FCBA PODCAST SEASON 1
EPISODES 1-18
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Episode 1: Rob Sherlock
Rob Sherlock’s career spans more than three decades at the intersection of creativity, commerce, and transformation. Having lived and worked across five continents, he brings a rare global perspective on how ideas, cultures, and businesses connect and evolve.
From leading complex organizations to advising at the highest levels, Rob has helped companies align ambition with action. His leadership includes serving as Global CEO and Chairman of ADK, alongside senior roles across FCB in Asia and the United States, where he shaped strategy, culture, and creative excellence on a global scale.
At the core of his journey is a belief in reinvention. That leadership is not static, but requires curiosity, energy, and the willingness to evolve continuously.
This conversation explores perspective, transformation, and what it takes to stay relevant in a world that never stands still.
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Episode 2. Dee Hall
Dee Hall is a pioneer in experiential marketing and a force behind some of the industry’s most effective brand activations. Her career is defined by action, impact, and results—building agencies, scaling teams, and driving meaningful partnerships across globally recognized brands.
Her work spans industries and disciplines, but the throughline is clear. Ideas that perform. Teams that deliver. Creativity that drives business forward.
A Chicago Business Journal Women of Influence honoree and leader behind award-winning, high-growth agencies, Dee brings entrepreneurial drive, strategic rigor, and creative excellence to everything she builds. Her influence extends through leadership roles with the ANA and as co-chair of the REGGIE Awards.
This episode is a deep look into building, leading, and creating value in one of the most dynamic disciplines in marketing today.
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Episode 3: Nathalynne McGinnis
With more than twenty-five years in advertising production and business affairs, Nathalynne McGinnis has shaped some of the industry’s most recognizable work from behind the scenes.Her career spans brands like Kraft, SC Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, McDonald’s, Comcast, Toyota, and General Mills—built on trust, rigor, and an unwavering respect for craft.
Nathalynne’s approach to production is holistic. Beyond managing scripts, budgets, and schedules, she understands the human dynamics that determine whether creative work thrives. She has built systems where none existed, authored best practices still in use, and created pathways for emerging talent through internship programs that expanded access across the industry.
Her work is grounded in a clear belief: inclusion must be operational, not ornamental. Opportunity is not a slogan. It is a structure.
This conversation explores the invisible architecture behind great work—and the leadership required to sustain it.
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Episode 4: Tony Sharpe
Tony Sharpe is a seasoned creative leader whose career spans decades across strategy, advertising, and cultural storytelling. His work includes leadership on iconic brands such as Windex, Glade, Pledge, Ziploc, Raid, and OFF! during his time at FCB Global, where he served as Group Creative Director.Beyond traditional advertising, Tony founded OK BOOMER, a consultancy focused on helping brands connect with boomer audiences in culturally relevant and insight-driven ways.
His creative expression extends beyond brands. As the frontman of indie rock band You Me & Kyle, Tony brings storytelling to life through music—proving that creativity is not confined to one medium.
This episode explores creativity, reinvention, and the importance of staying curious across a lifetime of work.
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Episode 5: Ernesto Adduci
Ernesto Adduci operates where instinct meets execution, building ideas designed to move culture, not just decorate it.At FCB Chicago, his work spanned brand storytelling, integrated campaigns, and experiences rooted in a simple but powerful question: does the idea actually do something?
In an environment where creativity is fueled by data and sharpened by insight, Ernesto developed a disciplined approach defined by timing, precision, and restraint.
He represents a kind of creative leadership that aligns vision with business, intuition with intelligence, and storytelling with real-world results.
This episode explores the mechanics of ideas that land—and the mindset required to make them matter.
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Episode 6: Miguel Gonzalez
Miguel Gonzalez is a strategist who builds brands through understanding. His approach begins with human intent and extends into ideas that are both creative and effective.From naming and launching LendingTree.com to shaping the U.S. Army brand and driving cultural relevance for DiGiorno, his work sits at the intersection of insight, data, and execution.
He has also pioneered innovation in eCRM across complex industries, proving that meaningful ideas can thrive within constraints.
Miguel brings a perspective grounded in data, sharpened by experience, and guided by respect for the audience.
This episode explores how insights become ideas, how ideas become systems, and how those systems create lasting value.
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Episode 7: David T. Jones
David T. Jones began his career with a 15-year run at FCB Chicago, rising to Executive Creative Director of Emerging Platforms and shaping work across broadcast, digital, and emerging media for brands like Coors, Kraft, Gatorade, and KFC.Driven by curiosity, he stepped away to co-found Third Street, an agency built on the belief that attention is earned, not bought. There, he helped redefine how creative work lives beyond traditional formats.
David is also the creator of Ad Land, an industry comic strip that brought humor and sharp insight to agency life.
This conversation reflects on reinvention, creative independence, and what it takes to build something new in an industry that never stops evolving.
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Episode 8: John Casmon
John Casmon’s career is a study in intentional reinvention. From advertising and brand leadership to real estate entrepreneurship and investment education, his path reflects a consistent ability to identify opportunity and build systems around it.His early career spans agencies like DraftFCB, Jack Morton, and IPG, working across brands including SC Johnson, Cadillac, and Chevrolet. At General Motors, he played a role in Buick’s transformation into the fastest-growing car brand in the U.S.
