The Future of In-House Creative Leadership

Mali Okoi-Obuli is the founder of OURHouse, a global creative production house built for brands that think beyond borders. With hubs spanning London to Lagos, Miami to Madrid, OURHouse champions creative production that is more open, more creative, and more diverse — collaborating across cultures to make creativity limitless. Before launching OURHouse, Mali was Global Senior Manager and Executive Producer at adidas, overseeing global campaigns for football, adidas by Stella McCartney, training, sportswear, and more. She is passionate about reframing production as a strategic, creative force — protecting ideas, solving problems, and driving cultural impact at every stage of execution.-----We offer a FREE Insider membership with access to our job board, learning resources and community updates — all designed to support you in your in-house leadership journey.If you’re curious more info is here https://theinsideout.community/insider/

Andy Pearson, VP of Creative at Liquid Death, shares insights from his journey in creativity that transformed a water brand into a cultural phenomenon. He discusses how treating the brand as a character drives engagement and creativity. Andy reveals the importance of humor and high-volume testing in marketing, as well as the advantages of in-house teams for faster production and brand control. He emphasizes the balance between risk and audience expectations while exploring how AI can enhance, not replace, human creativity.

Luke Scheybeler (Skybehler), a renowned creative leader and brand strategist, best known as co-founder of the global sportswear brands Rapha and Tracksmith. At Rapha, he shaped the iconic aesthetic and storytelling that redefined cycling culture, before going on to launch Tracksmith, a premium running brand rooted in tradition and performance. Beyond founding brands, Luke has held creative leadership roles with the Swiss porivate bank Pic-tay Group and Publicis Sapient.In the last few years Luke has founded a number of businesses as Chief Creative Officer/CMO.Luke believes creativity thrives when CEOs and creatives work hand-in-hand. With a career dedicated to building brands with cultural narratives, Luke continues to explore how creativity drives business, brand, technology and culture.-----Download our Inside Out® Pathway - A guide to in-house creative leadership development and growth.The Inside Out Pathway is a starting point for in-house creative leaders to be able to navigate themselves and their teams to get creativity closer to the C-Suite.https://theinsideout.community/resources/the-inside-out-pathway

I joined Nish on his CreativeOps Podcast earlier this year. to deep dive on our Pathway model. (If want to know a bit more about Nish Patel then check out episode 19. )You can download our Inside Out® Pathway for free here - https://theinsideout.community/resources/the-inside-out-pathwayThe Inside Out Pathway is a starting point for in-house creative leaders to be able to navigate themselves and their teams to get creativity closer to the C-Suite.

This time I am joined by Janet Markwick and Rhona Glazebrook who together have over 60 years of experience from leading agencies, production companies and working INSIDE global brands. They're uniting their individual consultancies to form J&R Collective, with a very clear purpose: to help creative businesses thrive commercially in today’s challenging times.J&R Collective addresses a critical industry gap: the lack of commercial skills and confidence among creative leaders, who often struggle to prove their value and grow their business.Rhona, with her 30+ years in creative industries, observed this challenge first-hand, noting that commercial training for not just creatives but account people, strategists too often didn't exist. Janet, having transformed marketing accountability at Sony and led commercial turnarounds at WPP agencies, champions 'commercial creativity', blending her artistic passion with extensive business acumen.I first met Janet and Rhona when they had launched the ‘Shift Happens’ report for the IPA examining the shifts happening within the marketing ecosystem including the rise of in-house.They have been working with Inside Out for over 18 months to support us on shaping our awards and helping our members become more commercially aware so I am really pleased to have them join me on the podcast.---Download our Inside Out® Pathway - A guide to in-house creative leadership development and growth.The Inside Out Pathway is a starting point for in-house creative leaders to be able to navigate themselves and their teams to get creativity closer to the C-Suite.https://theinsideout.community/resources/the-inside-out-pathway

Shawn Perritt, VP of Brand Strategy & Creative at Acquia, boasts 15+ years crafting creative strategies for top brands like Microsoft and Coca-Cola. He dives into the importance of B2B creativity that resonates emotionally to harness future opportunities. Shawn discusses leading Acquia’s rebranding and launching Acquia TV, aiming to humanize B2B marketing. He shares tips for gaining stakeholder trust at events, emphasizes protecting creative flow, and introduces a 'creative workout' to combat burnout. His insights highlight the bright future for in-house creative leadership.

