Sam spent most of his career in Australia and the US, having worked on some of the world’s most awarded brands, at global award-winning agencies. After a New York summer weathering the pandemic with White Claws in hand, he returned home to take the reins of the global White Claw account at Droga5 Dublin (then Rothco).
Now as Head of New Business, he is responsible for driving the agency’s growth strategy, from evolving capabilities to business development. With Dublin as the newest member of the Droga5 network, Sam’s focus is to position the agency as one built for the future, that can attract the calibre of domestic and international brands that have the ambition to deliver the type of work that generates fame and impact.
With Sam’s leadership the agency has a newfound pitching confidence with a successful conversion rate of 75%+ in the last two years. The pitching process has also seen a marked shift in staff morale; with new ways of working and tools at teams’ disposal, it turned the experience from a dreaded one to one of genuine excitement.
Sam has also led several of Droga5’s global accounts, including pitching for and winning the LEGO Group business, going on to develop, in partnership with their in-house creative agency, their largest and most successful campaign ever.
Sam is known to be tough on the work, but his leadership style is defined by positivity, empathy, and a healthy dose of humour, earning him the respect and admiration of teams agency-wide.
Sam is also keen to lead by example beyond the agency and help raise the bar for Irish marketing ambitions. This is evidenced by his commitment to mentorship, judging Cannes Young Lions, and furthering development and training within Droga5 and with our clients.
