Charles Cadell wants McCann Worldgroup to be the most creative network in the world
Despite a humungous role overseeing 3,800 employees across the Asia Pacific for McCann Worldgroup, Charles Cadell believes local management and leadership remain far more important than any global mandate. Cadell is joining AdFest 2015 as Jury President, Promo Lotus and Effective Lotus, taking time out from his role as Regional President of McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific. In this interview, he reflects on the biggest challenges of his job, lunching with Yasmin Ahmad, and the one thing he’d change about the advertising industry, if he could.
You have an epic role at McCann overseeing 20 markets. What would you like to achieve over the next year in this role?
Nice question. I like the “epic” bit. Hitherto, I had only considered “Gone with the Wind” or Napoleon to be epic…
To continue to see exponential growth that will only come through a continuing and improved service delivery to our Clients. As we welcome more Global Clients to our company, the collaborative and integrated story of the McCann WorldGroup brand I believe is unrivalled and the delivery of cohesive and seamless inter-disciplinary marketing skills is what I seek from all our companies.
What are the biggest challenges of overseeing a network across such a diverse and dynamic region?
Many – not least because, as we know, Asia is a recognised geographic entity but has few similarities as regards the nature or development of its constituent markets. Sharing, hubbing, collaborating and aligning is thus a challenge and doing so while the region develops at such a rapid pace especially in the digital domain keeps me busy.
From Manchester University to launching agencies in Asia … what is the most surprising twist your career has taken over the past 20 years? What have you learned along the way?
Post Manchester, I was a lifeguard and a windsurfing instructor amongst others. Finding myself running Asia for a network was thus not a plan I ever mapped out. Taking any opportunity that was a challenge and that put me in an unfamiliar environment has been my mantra that has led to an exhilarating and unexpected life.
Key Learning? Apart from the fact that the world is a glorious place, the region is so diverse that it takes a significant amount of time in it before one can ever pretend to understand it, and this understanding can only really come from immersing oneself in the markets themselves.
As such, local management and leadership must be the goal wherever we can. Nobody else understands it better.
McCann has won lots of awards over the past few years, but which award means the most to you?
APAC Creative Network Agency of the Year 2013. We had a lot of help from Australia’s ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ but it set the bar for what I want to drive for on a continued basis for the network. We are only ever about our product and the quality of it. I want to be the most creative network in the world.
The theme of AdFest 2015 is “Be Bad”. Are you ever badly behaved?
Need to be careful here. The stories I could tell….
It all depends on the interpretation. My 9 year-old son tells me he is a “YOLO Bad Beast”. Took some understanding but I now get it and consider it a good thing. He is naughty – but nice. Going outside the box, zigging not zagging and challenging the status quo is something I try to do all the time or certainly encourage others when I don’t . However, treating all individuals with respect and honesty is a trait I try to hold dear.
Who is the most interesting person you’ve ever had lunch with?
I have met many but it would have to be Yasmin Ahmad, the ex-ECD of Leo Burnett Malaysia and a legend before her untimely passing. Actually she was my creative partner for four years so I was privileged with much more than a lunch (the first one I had with her she taught me how to better appreciate the experience of food by eating with my hands).
She was inspirational in so many ways and saw the world, and went her way in it, in a way that elevated the humanity and consciousness of all individuals who came in contact with her both in a personal and professional manner. I miss her.
Can you tell us one secret about yourself?
I like dog biscuits. Pedigree is best.
If you could change one thing about the advertising industry in 2015, what would it be?
We get paid more/less for the successful results we deliver for our work versus the hours we work on it. The power of creativity is still not widely understood or valued in the way it should be (and shortly will be) in business today. I am with Hawkins and Gates, as AI (artificial intelligence) comes full force, creativity will be the most valuable human resource in the world – it will not then be costed in hours.