"Client partnerships need to go beyond the brief" - Patou Nuytemans

"When I was offered this role, I momentarily considered my nationality to be a barrier for an international position, being from a smaller market like Belgium. But instead, I decided to embrace this, and every other part of me, that had arguably helped me secure the position in the first place," says Patou Nuytemans, CEO of Ogilvy EMEA, talking about her appointment to the role three years ago in September 2021.

Since joining Ogilvy in Belgium in 1993, Nuytemans has risen through the ranks of Ogilvy, taking on management roles of increasing responsibility. She has worked on three continents across a broad range of disciplines, categories, and clients. In an industry that is defined by a state of almost constant transition, her one-agency career shouts strength, confidence and loyalty. All attributes that ultimately make up the best account people in advertising, who are fiercely committed to client partnerships.

Those who know Nuytemans speak highly of her unique ability to harness and channel human energy, a quality that has earned her global respect. Marta Gutierrez, senior VP of Ogilvy Spain and CEO of Ogilvy Madrid, captures this sentiment well: “When Patou bursts into a room, you know from the first moment that you are going to feel something special. When you see her, you sense that she is different, that she takes care of every detail, and just like her image, nothing she says leaves you indifferent.”

Nuytemans’s career has been marked by a consistent push to expand the possibilities of advertising. Previously as chief digital officer, a role she had for over 15 years, she had overseen numerous digital transformation projects for brands, including British Airways, IBM, IKEA, Nespresso, Nestlé, Philips, Unilever and Vodafone. Brian McCarter, chief strategy officer for EMEA and global strategy lead at Mondelēz Chocolate Category, refers to her as “a futurist,” noting: “She was one of the first to see the potential in social media and led Ogilvy’s acquisition of Social.Lab when she was running Ogilvy Belgium. She’s always looking to what’s next and pushing the boundaries for strategy, creativity, and media.” Patou combined her role of EMEA chief digital officer with that of CEO of Ogilvy & Social Lab Brussels, overseeing the network rollout.

Nuytemans’ relentless drive for innovation is matched by her deep personal kindness and care for her colleagues. Fiona Gordon, the global CEO of advertising of Ogilvy, describes her as “a firebrand - a true champion for creativity in all its forms as the ultimate business solution. She’s inherently curious, an advocate for inclusion, and the energy and focus she brings when tackling any client brief is truly exciting.”

We sat down with Nuytemans to delve deeper into her career highlights and what it means to be an account person at heart.

What’s been the biggest learning you’ve had in your career?

Be yourself. I was recently discussing an Oscar Wilde quote with Matthew Waksman, our UK head of strategy; ‘Be Yourself, everyone else is already taken’. It’s funny, this is advice we always give to our clients, we all know the importance of a brand being true to its heritage, it builds trust and a relationship with the consumer, but it’s sometimes advice that we forget to take ourselves.

When I was offered this role, I momentarily considered my nationality to be a barrier for an international position, being from a smaller market like Belgium. But instead, I decided to embrace this, and every other part of me, that had arguably helped me secure the position in the first place.

This is why representation is so important. To see that we don’t all need to look and be like each other, to know that our uniqueness is our superpower.

What’s that one skill that the best account people you know have?

Jon Halvorson, global SVP - consumer experience at Mondelēz International, who I invited to speak at an Ogilvy Leadership Meeting was very clear on this. He said: "Clients complain loudly but pray quietly." Our partnerships need to go beyond the brief. We need to seek out genuine conversations about the business challenges as well as our clients' personal challenges, as our clients face internal challenges too. We should help them with their internal presentations, tell them and their colleagues of the contribution they made, and make work that makes them famous. An effective client relationship is a partnership, and as with any relationship, that needs a foundation of trust which is built on empathy, honesty and understanding.

What makes for a strong, productive client/agency relationship?

‘Do it together’ is our mantra. That means we collaborate. Not only do our internal teams work together across the intersections of our capabilities and countries but also, we work with and alongside our clients in partnership. We are one team and when we work like this, the best work happens. Collaborating is about removing barriers to connect and understand, it is what fuels our creativity.

Who are some of the most brilliant women you have come across? 

During my time leading Ogilvy in the Middle East, I was inspired whilst watching a TEDx talk by Angela Ahrendts on her time as CEO of Burberry, in that very moment the penny dropped and how I thought about my role as a leader changed. She talks about how she believes that human energy singlehandedly has the power to unite and transform companies. The process of harnessing this power begins with building trust, which then unlocks intuition, and ultimately unlocks creativity and shared ambition. As a leader, I now see my role as a conductor of this energy. It’s not very often that something can have such a seismic influence on your strategy, but this concept cemented my belief that human teams rely on human energy to fuel their success.

What advice would you give to people wanting to be a brilliant account person?

Be curious. I still take every moment I have to look at brilliant work and read our best presentations on any topic from any corner of the network. We are lucky at Ogilvy that under one roof we have the best talent in advertising, in PR, in relationship design, in influence, in social media, in consulting, in behavioural science and so much more. The opportunity to be inspired and become a real marketing expert is at everyone's fingertips. Life after all, is about growing isn't it.