Rory Sutherland

Vice Chairman, Ogilvy UK

Rory Sutherland was born in Usk, Monmouthshire, in 1965 and educated at the local Haberdashers’ school and at Christ’s College, Cambridge.

He joined OgilvyOne as a graduate trainee in September of that year. After six months cross training, and thirteen months spent as the world’s worst account man (in a last remedial effort he was booked on a time management course, but got the date wrong) he was moved to the Planning Department. Soon afterwards he confessed an interest in copywriting to his line manager, who was (glad to see the back of him) thought this was a very good idea.

At this point things improved. Working for the legendary Steve Harrison, Rory was promoted to Head of Copy in 1995 and Creative Director in 1997. He won some awards. It didn’t hurt that his brother was an academic, which meant Rory had first used the internet in 1986 – and so was an early advocate of new media.

He has been rewarded by watching OgilvyInteractive grow into by far the most formidable digital arm of any traditional agency group – and by OgilvyOne’s capture of Campaign’s Agency of the Year title in 2007.

He is married with twin daughters, Hetty and Millie, and lives in Brasted in Kent. He remains an advocate of advertising which does different things, rather than just saying things differently.

In 2005 Rory was made vice-Chairman of the Ogilvy Group in the UK in recognition of his improved timekeeping.