Yusuf Chuku, EVP, Client Strategy & Insights, NBCUniversal

💬

Yusuf Chuku, EVP, Client Strategy & Insights, NBCUniversal 💬

“Over the past 25 years I’ve had the honor to work alongside a small number of strategists who I’d describe as truly talented. I count Alex amongst those strategists. He has the rare ability to inspire the most demanding creative teams while at the same time advising the most business focussed client with a level of gravitas that belies his age. Possessing a high degree of empathy and thoughtfulness, Alex is able to truly connect with people and interpret shifting culture. Alex is quite literally a strategy dynamo, he runs towards problems, asks the right questions, and delivers smart answers.”

Yusuf Chuku, EVP, Client Strategy & Insights, NBCUniversal

💬

Yusuf Chuku, EVP, Client Strategy & Insights, NBCUniversal 💬

Caleb Jensen, Executive Creative Director, Chiat/Day/LA

💬

Caleb Jensen, Executive Creative Director, Chiat/Day/LA 💬

“Here's what Alex will do: He will have ideas when you don't, and when you do have ideas, he will build on them and make everyone look and feel smarter, he will ask "hey did you see this?" and send you a thing that might spark a bigger thing and he will be down in the trenches with you until it's showtime and he will guide the clients through the thinking like they're on a freshman tour of Hogwarts and then he will tell you that you did a great job.”

Caleb Jensen, Executive Creative Director, Chiat/Day/LA

💬

Caleb Jensen, Executive Creative Director, Chiat/Day/LA 💬

Gordon Gerard McLean, Group Strategy Director, Apple

💬

Gordon Gerard McLean, Group Strategy Director, Apple 💬

“Here’s what makes Alex worth his weight in gold. Some planners can do rigor, but can’t break it down. Some planners can do reduction, but sacrifice substance. And some planners can do both, but lack the romance that can make a brief sing. Alex can do all three – rigor, reduction and romance. He’s also a great guy, a movie maven and a pure soul. I hope to work with him again someday.”

Gordon Gerard McLean, Group Strategy Director, Apple

💬

Gordon Gerard McLean, Group Strategy Director, Apple 💬

Misty Kingma, Integrated Marketing Manager, Danone

💬

Misty Kingma, Integrated Marketing Manager, Danone 💬

“Alex is the thing. I'm talking about all the things you try to teach your kids to be: present, humble, collaborative, kind and wildly curious. These things translate into a consummate strategic planning partner. Alex is a reliable, respected brand ally who is not afraid to ask the gritty questions and carefully consider all feedback. Paired with these things are qualities you can't teach. Alex hovers on the pulse of culture with an eye for what's next–staying comfortably one step ahead of you.”

Misty Kingma, Integrated Marketing Manager, Danone

💬

Misty Kingma, Integrated Marketing Manager, Danone 💬

Lee Maicon, Global Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer, Edelman

💬

Lee Maicon, Global Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer, Edelman 💬

“I’m certain that many others will say fine things about what Alex does and how well he does it. Writes a good brief, pushes the work (his and others) and generally makes good things happen. But I want to talk about the man, the father of the work…. In other words his EQ. Part of the reason he’s a pleasure to work with is his sense of the people he’s working with, what drives them, and yes, their peculiarities. Too many strategists try to solve with head what they should solve with heart. Alex works with both.”

Lee Maicon, Global Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer, Edelman

💬

Lee Maicon, Global Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer, Edelman 💬

Gretchen Offenhauser, Integrated Marketing Director, Danone

💬

Gretchen Offenhauser, Integrated Marketing Director, Danone 💬

“Alex is the greatest strategic planning partner I have worked with. He is creative, collaborative, kind, reliable and respectful. He has this incredible balance of art and science. He is the first person with a new idea, and the person that challenges to bring your brand to spaces that are unexpected. He answers your brief with a more profound and inspirational brief. Not to mention Alex as a person is an incredible human. He is engaging, people listen when he speaks. He also makes people laugh. Alex is the unicorn that everyone talks about but is truly impossible to find.”

Gretchen Offenhauser, Integrated Marketing Director, Danone

💬

Gretchen Offenhauser, Integrated Marketing Director, Danone 💬

Dan Bollin, Chief Strategy Officer, Velocity

💬

Dan Bollin, Chief Strategy Officer, Velocity 💬

“Alex offers a complete package of modern strategic thinking: culturally insightful, comfortable in any channel, constantly curious, naturally unpretentious. He can tell a good story and rest it upon substance. He collaborates with the best of 'em—particularly among creatives, where he cares about and leads the whirling pursuit of original ideas. He makes amazing tea, respects footwear, and has been known to actually pull off wearing a bicycle cap. Need I say more?”

Dan Bollin, Chief Strategy Officer, Velocity

💬

Dan Bollin, Chief Strategy Officer, Velocity 💬

Justin Cohen, Co-founder, Sofresh (Now Mirum, as acquired by WPP)

💬

Justin Cohen, Co-founder, Sofresh (Now Mirum, as acquired by WPP) 💬

“When Alex joined us as a principal planner, Sofresh's goal was to build an even stronger digital presence in Vietnam. Two years later, Sofresh won Gold/ Campaign Digital Agency of the Year and Silver/ Creative Agency of the Year in Vietnam. We quadrupled in size. We moved to a bigger office. His drive, determination and partnership helped make that possible.”

Justin Cohen, Co-founder, Sofresh (Now Mirum, as acquired by WPP)

💬

Justin Cohen, Co-founder, Sofresh (Now Mirum, as acquired by WPP) 💬

Lyndsey Corona, President, Forsman & Bodenfors New York

💬

Lyndsey Corona, President, Forsman & Bodenfors New York 💬

“Alex is one of the strongest planners I’ve had the pleasure of working with at McCann. He has a strong point of view, can back it up, and can put a clear, compelling story together. He’s a magnificent leader, able to bring a team along the journey with him (junior and senior), he can sell his work and his ideas, and he’s true team player, always open to new ideas and perspectives. New business is hard. Crafting a pitch story is hard. Very few people can do it. Alex can.”

Lyndsey Corona, President, Forsman & Bodenfors New York

💬

Lyndsey Corona, President, Forsman & Bodenfors New York 💬