Neil Dawson is a renowned strategist who has over two decades of experience working with world-leading brands across the automotive, CPG, financial services, travel and hospitality industries. In 2023, he was appointed Global Chief Strategy Officer of VML to help create connected brands that drive growth by merging brand experience, customer experience and commerce. He is passionate about demonstrating the commercial and customer value of our work across the consumer experience. ​

​Most recently Neil served as the Global Chief Strategy Officer for Wunderman Thompson and prior to that he was Chief Strategy Officer for Publicis Sapient International, where he led large-scale digital transformation projects across multiple industry sectors. His team was responsible for shaping digital products and services, new business model innovation and the digital experience ecosystem required to deliver business and consumer value. During his tenure at Publicis Sapient the company twice won Digital Innovation agency of the year for Campaign.​

Earlier in his career, Neil held several strategy leadership roles at prominent creative agencies including TBWA/London, where he was both Chairman and Executive Planning Director, and led one of London’s biggest and most successful planning departments. He was also a Planning Director at Havas London and the Founder and Director of HMDG, an independent creative agency, for five years.​

Neil has helped his teams rack up numerous awards for both strategy and creative effectiveness. During his time at TBWA the agency won 6 IPA Effectiveness Awards. Neil has featured 6 times as a Top 10 Account Planner in Campaign UK lists, including twice consecutively as the top planner. He has judged several industry-leading organizations including the IPA Effectiveness Awards where he served as the Convenor of Judges in 2008 and member of the jury in 2016, and he chaired the WARC Social Media Effectiveness Awards in 2015. Most recently, Neil served on the jury of the inaugural Cannes Creative Strategy Lions in 2019.