“It’s Been a Fantastic Ride”: Stuart Payne’s Fond Farewell to the Advertising Industry
Stuart Payne’s career has been an incredible one, to put it lightly. Across his 40 years, he’s worked brand-side with Toyota, and agency-side within the Publicis network. He navigated Saatchi & Saatchi Canada through the pandemic, helped build an incredibly loyal family of a team, and guided the agency to a place of record financial health. And, somehow, he even found time to create Synergize, a digital search agency which, among its many accolades, was recently recognised by Google as AI Search Agency of the Year.
But, even the most illustrious careers aren’t all about the work itself. Sure, the accolades and accomplishments speak loudly, but in many ways, his success is equally defined by the culture Saatchi & Saatchi has developed within his 17-year tenure, as well as the lessons and values he has instilled during this time. Whether it’s the importance of thinking long-term, the need to stay curious, or that people in this industry need to remember to have fun, the agency and the network are better for it. Undoubtedly, Stuart’s will be a legacy that carries on for years to come.
So, to learn more about this storied career, reflect on the past, and offer congratulations and a fond farewell, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Stuart for a chat.
LBB> Getting started, congratulations on an illustrious 40-year career! What made now the right time to call it, and how are you feeling about this decision?
Stuart> Thank you very much – it’s been a fantastic ride!
I am feeling great about the decision to step back. I think it was the right time from both a personal and a business point of view to make a change. Personally, my wife and I are in our mid 60s, have both had relatively big jobs our whole lives, but are now at a point where we are able to synchronise the timing to spend more time on the things that we care most about.
From a business perspective, the agency has never been financially healthier, we have an enviable roster of clients, are digitally sophisticated, have a wonderful team, and now we have a solid successor in place. I am feeling fortunate to have been able to time my retirement pretty well.
LBB> In your 40 years, you’ve undoubtedly had your fair share of adventures and exploits. So, please tell us your story! How did you end up where you are today?
Stuart> After getting a business degree (Simon Fraser University, marketing) in Vancouver, I got a job in the automotive business. Twenty years later, I was an executive at Toyota Canada with duties that included being the director of Lexus Canada. Although I had a lot of responsibilities, working with the ad agency was always the favorite part of my day.
I was not looking to change careers, but when I was approached to leave Toyota and become the president of Saatchi, the opportunity seemed interesting enough to think hard about it. Toyota was incredibly important to me, and so I carefully discussed the move with the Japanese president of Toyota Canada. He blessed the move and I have been lucky to have maintained and strengthened that relationship while in a very different role.
LBB> How did your experiences at Toyota influence your approach on the agency side? Did you ever end up missing being brand-side?
Stuart> I was very happy at Saatchi, but sure, there are times when I missed being brand side as ultimately clients have the final decision on just about everything. Toyota is a wonderful and well-run company, and a lot of the business practices I used at Saatchi were learned during my time there – principles of the ‘Toyota Way’ business philosophy like kaizen, respect for people, genchi genbutsu, surprising and delighting customers.
LBB> Building on this, what kept you at Saatchi & Saatchi for all that time afterward? What made the agency so special?
Stuart> I remained at Saatchi for so long because I enjoyed the great clients we worked with, my amazingly hard working and brilliant coworkers, the outstanding work we produced, and the satisfaction of seeing the steady growth of the agency.
Along the way, I also was fortunate to get some great leadership opportunities, like having the pleasure of sitting on our Toyota Worldwide Executive Board, and working as the global client leader for Publicis’ worldwide Toyota/Lexus business.
LBB> Let’s talk a bit more about the work. Throughout your career, you emphasised a hands-on approach, as well as balancing fiscal responsibility and getting it done. Why were these such core tenets for you?
Stuart> Haha, someone has been reading my LinkedIn page!
I think my leadership style is to hire the smartest, nicest people you can find, set clear targets and standards, let them do their jobs, mentor them along the way and then spend the time to review their progress with them and help them grow. It’s a loop. I feel you should always strive to support your staff, to listen carefully along the way, and yet be able to be decisive enough to keep moving things forward. Always strive to get stuff done… The ability to make good, strong decisions is crucial.
