'We're not just another Player': Girl&Bear's CEO on Expanding Stateside

International expansion for any creatively focused business is a complicated process, but ultimately, success lies in the quality of the work. At Girl&Bear, VCCP’s content creation studio, the focus is on building of a global reputation for ‘Craft without Compromise’ under the leadership of chief executive, Claire Young.

Founded in 2021, the award-winning studio offers a suite of social-first content creation and tech services to support the needs of a client base that includes E.ON, Mondelez, White Claw, LinkedIn, Virgin Media O2, Dominos, and Canon.

With offices across the VCCP network in the UK, Czechia and Spain, to offer its services on a global scale, it was only natural that it would make it to the Americas, where Young has recently appointed Robert Valdes as chief production officer to lead the business in the US.

"Our US offering is deliberately lean and agile, but backed by the strength of a truly global production network. That gives clients the best of both worlds: a local team who understands their market, and global capabilities that allow for scale, speed and craft. Most importantly, we bring a joined-up mindset - one where creative, strategy, media and production are working together from the start to make better, more effective work," Young outlines.

Young was promoted from managing director to her current position in March 2024. She originally joined VCCP in 2016 as its head of creative service and creative production before spearheading the launch of Girl&Bear five years later. Her advertising career has also included legendary agencies J. Walter Thompson and Mother, where she worked for over seven years, latterly as its production leader.

Here she discusses her experience as CEO so far, as well as the ongoing growth of the content production business.

What do you think is different about being the chief executive of a creative business over any other?

In a creative production business, everything starts and ends with the work. As CEO, my role is to protect the craft - and the people behind it. Girl&Bear is built by and for makers and producers, and that changes everything. We’re not just running a business; we’re creating an environment where making is championed as a creative force in its own right. I came up through the work, not through a traditional corporate route, and that gives me a different perspective. There’s often an assumption that you can either be creative or commercial - but the truth is, you can be both. At Girl&Bear, we’ve shown that high creative standards and commercial and operational excellence go hand in hand. That’s what sets us apart.

You’ve worked within content production for two decades now, did you always aspire to be a CEO at some stage?

I’ve always been ambitious and motivated to move forward – but it was never about titles. I didn’t set out thinking, “I want to be a CEO.” What drove me was the belief that production could - and should - be done better. That the craft deserved more respect. That the makers should have more of a voice. That belief is what led to Girl&Bear.

The kind of business I wanted to work in didn’t exist, so we built it. And as that vision started to take shape, the question naturally came up: who’s going to lead it? For me, the answer was simple - if I’d helped drive it into being, why wouldn’t I take responsibility for where it went next? I hadn’t followed a conventional leadership path, and there’s not a well-trodden route from production into CEO roles - but I’d already started doing the job. I knew the team, I knew the ambition, and I cared deeply about making it work.

Being CEO of Girl&Bear is a real privilege - not because of the title, but because it means I get to help shape the kind of company I always wished existed. One that values people, protects the work, and stays focused on what matters.

What has been the biggest/most important decision you have made in the role so far?

The most important decisions were the ones we made right at the start - setting out our principles and deciding the kind of company we wanted Girl&Bear to be. We made a deliberate choice to put kindness, collaboration and respect at the heart of everything - what we now call our ‘Be Nice’ policy. It’s not a slogan, it’s a standard. It underpins how we work, how we hire, how we lead, and how we show up for each other and for clients.

Those founding decisions created a shared mindset - one that balances creative ambition with mutual respect. Having a CEO who came up through production and understands the realities of making is still surprisingly rare, and I think that helps underpin everything we stand for. I get the people. I understand the pressure and pride that goes into the work, and I’ve lived the challenges firsthand. From the start, we were clear: we wanted to make brilliant work, but not at the cost of the people making it. That clarity has helped us grow with purpose - and hold onto what makes Girl&Bear different.

The business has expanded internationally, most recently in the US - why is that such a crucial market?

The US is a vital market for any business with global ambitions - not just because of the scale, but because of the opportunity to work with world-class talent and brands. Expanding there was a natural next step, especially as more of our clients are looking for global production partners who can deliver consistently across borders.

But it wasn’t just about client demand. We also saw an opportunity to bring our approach to production - one built on craft, care, and collaboration - into a new market that can sometimes feel transactional or siloed. We believed there was space for something more thoughtful. Something that puts people and the work first.

How will Girl&Bear differentiate itself from others operating in that market already?

We're not trying to be just another player in the US production landscape. Our approach is different - we’re built to partner, not compete. We’re collaborative by design, and that spirit always extends to how we work with creative agencies, media partners and production companies alike.

Our US offering is deliberately lean and agile, but backed by the strength of a truly global production network. That gives clients the best of both worlds: a local team who understands their market, and global capabilities that allow for scale, speed and craft. Most importantly, we bring a joined-up mindset - one where creative, strategy, media and production are working together from the start to make better, more effective work.

In this world of Gen AI - how is a content production studio such as Girl&Bear adapting?

Fast! We’re adapting quickly, but carefully. Our approach to AI is to learn by doing – testing tools internally, running pilots with clients, and making sure our teams are hands-on and informed. We want to understand where it genuinely adds value - whether that’s improving workflow, speeding up process, or unlocking new kinds of creativity.

But we’re also clear-eyed. AI is a tool, not a replacement for people. We still believe in the importance of human judgement, craft, and integrity. Some clients are ready to lean in; others are more cautious. Either way, our role is to help them navigate it - and to ensure that technology serves the idea, not the other way around.

What are you hearing more from clients when it comes to content needs? In a world of fragmented attention, it seems they need to produce more, but can't too much content also negatively impact brands?

Everyone’s aware of the pressure to produce more - but there’s also the frustration that more doesn’t always mean better. Brands want to be everywhere, but not at the cost of quality or clarity. What they really need is content that works - that’s fit for platform, distinctively branded, and true to the idea.

That’s where we come in. We help clients scale without compromising on craft. And we do it by being joined-up from the beginning - working closely with media and strategy to make sure everything we produce has a purpose. It’s not about churning out assets; it’s about creating work that earns attention and builds brands.

How do you see content distribution evolving to gain attention?

It’s no longer enough to make one hero asset and cut it into different shapes. Audiences engage differently across platforms - and that means content has to be built for where it’s going to live. The production mindset has to shift from adaptation to intentional design.

For us, that’s about being part of the thinking earlier - working alongside creative, media and strategy to make sure every asset is right for its audience and environment. It’s about precision and purpose. When production is embedded from the start, the work performs better - and nothing gets lost in translation.

What is the piece of work you are most proud of from Girl&Bear so far?

I couldn’t possibly pick just one. I’m proud of different projects for different reasons - sometimes because of the creative challenge, sometimes because of the way the team pulled together, sometimes because it quietly made a huge difference for a client.

But more than any single piece of work, I’m proud of the standard we’ve set - and the way we’ve stuck to it. I’m proud that we’ve built a team that cares, that delivers, and that supports one another along the way. That’s the real achievement.