Kevin Roberts

Kevin Roberts is an international business leader, founder, and educator. His company Red Rose Consulting, www.redrose.consulting, counsels business leaders and employees on creative thinking, marketing, and leadership.

A CEO for 22 years, Kevin has an uncompromisingly positive and inspirational leadership style, with an ability to generate ideas and emotional connections that accelerate extraordinary value.

Born and educated in Lancaster in the north of England, Kevin started work in the late 1960s with iconic London fashion house Mary Quant. He became a senior marketing executive for Gillette and Procter & Gamble in Europe and the Middle East. At 32, he was appointed CEO of Pepsi-Cola Middle East; and was then Pepsi’s CEO in Canada, over-taking Coke in the ‘Cola Wars.’ Between 1997 and 2014 he was CEO Worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi. He retired as Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi in 2016.

His books include '64 Shots: Leadership in a Crazy World' (2016) www.64shots.com and 'Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands' (2004) www.lovemarks.com, published in 18 languages. Lovemarks was named one of the ten Ideas of the Decade by Advertising Age in 2009.

An Honorary Professor in leadership, innovation, and creativity at universities in England, Canada, and New Zealand, Kevin advises national organizations and global brands across commerce, media, and sport.

In addition to current roles as Chairman and business ambassador, he is a former director of the New Zealand Rugby Union and former Chairman of USA Rugby. In 2013, Kevin was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to business and the community. Thought leadership: www.krconnect.blogspot.com. Archived speeches 1997-2016: www.saatchikevin.com. Tweets @krconnect.