Creative Agency Account Manager Podcast

Welcome to Episode 172. AI in agencies has moved on significantly from simply experimenting with ChatGPT and saving a bit of time.
My guest is Roy Murphy, Co-founder at G3NR8 - AI innovator for brands including Samsung, Arsenal, and Perrigo. Roy helps businesses unlock exponential technologies as a driver of growth, guiding organisations to understand and act on AI through comprehensive training, strategy, and implementation initiatives. He serves as AI Advisor to the in-house agency network Inside Out and has delivered AI training for over 150 brands, including GSK, Lego and the Bank of England. Roy regularly speaks at AI roundtables, podcasts, and industry events, working with HR, communications, marketing, and operations teams to drive meaningful transformation.
In this episode, we look at:
• what comes next
• why agencies need to rethink their business model and service lines
• how connecting your existing client data can give account managers much better intelligence
• and why agentic workflows could fundamentally change the way we manage and grow client relationships.
We also talk about the skills account managers need to stay valuable as AI becomes embedded in everyday agency life. There’s a lot packed into this one.
You can connect with Roy Murphy on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roymurphy/

He has also generously shared his calendar link for 30 minutes free AI Q&A and Consultancy. Let him know your challenges (either personal or organisational) and he'll look at your next practical step to solve.
https://calendar.app.google/jPAG7FhMFYk7HxED8

If you'd like to keep updated with shifts in the agency world as they relate to account management, or talk to me about client retention and growth training, go to https://www.accountmanagementskills.com

Welcome to episode 171. I’m joined by Duncan Arbour, Head of AI Innovation in the Kinetic team at Syneos Health.

Duncan has spent a decade in innovation roles in healthcare communications at Syneos Health, first as an evangelist for AI, then as an operator of the tools for live client projects, and now building out agentic services for cross-business teams. He believes the agency world is rapidly shifting from a content economy to a trust economy, where verification, judgment and accountability are the product; and that account teams are better placed for that world than most people are telling them.

In this chat, we cover:
- Why trust, governance and AI disclosure are becoming increasingly important for MedComms agencies
- How procurement and clients may start scrutinising agency AI use much more closely
- How AI could change agency pricing and the traditional hours-based model
- Why some clients may soon have stronger AI capabilities than their agencies
- The skills agency people need to stay valuable as AI adoption accelerates.

Duncan’s message is very human: despite all the advances in AI, critical thinking, judgement, challenging and giving good feedback are going to become even more valuable.

You can connect with Duncan Arbour on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanarbour/

If you’d like to keep up to date with changes in the agency world as they relate to the account management role, or find out more about my client retention and growth training, go to https://www.accountmanagementskills.com

Welcome to Episode 170. This is a fascinating one if you work in or with design agencies, or if you’ve ever wondered why brilliant creative work doesn’t always get the influence it deserves inside client organisations.

I chatted with John Gleason, Founder & President of A Better View Strategic Consulting who help corporate organizations elevate and leverage design as a strategic business competence and catalyst for growth, help agencies become more relevant for the markets and clients they aspire to inspire while becoming better businesses, and enhance the client/agency relationship to be better, together.

John is one of the most vocal advocates for the role, power, influence, and BUSINESS impact of Design that you will ever meet. Interested in helping those who lead design... to better lead a strategic design proposition.

In this conversation we talk about:
- Why design has been pushed further down the value chain in many businesses
- What John learned from his time client-side at P&G
- How he's now helping both corporate organisations and agencies work better together
- The rise of in-house teams
- Why agencies often struggle to sound different from one another
- How account managers can have more strategic conversations with clients beyond projects, deadlines and budgets

John shares some brilliant advice on helping clients navigate their own internal politics, ask better questions, and translate design into business impact.

I found it such a useful reminder of what clients are really dealing with internally, and why agencies need to understand the human and political dynamics inside client organisations - account managers can add huge value by helping them make the case internally.

You can connect with and find out more about John Gleason here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngleason/

THE FUTURE OF... conference (www.TheFutureOf-conference.com)

11 Influencers Who Elevate Packaging Design - Packaging Digest (https://www.packagingdigest.com/packaging-design/11-influencers-who-elevate-packaging-design)

How To Innovation When You Are Asked to Cut Costs - Packaging Digest (https://www.packagingdigest.com/packaging-design/how-to-innovate-when-you-are-asked-to-cut-costs)

Webinar + Panel: Beyond free pitching: building stronger, smarter client relationships [DESIGN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION member content] (https://www.dba.org.uk/resources/beyond-free-pitching-building-stronger-smarter-client-relationships/)

Podcast: Finding Our Way: Episode 59: Design Isn't Dead, But It's Seen Better Days (ft John Gleason) - https://findingourway.design/2025/06/06/59-design-isnt-dead-but-its-seen-better-days-ft-john-gleason/

'Is Design Dead?' - Design Leaders Wrestle With The Question - FAST COMPANY article, by Mark Wilson, Global Design Editor (https://www.fastcompany.com/91299152/future-of-design-leaders-executives)

If you’re listening before September 2026 and you’d like to join me in Atlanta, I’ll be co-hosting the next AM:PM Event on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th, an in-person event for agency leaders focused on the future of account management, project management, client retention and growth. You can find out more and register at https://theampmevent.com

Welcome to episode 169. This episode is going to be timely if you’re currently trying to work out how to navigate using AI legally.
I'm chatting with Sharon Toerek, Founder of Toerek Law (doing business in the agency world as Legal + Creative), where she focuses her national law practice on helping advertising, marketing, communications and creative agencies protect their assets and turn their ideas into revenue. Sharon provides proactive, strategic counsel to communications, marketing, advertising, digital and creative agencies on legal and business issues they face continually in their work, including:
• agency-client relationships, including agency service contracts
• agency-freelancer and agency strategic alliance relationship management
• trademark and copyright protection, enforcement and licensing
• influencer marketing negotiations and content marketing legal compliance
• advertising regulatory compliance
• AI policy and risk management for agencies

In this conversation we cover:
- why AI is forcing agencies to rethink their business model and how they monetise their expertise
- what you need to protect when it comes to your own IP
- why your client contracts need to be much clearer around ownership, licensing and liability.
- the confidentiality and data privacy risks that come with using AI tools, particularly when your teams and freelancers are using different platforms.

Sharon shares some very practical advice on how agencies can audit their contracts and AI policies, so you can be more proactive with clients rather than waiting until something goes wrong.

As always, she gives such practical, clear advice on what can feel like a very complex and fast-moving topic. One of the things that stood out is: don’t wait too long before thinking about how to protect and monetise your agency’s IP.

Useful links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharontoerek/
Website: https://www.legalandcreative.com
Innovative Agency podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-innovative-agency/id1419747902

Welcome to episode 168.
This one is a little different because I’m joined by my AM:PM event co-host, Brett Harned.
On 29th & 30th September, Brett and I are bringing agency owners, account managers, project managers and operations leaders together in Atlanta, Georgia to work through some of the biggest questions facing agencies right now.

How should account and project management roles evolve?
Where can AI genuinely improve delivery?
And how do you grow client relationships without damaging profitability or burning out the team?

My biggest takeaway is that agencies don’t need to have all the answers, but they do need to create the space to ask better questions.
This is what we explore in this episode, and the questions are also at the heart of the AM:PM Event.
The early-bird ticket price ends on 31st July, so you can find out more and book your place here: http://theampmevent.com/