The Future of In-House Creative Leadership

In this episode I am joined by Nicola Wardell, Managing Director of Specsavers Creative. Nicola brings over 20 years of experience leading creative, brand, and marketing teams for some of the world’s best-known brands. At Specsavers, she heads the in-house agency, driving creative strategy and award-winning campaigns that have helped shape the brand’s distinctive voice.Before joining Specsavers in 2020, Nicola was Chief Client Officer at Havas and previously held senior leadership roles at GREY London, where she led on major clients including United Biscuits, GSK, and Pringles. Her career also includes directing internal and external teams to deliver a major brand re-launch for Airmiles, and agency-side roles with clients such as Gillette, Coca-Cola Enterprises, and Greene King.Nicola is known for her collaborative leadership style, passion for mentoring, and commitment to building inclusive, high-performing teams. Her expertise in delivering impactful campaigns and nurturing creative talent has made her a respected leader in the industry.---We offer a FREE Insider membership with access to our job board, learning resources and community updates — all designed to support you in your in-house leadership journey.If you’re curious more info is here https://theinsideout.community/insider/

This time, I’m joined by Lee Barnsley, Design Excellence Director at Reckitt — the company behind some of the world’s most recognised and trusted brands, including Dettol, Durex, Finish, Vanish and Nurofen.At Reckitt, Lee is leading the transformation of design — building a global Design Excellence function that combines creativity, strategy, and technology to drive innovation, elevate brand experiences, and create measurable business impact. His mission is to make design not just beautiful, but influential as a driver of growth and differentiation across Reckitt’s global portfolio.Before joining Reckitt, Lee held senior creative roles across global agencies, partnering with brands such as Nestlé, Mondelez, Unilever, and Heineken. His international career has taken him across Europe, Asia, and Australia, shaping his belief that great design happens at the intersection of cultural insight, empathy, and innovation.---We offer a FREE Insider membership with access to our job board, learning resources and community updates — all designed to support you in your in-house leadership journey.If you’re curious more info is here https://theinsideout.community/insider/

It’s a slightly different episode this time, but I thought you might enjoy hearing the common themes that have come up for our Inside Out® members this year, the macro trends and challenges I have been observing and….my predictions for 2026!Access our Pathway by signing up to our FREE Insider membership here https://theinsideout.community/membership/Have a great festive break and thank you for listening! 🎄

Carol Feeley, Head of Creative at Ocado Retail, leads a team of over 30 creatives spanning motion, copy, design, and beyond. With over 15 years of experience, she has crafted award-winning campaigns for brands like Innocent Drinks, Disney, and Warner Bros. Carol is a trained coach and an advocate for inclusive creative leadership. She’s known for her slightly rebellious nature, always pushing boundaries to deliver unexpected and impactful work.----We offer a FREE Insider membership with access to our job board, learning resources and community updates — all designed to support you in your in-house leadership journey.If you’re curious more info is here https://theinsideout.community/insider/

Mali Okoi-Obuli is the founder of OURHouse, a global creative production house built for brands that think beyond borders. With hubs spanning London to Lagos, Miami to Madrid, OURHouse champions creative production that is more open, more creative, and more diverse — collaborating across cultures to make creativity limitless. Before launching OURHouse, Mali was Global Senior Manager and Executive Producer at adidas, overseeing global campaigns for football, adidas by Stella McCartney, training, sportswear, and more. She is passionate about reframing production as a strategic, creative force — protecting ideas, solving problems, and driving cultural impact at every stage of execution.-----We offer a FREE Insider membership with access to our job board, learning resources and community updates — all designed to support you in your in-house leadership journey.If you’re curious more info is here https://theinsideout.community/insider/