Ale is the founder of The Tomorrow Collective, where she empowers the next generation of creative leaders by helping in-house teams future-proof talent, bridge generational gaps, and build cohesive team cultures.With over 25 years of experience as an Executive Creative Director across US and UK agencies and in-house teams, Ale brings deep expertise in Talent Strategy & Team Design. Her portfolio includes launching and scaling products and services for global giants like Virgin, Microsoft, MetLife, AB InBev, and Gimlet/Spotify, as well as disruptive brands like MUTHA.Recognised for her innovative leadership, Ale has been honored in Fast Company's "League of Extraordinary Women" and "Most Creative People in Business" list. She is also the co-founder of SheSays, an award-winning global organization advancing women and non-binary professionals in the Creative Industries—which now has over 90,000 members globally.Ale focuses on empowering the next generation of creative leaders with a new approach to Creative Excellence. She believes that whether you’re a studio strategist, a creative leader or manage in-house operations — raising creative standards is about raising yourself and your team.-------Download our Inside Out® Pathway - A guide to in-house creative leadership development and growth.The Inside Out Pathway is a starting point for in-house creative leaders to be able to navigate themselves and their teams to get creativity closer to the C-Suite.https://theinsideout.community/resources/the-inside-out-pathway

This time, I am talking to Clare Ralston, Global Head of Creative Operations & Production at Xero’s in-house agency. Clare is a seasoned in-house creative leader with nearly 20 years of experience in creative operations and production, spanning agency and in-house roles across Sydney, Melbourne, Glasgow, and London.At Xero, Clare leads global teams to deliver integrated campaigns, brand strategy, and creative content.. She’s known for her expertise in systems, processes and workflow optimisation which drive operational excellence and innovation.Clare recently celebrated the launch of Xero’s new global brand campaign, a testament to the talent and collaboration within her in-house creative team.Clare holds an MBA with a specialisation in Change Management, which has only strengthened her strategic approach to in-house creative leadership.---Download our Inside Out® Pathway - A guide to in-house creative leadership development and growth.The Inside Out Pathway is a starting point for in-house creative leaders to be able to navigate themselves and their teams to get creativity closer to the C-Suite.https://theinsideout.community/resources/the-inside-out-pathway

In this episode I am talking to Niki Garner, Director of ITV Creative, where she leads the creative vision for one of the UK’s most iconic broadcasters, and is responsible for all creative output from concept to execution across all ITV’s media channels. With over two decades of experience in advertising and creative leadership, Niki is known for her ability to deliver standout campaigns and inspire high-performing teams.Before joining ITV in 2022, Niki spent over 12 years at Mother, leading major accounts for brands like Diageo (including Baileys, J&B, Pimm’s, Tanqueray), Hovis, and Unilever’s PG Tips. Her earlier career included senior roles at agencies such as Libertine and Beechwood, working with clients including Butlins, Superdrug, and Matalan and a short stint at BMF in Sydney, on the Aldi account. Niki’s collaborative leadership style and passion for creative excellence have made her a respected figure in the industry, consistently delivering campaigns that resonate with audiences and drive brand growth.---Download our Inside Out® Pathway - A guide to in-house creative leadership development and growth.The Inside Out Pathway is a starting point for in-house creative leaders to be able to navigate themselves and their teams to get creativity closer to the C-Suite.https://theinsideout.community/resources/the-inside-out-pathway

In this episode I am joined by Cass Zawadowski, Executive Creative Director, North America Brand, at the global ride-sharing community Lyft.She’s a dynamic leader with over 20 years of global creative experience, known for her visionary approach, blending authenticity and calculated risk-taking to drive transformative, data-driven work that elevates brands and empowers teams.At Lyft, Cass leads the creative vision, building brand equity and developing strategies that deliver meaningful business growth. She’s passionate about fostering design-led cultures and has introduced innovative frameworks like her “4 Ps” approach and an 18-month roadmap to achieve both quick wins and long-term creative impact and investment. Before joining Lyft, Cass held senior roles across North America, Europe, and Asia, shaping campaigns for global brands like P&G, Samsung, Toyota, Biersdorf, Diageo and Maybelline. She led the Creative Excellence Initiative at financial services group Manulife, helping launch its first ever Global Brand Strategy. Cass’s work has been recognized by industry peers, with jury roles for the Effies, LIAs, Clios, ADC, Shots, Gerety Grand Jury, ADCC, Marketing, and more. Her international perspective and commitment to bold, results-driven creativity make her a true thought leader in the industry.-----Download our Inside Out® Pathway - A guide to in-house creative leadership development and growth.The Inside Out Pathway is a starting point for in-house creative leaders to be able to navigate themselves and their teams to get creativity closer to the C-Suite.https://theinsideout.community/resources/the-inside-out-pathway