Will Hodge

WORK HISTORY

SKILLS

ABOUT WILL HODGE

I help organisations use brand and creativity as engines of growth and enterprise value.In a world where traditional marketing models are under pressure and differentiation is harder to sustain, brand has become – or urgently needs to become – a strategic lever for growth rather than a communications output.For more than 20 years, I’ve partnered with CEOs, CMOs, boards and leadership teams to build brands through creative strategies, campaigns and communications, while also elevating brand into a strategic asset that drives demand, pricing power, relevance and long-term value creation.As Chief Strategy Officer at Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song, I lead strategy across brand transformation, growth strategy and creative influence. My work focuses on aligning what organisations stand for with how they grow, shaping brand strategy, positioning, organisational narrative, design and experience as a single, coherent system.My background spans leading creative agencies and management consulting, giving me a dual perspective on strategy and execution. I’ve advised global brands, scale-ups and public institutions through moments of change including growth acceleration, category reinvention, acquisition, integration and large-scale transformation.I’m interested in ideas that work in the real world commercially, culturally and organisationally, not brand thinking in isolation.Increasingly, my work engages with organisations operating in complex environments shaped by:• Low-differentiation categories where growth depends on clarity, distinctiveness and creativity• Cultural fragmentation and declining trust• Platform and ecosystem competition• AI-mediated discovery, decision-making and influence• Private equity ownership and value creation• M&A, portfolio strategy and post-acquisition growthI believe brand is what gives growth direction, especially in tough and uncertain markets. It aligns strategy, innovation, culture and experience behind a clear idea of value. When brand and business strategy drift apart, value erodes. When they work together, growth builds over time.Focus areas• Leadership clarity, alignment and decision-making in complex organisations• Strategic Positioning, category design and differentiation• Brand strategy and brand-led transformation• Growth strategy and enterprise value creation• Creative platforms, campaign strategy and brand expression• AI, platforms and the future of brand influence• Organisational narrative and leadership storytelling• Design, experience and creative systems