Nils Leonard

Founder , Uncommon

Nils has spent over 20 years in the advertising and design industry working across some of the most recognised agencies in London. In his previous role, as Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Grey LDN, Nils oversaw the most profitable and awarded years in the agency's 52 years history and became one of the youngest agency chairmen in the world leading its brands globally.  Nils was voted into Adweek's coveted Creativity 100 and was named the No.1 creative person in advertising globally by Business insider, is on the advisory group of The Royal Academy and is listed as one of the Sunday Times 500 most influential people in the UK.   Over the last four years Nils has led the inception and launch of the ethical capsule coffee brand Halo to global acclaim. British GQ describing the Nespresso alternative as 'The coffee company keeping George Clooney up at night.'  Nils is also the founder of the fastest growing start up in advertising history, Uncommon Creative Studio alongside Lucy Jameson and Natalie Graeme, a creative studio building brands that people in the real world actually wish existed.   Labelled as 'the creative company for leaders and founders in a moment of change' as well as launching their own brands, Uncommon work with a variety of companies including British Airways, ITV, WWF, B&Q, H&M, Nike and Formula E.   Four years in, the studio continues to make awarded and stand-out work across a breadth of brands locally and globally. Each with something powerful to say; from creating the most recognised mental health initiative in the UK with ITV, breathing new life into the iconic British brand B&Q to creating a free suit hire initiative for H&M globally to help young men find work.  Off the back of being named Campaign's coveted Creative Agency of the Year last year, the studio went on to be awarded Ad Age's International AOTY, Creative Circle's AOTY for the second year running and were the only British studio listed as one of Fast Company's Top 10 companies in Advertising globally.