CB Hot Suit Takes is our new Q&A series for extremely busy CEOs and senior leaders across the industry ~ covering careers, creativity, challenges and the song that sums it all up. Next in the hot seat is Celia Wallace, Founder and Director, Three Are One.

1. What made you get into advertising?

I was accepted into the Saatchi & Saatchi scholarship program in London straight out of university. It was a baptism-by-fire introduction to the industry at one of the most iconic agencies in the world. I was hooked from day one; the rest is history (and a lot of late nights).

2. Which piece of work are you most proud of, and why?

My career spans consulting, client side and creative agencies, but if I have to pick a ‘North Star’ moment, it’s this: T-Mobile’s Life for Sharing campaign. Launched in London in the middle of the global financial crisis with a radical brief: don’t talk about the product, just focus entirely on the brand promise.

Watching that level of pure spontaneous joy take over Liverpool Street Station was a career high, not just creatively, but commercially. T-Mobile sales grew by 52% at the height of a recession. That said, what we’re building right now at Three Are One is quickly taking the top spot. It’s a total departure from the traditional model; there’s nothing more rewarding than building something from the ground up.

3. What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role right now?

Aside from navigating the breakneck speed of the AI revolution, my biggest challenge is balancing the demands of a new business with a five month old baby. Learning to be as efficient with my time as I am with a creative brief has been a steep, but incredibly rewarding, curve.

4. What’s the most recent thing you’ve learned – professionally or personally?

Personally: That a 15-minute nap is a superpower.

Professionally: That high EQ leadership isn’t ‘soft’. It’s a competitive advantage.

5. What song best sums up your career so far?

‘I’m Still Standing’ by Elton John.

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