FCB Inferno Adds Giles Hedger as Chief Strategy Officer

In April Giles Hedger will assume the role of Chief Strategy Officer at FCB Inferno, reporting to the CEO, Frazer Gibney; he will also have a Global Strategy role. Giles arrives from Leo Burnett, where he joined in 2008 as Group Strategy Officer. In 2012 he was promoted to Group Managing Director and Chief Strategy Officer. From January 2014 until this year he held the role of Global Chief Strategy Officer. 

Giles joined Leo Burnett from MCBD where he was Planning Partner. Prior to that, he worked at JWT as the Global Planning Director on HSBC.

Giles is widely credited as being one of the world’s leading advertising strategists and is a well-recognised industry authority. An Oxford University graduate, with an MBA from INSEAD, Giles sat on the inaugural Cannes Effectiveness jury, as well as the Effie jury and Google’s Global Creative Council. 

Giles has served on the board of the IPA and was a chair of the IPA Ethics committee for two years, in addition to being a regular LSE lecturer. He has been awarded multiple IPA Effectiveness Gold Awards and APGs. In 2015, Marketing magazine named Giles one of the industry’s leading ‘Thinkers’ and Campaign magazine named him among the ‘Top 10 Planners’.

Giles Hedger succeeds Simon White, who was approached in late 2015 to transfer to FCB’s San Francisco office, to partner with CCO Karin Onsager-Birch and recently appointed CEO, Joe Oh, as CSO of FCB West. He will be transferring in March. 

Frazer Gibney, FCB Inferno CEO says “We’re thrilled to have Giles joining the team at FCB Inferno, he is a truly world class talent and an intellectual heavyweight, but he wears it lightly. He is a charismatic and charming leader with an infectious enthusiasm and passion for our industry. 

Simon has played a crucial role in FCB Inferno’s success and we wish him all the best with his move and look forward to working with him again on global projects”. 

Giles Hedger says: “The FCB network has positioned itself as one to watch. The creativity and results being delivered for clients are making waves globally and to be part of this was an opportunity not to be missed. The heart, ambition and energy at FCB Inferno have made it one of the most exciting agencies in the UK and I can't wait to build on the powerful momentum that already exists there”. 

Nigel Jones, FCB Global Chief Strategy Officer says: “FCB is attracting top talent and the addition of Giles to our leadership team is no exception. His appointment is not just a brilliant move for FCB and FCB Inferno’s growth, but also for clients, for whom we are entirely confident he will help deliver some of the network’s proudest work. Simon’s move to FCB West is equally promising, as he transfers his skills to the scale and challenges of the US market”.