CEO of Loewy Group, a family of complementary marketing specialists which includes Branded, Epoch, Prescient, Speed Communications, Seymourpowell, The Team and Williams Murray Hamm.

1. What does "creative" mean to you?
For me, it's finding alternative solutions to traditional problems. Some businesses take for granted that the everyday interpretation of "creative" in an agency setting is a label for people who make things look good. I know it's been said before, but for me, the focus is more about trying new routes, challenging the norms, and standing out from the crowd.

2. What's your best piece of business advice?
Focus on what you are good at. Or as my long suffering squash coach told me, "play to your strengths." Or as Peters and Waterman put it "stick to the knitting."

3. Who do you admire?
Sir Richard Branson for living his own personal brand consistently, and for surrounding himself with clever people. And for making it socially acceptable to have a massage in public on his 'planes.

4. What in the world could be done better?
Well, virtually everything. I am a strong believer in continuous improvement in everything we do, no matter how good we are at it. More specifically, there is a huge gap between good customer service and bad. Especially in the U.S. (generally good), Spain, (good, but slow), and U.K. or France (often terrible). It amazes me that brand owners think they can get away with spending millions on the promotion of their product or service, and then cut the relatively small investments they need to make in training their people to live and breathe their brands every day.

5. Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
My first reaction is to say that as my teenage children will have left home in 10 years, I will be sailing around the world with my wife. On reflection, I have tried retirement before and it didn't take, so I imagine I will be helping a highly creative fast growing business realise its potential.

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