Alan Cerutti on the Magic and Happiness of a Nurtured Culture

Happiness Anywhere is a creative powerhouse with 165 employees spread across multiple creative agencies in Brussels, Saigon, and Amsterdam, along with innovative maker studios in Belgium and Vietnam.

This dynamic structure allows Happiness to stay at the forefront of innovation while effectively meeting the evolving needs of its clients. At the heart of its leadership philosophy is a clear and shared belief: human creative thinking triggers business. This value unites teams across different locations, fostering a culture of creativity, agility and impact.

Alan Cerutti has been one of the driving forces behind Happiness’ success, with over a decade of experience as co-founder and CEO of Happiness Saigon, and as partner at Happiness Anywhere.

Under Alan’s leadership, Happiness Saigon has been named Vietnam’s Gold Agency of the Year for three consecutive years since 2022 and has created Vietnam’s most internationally awarded campaigns, winning over 60 global awards. These include Vietnam’s first-ever Grand Prix and Gold at major festivals such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, Spikes Asia, The One Show, and AdFest.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Alan> When I was 14 years old – though back then, my ‘team’ was a group of kids running wild in bumper cars and bouncy castles at a beachside park in Belgium. My job was to keep the fun going while maintaining order, making sure no one missed a turn, no one flipped over the bouncy castle walls, and, most importantly, that they came back for more (because return visitors meant more business!).

Of course, kids love breaking rules, and it makes things more fun. That’s when I first learned the power of what I later realised is called ‘controlled freedom’. Let them rebel, but keep a close eye to step in when necessary.

Because I ran the park alone, I learned other valuable lessons: how to stay calm under pressure, take full accountability while everyone else is out there having fun, and how a great experience (or product!) is the best sales strategy.

I was also the captain of my field-hockey team; I unknowingly applied the same leadership principles: driving team-work, finding ways to win, and understanding that great leadership isn’t about control, it’s about creating the best conditions for your teammates to thrive.

LBB> When it comes to 'leadership' as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality? How much can be taught and learned?

Alan> It’s a mix. My five-year-old daughter Pia, for example, already has a natural instinct for leadership, though she’s still working on the empathy part – she believes her ideas are universally brilliant, and everyone should just get on board.

That’s called ‘Bossing it’! That’s the thing: being a ‘Boss’ doesn’t necessarily make you a good leader. Empathy is key. Some people have it naturally, others need to develop it, and in our field, empathy for the customers of our clients, and for our clients is key to making the difference. 

The same goes for communication. At first, I thought leadership meant giving clear instructions. Now, for me, it turns out, great leadership is about setting a clear destination, then giving your team the trust and space to get there their own way, and to basically get out of their way as much as possible.

For our Saigon office, I’ve installed the importance of A.I. - ‘Alan Independence’ - since the start of 2023. Thanks to a strong executive management team and ‘heads of departments’, I’ve been moved to the bottom of the organigram.

My role is to support and coach the team where needed and to ensure the Happiness culture thrives by maintaining an environment where everyone is able to do the best work of their careers. That’s the ‘controlled freedom’ I mentioned earlier; my learning is that it fuels trust, which leads to more pro-activity, energy and creativity, all while working towards the best possible outcome for all of us. 

Precision in decision-making is another one. I was not born knowing exactly which tough call to make, especially when the stakes are high. I’ve made some good decisions and some spectacular mistakes, and they are the ones I’ve learned from the most. Each mistake sharpened my instincts and grew my confidence to navigate new, uncharted waters.

At the heart of it all is self-awareness with an intention to listen and learn at any time. The best leaders I know don’t pretend to have all the answers—they create an environment where the best ideas can come from anyone. Leadership, in my view, isn’t about being the hero of the story; it’s about ensuring the whole team is winning, while having a good time.

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?

Alan> Leading through uncertainty or volatility is easier when you have a proven core differentiation, and when you have past experiences to draw confidence from. Otherwise, it’s a bit like throwing darts in the dark.

After a decade of running a creative agency in an emerging market like Asia, Happiness Saigon’s success is fundamentally rooted in the consistent pursuit to demonstrate that creative thinking really triggers business, which is Happiness’ core value and differentiation.

As digital and AI (artificial intelligence) continue to rise, they will be fuelling an endless ocean of soulless sameness. This sameness will breed even more indifference toward brands, which is an existential threat, because that indifference means you don’t exist as a brand. And if you don’t exist, well, you won’t sell. 

That’s why at Happiness, we are ‘human when it matters the most’. We must ‘beat AI’ with real cut-through human creative thinking to trigger business.

Of course, we are in favor of AI; we ‘abuse AI’ where we can to maximise our relevance of producing and publishing digital-first ‘everything is media’ content in the best, fastest and most economical ways to have consistency in quality across all departments and capabilities and to deliver on our promise of ‘Happiness as an economical multiplier’. Because, that is truly what clients are looking for.

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?

Alan> Since the very beginning, Happiness has been a melting pot of nationalities, cultures and genders. Diversity isn’t something we impose at Happiness; it’s something that has been in our DNA from day one.

So, I don’t force diversity, I embrace it, because diversity isn’t just the right thing to do; it really makes us better at what we do. By working with people from different backgrounds, cultures and perspectives, the human imagination gets richer, the strategies and ideas get more surprising, and the results get more impactful.

We actively nurture an inclusive culture through our Happy People Program, quarterly surveys, talent development initiatives, and community engagement projects that create a positive impact on both our people and the world around us. We’ve also made a firm commitment towards ESG by becoming officially B Corp certified, since the start 2025. 

At the end of the day, diversity isn’t just a checkbox for us, it’s a real competitive advantage. Because when you bring together different perspectives, you create work that truly connects with the diverse audiences we reach daily. And that’s when we deliver real happiness.

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?

Alan> At Happiness, our vision is our culture: ‘We do everything to make people happy, because happy people make great work, and great work makes people happy’.

It’s not just a tagline, it’s written on our wall. And we live by it. Our culture is built around a people-first approach. 

While others are forcing people back into offices, in our Saigon office, for instance, we push the ‘Happiness Anywhere’ model to the max, so our people can truly work from anywhere. With that freedom comes responsibility, so we have one simple rule: ‘200% Responsibility for 100% Freedom’.

Our people in Saigon can work wherever they want, but they are fully accountable for their role, their impact, and their results. Because good creative ideas result from a real strategic collaboration with each other and our clients we insist that all strategy and concept providing, creative reviews, and client meetings always happen face-to-face. No exceptions. Because great creative ideas need real human partnership and energy.

Oh, and the RASCI tool is a great friend that helps us to be ultra-clear on what is expected from who and when!

Ultimately, culture isn’t something you mandate, it’s something that grows and must be  nurtured actively. When a team truly connects to the vision in an environment where they feel valued, trusted and connected to each other, even from anywhere, magic and happiness happen.