Bossing It: James Fox on How to Be Kind with Your Time to Help Others

Usually, called ‘Fox’, and only ‘James’ if there’s trouble. James is Havas London’s CEO and is charged with overseeing the agency’s culture, work and performance, alongside chief creative officer Vicki Maguire, head of strategy Britt Iversen, and Hollie Loxley, managing director.

Previously Havas London’s chief client officer, James joined Havas London from Lucky Generals, where he was previously managing director of its London office, and most recently the founding partner of Lucky Generals New York where he spent the past four years.

Having spent nearly 20 years in the industry, James has worked with some of the largest brands on the planet, across multiple global markets and has a fully integrated range of experience. Those brands include Amazon, Broadway, Celebrity Cruises, AB InBev, Diageo, Unilever, Twitter, YouTube, Nike & Converse, ASOS, B2B tech giants such as Vonage and AutoDesk, and cultural instigators such as Universal Music and Paddy Power - to name a few. 

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

James> In London and New York, I’ve lived and worked in two of the most vibrant cities in the world. But before that, I grew up in a small village in Norfolk – where the biggest thing that ever happened was the local fruit and veg market on a Wednesday. It was here, in the local sports hall, I encountered the first brilliant leader of my life.

A local guy called Ian Soame, he ran a large construction company – but also, in his free time, the Taekwondo club I joined at the age of 10. He gave up five nights a week to train, bring up, teach, and nurture hundreds of people, young and old, in something he loved. He was generous with his time, spoke passionately, gave a little extra support to those who needed it more than others, and got out of the way when doing, so would create space to be brilliant.

He showed no ego, wanted people to succeed and be better than him, and was a friend and mentor to many in and outside that sports hall. Above all else, everyone came away having learnt something. He was selfless and humble, and proud of the mark he left. It’s something I’ll always remember – and his approach inspires and influences me to this day. 

LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?

James> It’s strange to say, but I never gave it much thought. I didn’t see myself as a ‘leader’ until I was given the opportunity - opening Lucky Generals’ office in New York.

Whilst there, creative partner at Lucky Generals Augusto Sola, asked me which values I would like to see from those who walked through the door. I started to reflect on the type of leader I wanted to be and realised that how you act in any given situation has to be defined by how you would like to be treated yourself.

I’ve always seen any ‘leadership role’, including my own, as supporting and helping everyone else to succeed. I look to foster a collaborative culture whereby teams work effectively towards a common goal – yet in the same vein, celebrate people’s superpowers. Each person within an organisation brings a unique approach, and it’s that diversity of thought, experience and behaviour that adds value. As leaders, we must facilitate environments in which our people can be the best and most authentic versions of themselves.

Doing so requires us to not just care deeply about the work we create, but also how we make it, and how our people feel. I’m a huge believer in finding the balance between creativity and caring for those who make it happen – which is why I’m so proud of partnerships with brilliant organisations such as Self Space, which provides our people access to free therapy sessions and mental health support.

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?

James> Moving to New York as part of a team tasked with launching an office in a different country and culture would have been a steep learning curve at the best of times; as it was, I did it while navigating a pandemic. This presented challenges, for sure, but more than anything it reinforced my belief that personal and professional lives do not exist in siloes. Every decision was heightened, and made through the lens of the emotional and very real impact it would have on your people and their wellbeing. There’s been a slow creep back to many pre-covid behaviours, but I am determined this won’t be one of them. Treat your people as people, not numbers on a spreadsheet. You’ll be better for it and, to coin a much-maligned pandemic-era phrase, now more than ever, they hold the power. 

LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so, how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?

James> Honestly, I was just happy I had a job doing something I enjoyed with people I loved being around – contributing, in whatever way possible, to making great work. I’d argue that’s a prerequisite for any successful leader in this industry. For me, it’s never been about leadership in of itself – it’s still about solving problems using creativity. The methods by which you go about that might change, but the objective remains the same.

That said, and even now, my imposter syndrome is HIGH. That’s always been the case, from being given my first role at MCBD in 2006 until now. The moment my mindset shifted, if not changed completely, was when I was asked to be managing director [at Lucky Generals]. I remember the conversation: it was the first moment I realised I had someone opposite me who believed I could take on that role. I had the same feeling when I was asked [by Xavier Rees, Havas Creative Network UK Group CEO] to become CEO of Havas London. If you have someone you trust putting their faith in and believing in you, you can put aside whatever imposter syndrome you have and start to believe yourself you can make the role yours. It’s either that, or make peace with someone else doing it – in their own style – instead of you.

What you do realise over time is that the role and the circumstances shape you as much as you attempt to shape them. You learn to appreciate you are what the business needs at that moment – and that’s a comforting thing. 

LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?

James> Boundaries. I have always struggled with, and continue to work on, balancing my personal and professional lives. On many occasions, I’ve prioritised work ahead of friends, family and loved ones, because I’ve always had an irrational fear about someone taking my job. When you’ve grown up without much, it’s easy to tell yourself it’s only by working hard and being available at all costs that you’ll keep the stuff you’ve been fortunate enough to get. That said, the older I’ve got, I’ve learned that working in this industry is a marathon, not a sprint. There will always be priorities, but rarely are they urgent – and sometimes, your personal life has to come first.