He later led major campaigns for Coors Light and Miller Lite, including the “It’s Miller Time” platform, before transitioning into real estate investing and coaching.
This episode explores reinvention, leadership, and what it means to build a career, and a life, with intention.
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Episode 9: Zoe Grubbe
Zoe Grubbe brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of creativity, production, and leadership. Currently Vice President of Business Affairs Management at Dentsu Creative, she is known for making complex systems work seamlessly.Her career spans leading agencies including Dentsu Creative, DDB, Energy BBDO, DraftFCB, and FCB, supporting work for brands such as McDonald’s, State Farm, Bayer, and Frito-Lay.
Zoe’s strength lies in bridging ideas and execution—ensuring that creativity thrives within structure, process, and collaboration.
This episode explores leadership behind the scenes and what it takes to sustain creative excellence at scale.
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Episode 10: Catherine Hudon
Catherine Hudon is the Founder of We Are Shorty, a consultancy focused on building the systems that allow creators, platforms, and brands to scale culture as an economic force.Her work sits at the intersection of culture, technology, and capital—designing ecosystems, incentive models, and infrastructure that transform platforms into engines of long-term value.
Before founding We Are Shorty, she led integrated digital production at FCB Global, working across emerging technologies including AR, VR, mobile, and multi-channel programs for brands like Nestlé and Jack Daniel’s.
This episode explores cultural infrastructure, creator economies, and what it takes to design systems that compound value over time.
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Episode 11: Jonathan Harries
Jonathan Harries’ career reflects a rare combination of leadership, storytelling, and legacy. From agency leadership to authorship, his journey captures the evolution of the industry through moments of transformation and change.This conversation explores the decisions that defined his tenure, the responsibility of leadership, and the enduring power of creativity and values-driven growth.
It is both a reflection on the past and a forward-looking discussion on reinvention and legacy.
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Episode 12: Harry Preston
Harry Preston’s career reflects true global leadership in client service, spanning Paris, London, Chicago, and Sydney.From his early days supporting 3Com and the British Tourist Authority to leading global portfolios for SC Johnson and beyond, Harry built a career defined by growth, adaptability, and partnership.
His work spans brands including Nivea, Lindt, UNICEF, Chevrolet, and BBC sports properties.
This episode explores what it takes to lead across cultures, manage complexity at scale, and build lasting client relationships worldwide.
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Episode 13: Chee Tor
Chee Tor’s career reflects the evolution of global marketing through a truly international lens.Starting in Chicago at DraftFCB and later leading business in Shanghai, Chee spent over a decade navigating one of the world’s most dynamic markets—bridging Western and Asian business environments.
His leadership is defined by strategic thinking, cultural fluency, and relationship-driven growth.
This episode explores global leadership, cross-cultural strategy, and the realities of building business in a connected world.
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Episode 14: Mark Pacchini
Mark Pacchini is a longtime leader in the FCB network, with a career spanning agency leadership, entrepreneurship, academia, and board service.He served as President of FCB Chicago and FCB West Coast, and later led DraftFCB Asia Pacific, guiding growth across one of the fastest-moving regions in the world.
Today, he brings his expertise to boardrooms, classrooms, and advisory roles.
This conversation explores leadership, adaptability, and the evolution of the modern agency.
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Episode 15: Laird Stiefvater
Laird Stiefvater is a global brand and operations leader with more than three decades of experience driving growth for some of the world’s most iconic companies.During his 17 years at FCB, he led the agency’s largest global client across dozens of markets, transforming decentralized systems into high-performing global models.
Known for blending strategic rigor with operational excellence, his work has delivered measurable business impact at scale.
This episode explores global growth, operational leadership, and what it takes to turn marketing into a true engine of performance.
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Episode 16: Jackie Irmen
Jackie Irmen is a marketing and partnerships leader known for building culturally relevant brands through experiences, storytelling, and strategic collaboration.Currently at Nestlé Health Science and formerly at Vital Proteins and Laird + Partners, she has led high-impact work across fashion, beauty, CPG, and lifestyle.
From global brand collaborations to experiential campaigns, her work consistently turns moments into movements.
This episode explores culture, creativity, and how brands build meaningful connections in an evolving landscape.
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Episode 17: Brendan Ryan
Brendan Ryan is one of the defining leaders in modern global advertising, having led FCB Worldwide through a period of significant transformation and expansion.As Chairman and CEO, he grew the network from 50 to more than 100 countries, strengthening its global presence and deepening client relationships.
His career includes leadership roles at Ogilvy & Mather and work with brands like American Express, Samsung, and Kraft.
This episode offers rare insight into global leadership, agency evolution, and what it takes to sustain excellence at scale.
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Episode 18: Ellen Plusker
Ellen Plusker is a powerhouse in global brand strategy and former EVP and Worldwide Planning Director for SC Johnson at DraftFCB Chicago.Over nearly two decades, she helped redefine how insight, creativity, and culture come together to shape enduring campaigns.
Known for her sharp instincts and visionary leadership, Ellen has played a key role in shaping modern strategic planning.
This episode explores the evolution of global marketing, leadership at scale, and the enduring role of insight in creativity.
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EPISODES
Season 1: TRAILER: KURT ZOLLER