. Hence we’re all wetting our knickers over Todd. I mean, even with that wacko hairstyle he’s got to be one of the sexiest businessmen in Aus!
Need a new slogan for Australia? How about :-
“Australia Rocks”
Then show pictures of our beautiful rock formations from around our nation and also the cities, cafes and night life that we have and do it to the AC/DC song with the bagpipes (It’s a long way to the top)
And end it with :-
“Australia we can still Rock You”
Need a new slogan for Australia? How about :-
“Australia Rocks”
Then show pictures of our beautiful rock formations from around our nation and also the cities, cafes and night life that we have and do it to the AC/DC song with the bagpipes (It’s a long way to the top)
And end it with :-
“Australia we can still Rock You”
Need a new slogan for Australia? How about :-
“Australia Rocks”
Then show pictures of our beautiful rock formations from around our nation and also the cities, cafes and night life that we have and do it to the AC/DC song with the bagpipes (It’s a long way to the top)
And end it with :-
“Australia we can still Rock You”
Need a new slogan for Australia? How about :-
“Australia Rocks”
Then show pictures of our beautiful rock formations from around our nation and also the cities, cafes and night life that we have and do it to the AC/DC song with the bagpipes (It’s a long way to the top)
And end it with :-
“Australia we can still Rock You”
Need a new slogan for Australia? How about :-
“Australia Rocks”
Then show pictures of our beautiful rock formations from around our nation and also the cities, cafes and night life that we have and do it to the AC/DC song with the bagpipes (It’s a long way to the top)
And end it with :-
“Australia we can still Rock You”
Need a new slogan for Australia? How about :-
“Australia Rocks”
Then show pictures of our beautiful rock formations from around our nation and also the cities, cafes and night life that we have and do it to the AC/DC song with the bagpipes (It’s a long way to the top)
And end it with :-
“Australia we can still Rock You”
Advertising awards? I thought advertising was designed to sell the clients products not win awards. Interesting priorities…
How can Todd be so relistic and sensible in this world
Hi Todd,
I love tuning into Gruen each week and hearing what you have to say.. and also bicker with Russel! I studied Communication and Culture at a University in Adelaide and I find the show my whole course wrapped up into one one hour time slot. It’s fantastic!
Keep up all the awesome work!!
Typical Aussie bimbos. A guys on TV and suddenly he’s sxy! If you saw the same weedy guy at a bar who wasnt on tv, you wouldnt give him the time of day! … FuckOff!!
Todd, you’re a gentleman. I couldn’t resist randomly asking you about my new ‘brand’ out of Darlinghurst. I even interrupted your lunch – so sorry. None the less you took a moment and considered my situation, and I was really stoked. Just as I expected, you were most gracious and insightful. You had every right tell me to p-off. I hope I have the chance to do the same one day. Thank you.
Cheers & all the best to you,
Chris
Dear Todd – Wonderful to have you as part of the Gruen Transfer. I recently read your article on violence. It resonated with me. As a quiet kid my Dad thought I was too placid to face high school and ‘life’ gebrally. He made me learn boxing at age 12. I ended up doing brilliantly until I took up rowing at 16. I have to watch boxing matches alone! I ended up a lawyer and self employed HRD Consultant.
My main point though is – I watch the content on Gruen and recognise so many established principles of communciation, behaviour and psychology.
Are you aware of the great work done years ago by Peter Kenny [NSWIT now UTS]who established break-through concepts for avertising, many of which are still used as advertising bases – if sometimes inappropriately. I had early contact with advertising companies like Jackson Waine and another whose name I forget.
And I love Canada as a frequent visitor. Cheers and thanks for the great input to Gruen – Adrian Bell
Yeah, the Gruen Transfer is entertaining and informative…what’s the catchphrase…entrainment. You can learn a lot about influence and persuasion which is something that everyone needs a bit of from time to time even if they don’t work in the advertising industry. Todd seems to be the ethical one whilst Russel likes to suggest he’ll do anything for money but I think it’s just a persona he is creating. I could be wrong of course !
I agree with all the praise offered in this comments column. That being said I want to deviate a little by remarking what a very good-looking and attractive man he is. Yes I know…. this is pathetic and crass but frankly I don’t give a fuck. I would do Todd in a second. grrrrr……woof.
“Unguided accent Mt Everest”….”Creative genius”….
“Devil may care influences.” Really?
How fab and new and groovy
to wear crap jeans and really naff t-shirts.
How wonderfully ADVERTISING (so new and exciting)
Sorry Hon but I’m not buying.
Cheers John.
Todd i am not a surgeon. . i have this idea for a add or ads to try and make people think before they drink or smoke pot ‘ or talk on there mobile .while driving. I am sure this is worth your consideration .
I am really impressed by you latest TV program on Brain Plasticity. My father has written a book about this. He passed away this year in Brisbane, but I am certain that he would have enjoyed your show., You may be interested in reading his book which is an academic appraisal of the literature regarding Brain Plasticity.
Todd congratulations on your tv program Redesign my Brain with Todd Sampson. Very interesting.
Tod, what a coincidence that we meet twice at the movies in two weeks. First in that long, long line at event Bondi junction and then the very next week we were seated next together at the same. Cinema. You obviously love the movies a,s well. Cheers on your Gruen work. Regards Gazza