LBB> Have you ever felt like you've failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?

James> Plenty of times – and it’s in those moments you learn the most. Any leader that claims they haven’t failed is lying. My first big ‘failure’ was, as an Account Director, being asked off a piece of business because I was never around. I’d prioritised other things, but I’d taken on too much to realise. I couldn’t handle the workload and I didn’t even recognise it, let alone say anything. My managing director at the time joined a meeting I was supposed to be leading, and I let myself down badly. I wasn’t prepared. In hindsight, that was the reason they joined – they’d seen it coming, I hadn’t.

I was mortified to be taken off the account, but even more so that I’d let my team down. If I had better understood myself and why I’d ended up in that situation, I would have acted differently. It taught me a lot about being there for my team, but also to be honest with what you can and can’t do. It’s okay to raise a hand and ask for help. 

LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?

James> Every decision calls for thoughtful and careful consideration. From assessing whether to pitch for a certain account to helping one of your people through a personal (or professional) problem, each situation is unique and nuanced. Treat it as such – your approach should reflect what that specific moment asks of you. A compulsive leader is probably not a compassionate one.

How you behave, however, should always be authentic. Your people, generally, shouldn’t be surprised by your decisions. Earn their trust by being yourself. Overcommunicate. Be open, and transparent. You’ll cultivate an acknowledgment that it’s safe to do so. As people – not just as leaders – that’s what we should expect of each other.

Get it right, and transparency and openness will flow both ways. One of the things I’m proudest of at Havas London is its Shadow Board – a group comprising a broad spectrum of roles and seniorities, with the intentional exception of leadership. We meet regularly, with the Shadow Board holding the leadership team to account – providing honest employee insights, grievances, feedback, and ideas. As a certified B Corporation – a business that puts people and planet on equal footing with profit in every decision taken – it felt like a natural step for us to take, but I’d love to see more agencies embrace the idea. B Corp or not. 

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?

James> I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t been fortunate enough to have people around me, throughout my career, I’ve learned huge amounts from.

Tom Griffin taught me how to be kind with your time to help others. Carl Johnson showed me how to make the biggest things feel small and achievable. Helen Calcraft demonstrated compassion, empathy, and the belief anything is possible. Layla Potter taught me to dance on tables when you get the chance. Gav Thompson taught me loyalty and to never wear a tie. Danny Brooke-Taylor showed me what it takes to create the space for the work to be its best. Peter Giorgi made me realise friendship is greater than any partnership. Tom Furr made me understand that trust is everything, be the person for the phone call that no-one wants to make. And Phil Lloyd, showed me how to really listen when under the toughest of situations.

My partners today – Vix [Maguire], Britt [Iversen] and Xav [Rees] – continue to teach me that this is a team sport, personally as much as in the office. If you haven’t had the good fortune to meet them, take my word for it: they are the best in the business at all of the things I’ve mentioned. 

LBB> This year has seen the industry confronted with its lack of action/progress on diversity and inclusion. As a leader how have you dealt with this?

James> I have not dealt with it. Alongside many others, I am dealing with it. It’s an ongoing concern, and there’s no magic bullet. That’s not to say there’s no urgency – but we have to avoid short-termism. Quick fixes might grab headlines, but they’re unlikely to lead to long-term change.

Meaningful change requires a team effort - with a lot of people and a lot of buy-in. It’s not just the responsibility of the DE&I team, although their insight will be crucial. We must speak, listen to and learn from experts. ‘DE&I’ is not one box to tick – it’s socio-economic background, it’s gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality and more. Different backgrounds require different approaches. We have a number of initiatives – not all unique to Havas London, but across the entire Havas network, that sit across a broad range of DE&I areas. I can only claim credit for a few of these, but what I can do is support them, and ensure they’re prioritised.

One of my favourites is Platform – our entry-level placement scheme aimed specifically at underrepresented communities with little or no background in the creative industries. Across the London Village, we were able to make 17 of these roles permanent last year, and we’re on track for more in 2023. That’s exciting – but it’s not just about talent acquisition. Any progressive approach must also consider talent retention and development, with each going hand-in-hand.

To get the industry to a place where it’s more representative of the population as a whole is going to take time, and it’s going to take hard work. But as well as being objectively the right thing to do, it’s also going to be crucial to ensuring we secure the very best talent for our agency and create work that holds relevance with the world we live in today. 

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business?

James> In an industry like this, culture is everything – and it needs looking after because it’s as fragile and as complex as any creative idea.

Be conscious of individual needs as well as the greater collective output. ‘Culture’ is the sum of the team that works together, what they value, and what they believe in – with a shared sense of purpose and a shared ambition to create something that ourselves, our clients and the industry can be proud of.

Whatever shape that culture takes, it sets the tone for a company – and underpins its success. It’s not a tangible thing, but it’s not fluffy either. You feel it when you’re in a room together, you feel it at a company meeting, during a pitch, and when you’re having fun together. You feel it in the hardest moments, made a little bit lighter by your crew’s reaction to adversity.

Your clients feel it too. As an industry, we’ve been guilty of propagating this misconception that the price of great work is that it’s a nightmare to make it. That's the trade-off. That’s bollocks. All that tells me is that your culture’s broken.