About me
Sairah Ashman is Global CEO at Wolff Olins, the creative consultancy famously described by a McKinsey Partner as the perfect blend of maths and magic. She leads business direction and performance in partnership with her leadership team and local offices. Wolff Olins has 3 global hubs operating across multiple geographies and is part of the Omnicom group.
Over a 20-year career, Sairah has built a reputation for creating high performing teams, outstanding results for clients and delivering business transformation. Most often working across differing market situations, cultures and regions.
She is an alumna of Harvard Business School and Goldsmiths University of London, an active supporter of The House of St Barnabas (working to break the cycle of homelessness) and a regular TEDx host and speaker.
Projects
- Collison EventPanda Conference Artificial Intelligence is here, and there’s no turning back. It’s raising big fundamental questions about the nature of consciousness. Questions that even neuroscientists can’t yet answer. This means the big technology companies developing and using AI are effectively playing God, whether they acknowledge so or not. As products evolve at breakneck speed we must acknowledge that this new frontier has yet to become civilised – it has no universal code of ethics, conduct and policing. It’s the new Wild West. So far the major players all have one thing in common: they are focused on solving individual problems, rather than looking at a bigger picture. We know there is a spectrum of possibilities for where this could go – dystopian to utopian – and we know the choices we make today have far-reaching ramifications. In the pursuit of short-term profits and higher valuations, we know that these businesses have been slow to recognise this. Often their staff and customers are the ones forcing them into more positive changes. We believe ‘brand’ can be the philosophy, manifesto and calling that helps influences how companies develop their narrative, products and services, and therefore use of AI, in a way that’s good for them, for their people, for society and ultimately our future.
- Radical EveryoneIn a time of global pessimism, how can business reignite hope and stimulate growth? Our research in partnership with CitizenMe told us: it should help everyone create radical change. Inside companies, this demands a rethink, of fundamental concepts. Our contributors start this conversation in the second part of this report. And how should leaders react? Robert Jones, our Head of New Thinking, lays out three steps. Radical Everyone
Projects credited in
- Top 50 companies to work for in 2021Looking to kickstart or pivot your career in 2021? We’ve put together a list of 50 top companies to work for! We formulated this list by using insights from the popularity of companies and the jobs they post on The Dots, topped off with a dash of our team’s wisdom and a good mix of brilliant charities and pro-social companies. Be sure to follow your favourites to stay up to date with their events and all-important job opportunities!226
- International Women’s Day 2020, meet 100 trailblazers redefining the creative industryAt The Dots, International Women’s Day isn’t just a day – it’s a whole month! A time to take over the site and shine a light on the women and non-binary people redefining the creator landscape. For #IWD2020, we asked industry leaders to nominate the trailblazing women and non-binary people they think will redefine the creative and digital industries over the coming years. The list we’ve put together is one that beams with brilliant, talented people and their dedication to positive change. Book168
- This International Women’s Day, meet the 200 Women Redefining the Creative Industry in 2018Discover our 2020 list here This International Women's Day, we asked influential icons to nominate 10 trailblazing women who they believe are redefining the creator landscape. The result? A unique and incredible list of 200 trailblazing women breaking barriers and inspiring change! Only 36% of jobs in the creative sector are currently filled by women. At the top of the tree there’s an even bigger problem - women make up only 11% of Creative Directors. In an attempt to change this, our month-lo165