Russ Lidstone

Group CEO , The Creative Engagement Group

Russ is Group CEO of The Creative Engagement Group (TCEG), a global company of eight divisions that offers employee engagement; behavioural science consulting; capability development; digital learning; scientific engagement and training; digital & immersive; film and live & virtual events.   TCEG has recently been awarded a Gold Mind Wellbeing Award, as well as recognised in Best Companies Top 100 for 2021.   Previously backed by private equity house LDC, Russ worked with LDC to help create, structure and position TCEG, and exit its investment in the strategic trade sale to the healthcare and communications group, Huntsworth in 2017.   Having started his career at Coca-Cola, Russ held strategy and leadership roles in blue chip agencies including McCann, Butterfield Day, HHCL, Lowe and JWT. Russ was CEO of Havas Worldwide for six years. Russ has featured as Campaign magazine's 'Top 10 CEO'; 'Top 10 Strategist'; voted one of the UK's 'Inspirational Creative Leaders' and named in 2018 by DIMA as a Top 50 Male Advocate for Equality. In 2019 Russ won Women in Marketing's 'Equality Advocate of the Year' award.   Russ is a member of the Marketing Group of Great Britain; a mentor for The Marketing Academy; an RSA Fellow; EMBA & MBA advisor for Said Business School; lead advisor to UWL, Bloom Ambassador and former non-executive director of Basketball England.   Russ is Chair of Trustees for Creative Mentor Network and Chair of the Advisory Board for Isla - the event industry sustainability body.