LBB> And how did you evolve your approach with the times, to stay on top of the game?
Stuart> I have always been full of curiosity and eager to learn. But in terms of approach, I’m not sure it has changed all that much over time. In terms of the agency itself though, I am proud to say that through the excellent leadership of Stephanie McRae, our SVP, head of human resources and diversity and inclusion, we have changed to better reflect the cultural make up of life here in Toronto.
LBB> Of course, you also created Synergize! Why was this something you were keen to do, and what was the development process like?
Stuart> The growth of Synergize has been remarkable! I could see that the way people were looking for information and shopping was changing, and I felt that not many companies were doing a good job helping clients take advantage of this.
To start, we hired a couple of very good people to work in the SEM/SEO area with our clients. The next step was to brand it ‘Synergize’ (versus Saatchi Search), and grow our business by tapping into clients not just in Canada, but globally. We now have nearly a hundred employees, a client roster that includes Toyota (Canada and USA), Four Seasons (globally), TD (North America), Turbotax, TJX, and Nikon. Hats off to the leadership of Rebecca Gregg and her amazing team. It has been a privilege to support their incredible work!
LBB> What are the proudest accomplishments from your career? And what do they represent to you?
Stuart> I am most proud of the team we have built here at Saatchi. It is a people business, and our leadership team has done an incredible job of hiring and mentoring our staff, and always looking to promote from within if possible. This results in a proud, strong, and very loyal Saatchi family.
This loyalty especially paid off when things got tough during the pandemic. Some of our clients asked to reduce fees until they could figure out where their businesses were heading. We went to our people and asked for a temporary wage reduction in exchange for no layoffs. They trusted us enough to agree to this proposal and we honoured that trust by not laying anyone off, restoring full pay as soon as possible. Their loyalty allowed us to work through a very difficult business situation.
LBB> Looking back, what are some of the best stories from your career? Please tell us about them!
Stuart> I will just share one of my favorites:
Watching the confusion on the face of a CEO that operated on a global scale and was used to dealing with heads of state and other global CEOs. When he met my Saatchi Canada MD and I for the first time in his opulent boardroom, he was clearly trying to figure out why we did not have British accents, which one of us was Maurice Saatchi, and which of us was Charles Saatchi.
Somehow, we even managed to run their business for a few more years after that.
LBB> And what are the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
Stuart> There’s a few!
- Always, always, always think long-term. There are no shortcuts that lead to much that is positive.
- Surround yourself with people that are smart and who you like working with – then let them do their jobs.
- Stay curious – look up from your desk, your office, your community, your country. There is a lot out there to inspire you and learn from.
- Try to surprise and delight your clients, always try to anticipate their needs, and give them more than they expected.
- The work should not just be smart, but also beautiful, always. I love the craft of advertising. Respect it.
- Have fun. Seriously! There are not many industries that can be this fun. You can do amazing work and enjoy it.
- Make time to enjoy your family and friends.
LBB> What are some of the things you’ll miss most about the job, Saatchi & Saatchi, and the Publicis network?
Stuart> I will miss seeing our creative teams produce work that will make you laugh and cry. It never fails to inspire me.
I will miss the great coworkers and clients I have met along the way. Many are now more than coworkers – they are genuine friends, and I hope are lifelong ones too.
I will miss learning about the products, services and the idiosyncrasies of each industry we deal with. I will miss some of the global aspects of my job, and the people around the world that I was lucky enough to interact with. Publicis’ country model has meant that for the last half decade, all the brands in Canada work closely together and share resources where appropriate. As a result of that, some very strong friendships have developed, and I am going to work hard not to let those disappear.
LBB> Finally, importantly, how will you be spending your time off?
Stuart> It’s a big world and there is still lots to learn. I suspect we will spend lots of time in Europe – we like the food, the wine, the weather, the skiing, and the cycling. I will also try to learn another language, get in amazing shape, keep exploring, and keep learning.
Remember, just have fun.
Thanks,
S.P.
