5 Minutes with… Jill Smith
Jill Smith became Americas CEO of Iris Worldwide back in June. A 10-year veteran or Iris and its parent company Cheil, Jill has worked in six different roles for the agency across two regions, holding client-facing roles in the US and China, working as a managing director and account director and, most recently prior to becoming CEO, as global CMO for Iris and Cheil Connec+.
The CMO to CEO career pathway is something that we haven't encountered a ton at LBB, but given the growth mindset of both roles, it does make a lot of sense. LBB's Addison Capper chatted with Jill about that and a whole lot more.
LBB> Congratulations on your new role! How would you describe the task set out ahead of you for Iris in the Americas?
Jill> Thank you! Well, it’s definitely a big challenge ahead, but one I’m excited about. The Americas is where we see the greatest opportunity for growth – we have amazing talent, such as our recent hires Menno Kluin, global chief creative officer; Eduardo Maruri global creative chair; and Leigh Armstrong, EVP global growth and marketing, to name a few. With great capabilities and the right ingredients to succeed, we’re positioned for something big here.
One of the key tasks ahead of me is raising our profile. We’ve been in the region for a while now, and while we have an incredible portfolio of clients such as California Pizza Kitchen, Bentley, Samsonite, Samsung, IKEA and Gallo, we’re still not as widely recognised as we should be.
At Iris, we’ve spent over 20 years driving ‘Participation’ between brands and customers, and my ambition is to push that even further in the region. We’re in, what we call, a Participation Era, where brands need to actively engage with people and culture, not just advertise to them. What sets us apart is our ability to combine creativity with data-driven insights to deliver tangible business results, and I’m focused on making sure people truly understand that.
LBB> You were CMO before. CMO to CEO isn't a progression I've seen so often within the agency world, but on paper it actually seems to make a lot of sense. What are your thoughts on that?
Jill> It’s not a typical path, but it really does make sense. Having spent the last five years or so as CMO, focusing on both client growth and net new growth, I’ve found that growth is exactly where a CEO should be directing their energy. The role, at its core, is really about three things: clients, growth, and talent. For me, it’s been a natural transition because growth has always been such a big part of what I do. It’s about nurturing our existing client relationships, driving new opportunities, and making sure we’re keeping our top talent happy and engaged. One of my core beliefs is that the best new business often comes from existing clients, and that’s something I’m keen to emphasise in this role. So while the move from CMO to CEO might not be traditional, it felt like a natural progression for me.
LBB> Which elements of your CMO role do you feel will be particularly useful as a CEO?
Jill> I’d say the go-to-market strategy. When I was CMO, a big part of my focus was on how we position ourselves as an agency, and that’s something I’ll be carrying through in this new role, especially considering our profile challenge in the Americas. It’s about ensuring we’re clear on who we are, what we offer, and how we’re going to market both here and across the broader network.
And of course, keeping a growth mindset is essential. I’m always thinking about the ‘plus one’ – how we can add value and go above and beyond in everything we do. Those are the two core elements that I see as really transferable in this new role.
LBB> On the flipside, which elements of the CEO role feel particularly new for you and how are you finding that challenge?
Jill> As CEO, I’m thinking about how we build an agency model for the future – what that looks like, what size and shape it needs to be, what is our tech enablement and what talent do we need to bring on board. When I was working on new business pitches, I’d always be thinking about the right talent to put forward, but now it’s about looking at the entire agency and figuring out how we structure it to be future-proof.
LBB> You've been within Iris and the wider Cheil network for more than a decade. How do you feel this experience will influence how you lead an entire agency?
Jill> The biggest advantage has been how quickly I’ve been able to hit the ground running. It felt like a soft landing because I’m already familiar with the leadership across Cheil and, of course, the team at Iris. I’ve worked closely with the managing directors in the region for years, so I came into this role with a clear point of view on where I wanted to start. That familiarity has allowed us to move quickly and get things done right from the get-go. It’s really been about making sure the leadership team is on board with the vision, and from there, we’ve been able to make things happen together at speed.
LBB> Your entire career is actually really interesting - you founded your own agency, you've been an MD in China, and been a global CMO. What are some of the biggest key lessons you picked up along the way?
Jill> One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout my career is to always stay curious and never assume you have all the answers. That mindset became especially important when I was working in China, where I didn’t speak the language and was really out of my comfort zone. Being curious, asking questions, and approaching things with an open mind helped me succeed in an environment where the odds were stacked against me. Curiosity has served me well in every role I've taken on. It’s about staying humble, learning from others, and never getting too comfortable in thinking you’ve got it all figured out.
LBB> How did you wind up in advertising in the first place?
Jill> I actually started out in the art world before I got into advertising. I was working in the creative space, in the nonprofit art scene, collaborating with galleries and artist collectives in Montreal. When I moved to New York, I did consulting for art collectives, and that’s when I started shifting towards the commercial art world. I worked at a gallery called 88 (now Company Gallery), and I found myself connecting the dots between artists and brands, creating these really interesting partnerships at the intersection of art and commerce. It just made sense – brands wanted to be part of culture, and artists were already shaping it.
I had success working with Naomi LaFrance, a Quebec-based performance and movement artist, who was doing everything from choreography for David Burn to Coca-Cola commercials. That was my first taste of advertising, and I loved it. But instead of trying to land a job in the ad world – since I didn’t have any experience – I just decided to start my own agency. I launched an agency in New York called Mayonnaise, where we paired brands with artists and brought their work to life through events, installations, and even print. We worked with some amazing clients like PONY, Red Bull, and Prada.
LBB> What is your favourite thing about the industry and your role within it?
Jill> It has to be the origins of advertising and the behavioural psychology behind it. I find it fascinating how brands become such a big part of people’s lives, and the way they take on a life of their own. Right now, though, what’s most interesting to me is being part of this huge inflection point. We’re still doing the work we all love, but the way we do it is changing so much because of technology. It’s a really exciting time to figure out how we navigate that. What role does technology, especially AI, play in our work? How do we collaborate with it without losing the heart of what we do? For the purists, it can feel wrong, but I believe the people who learn how to work with AI and find that balance are going to be the most successful. Figuring out those ‘rules of engagement’ is going to be really fascinating.
LBB> And what do you find needs improvement within your sphere? How do you use your position of leadership to move it into a better direction?
Jill> One of the biggest things that still needs improvement is the lack of gender diversity in leadership, especially across the wider industry. At Iris, we’ve made great strides - there’s a lot of gender parity, and many women in leadership roles, which is something I’m really proud of.
The other area is how we charge for our services. The commercial model of charging for hours and effort instead of value is outdated. It’s something a lot of people are talking about, and moving towards value-based pricing just makes sense. The change management required to shift that mindset is significant, but it’s a conversation we need to keep having to evolve and stay relevant.
LBB> What are your hobbies and passions outside of work?
Jill> I’m really into endurance sports – ultra marathons, Ironmans. I finished two Ironmans this past summer, and a 50km run in November.
