Embracing Change with Paul Woolmington

In this episode we speak with Paul Woolmington, currently the CEO of Canvas Worldwide – a creatively driven media and communications agency named Adweek’s 2020 Breakthrough Agency of the Year – that aims to reinvent its marketplace at scale. Under Paul’s leadership, Canvas has grown to become the world’s second-largest independent media agency. 

Paul is a ‘Renaissance’ entrepreneur of the media, advertising, digital, marketing and communications industry. He has held leadership positions at the highest levels both globally and domestically in management, media, integrated business, brand, digital and communications strategy at holding companies including IPG, Y&R Inc, WPP and MDC Partners. He co-founded Naked Communications Americas, founded The Media Kitchen, and was named one of the ten most creative/innovative people in marketing and advertising by Fast Company.

Paul is also a senior fellow at Columbia University, advising in the cross-discipline ‘Committee for Global Thought’ initiative as well as a member of ‘The Digital Storytelling Lab.’ Born in Africa, raised in the UK, and now a US citizen, Paul has traveled extensively around the world both professionally and personally.

We discuss:

Working in the advertising industry between London and New York CityMad-Men Era / Madison AvenueBeing an intrapreneurRiding the wave of acquisitions, going public and founding new businessWhat it was like when Google and Facebook came alongEmbracing change