Ben Wood, global president of iProspect, wants to spend less time in airport lounges.

1 – Summarise yourself in three words.

Benjamin Charles Wood

2 – What made you want to pursue a career in media and marketing?

A general sense from an early age that the advertising world would be more creative, dynamic, interesting and ultimately more rewarding than many of the other established career paths we were sold on at school, and then some bursts of work experience through my teens that proved me right on both counts. By university I was unbelievably single-minded.

3 – Describe your ideal client.

The best clients understand that the best work and therefore best results come through partnership, trust and mutual respect. And that extends to commercials; the best relationships drive both agency and client profitability and are mutually rewarding, too many client organisations are fixated on the price paid as opposed to the value delivered.

4 – Name your favourite ever campaign.

I loved the Curry’s PC World work this Christmas in the UK with Jeff Golblum, but for a longstanding campaign you can’t look any further than the Meerkats for Compare the Market. It keeps on giving.

5 – Which award win are you most proud of, and why?

Gosh, there have been so many recently. The UK won Brand Republic agency of the year last year and that was a good moment. Our US business has just been awarded MediaPost Search Agency of the year, on top of the same award from iMedia, and that’s been great for them, after a fantastic year of growth.

6 – Who is the best industry speaker you have seen?

I really enjoyed Will Gompertz (Arts Editor at the BBC) talking about ‘Thinking like an Artist’ at a recent Facebook event, engaging, thought provoking and really very funny.

7 – Which is your favourite social media platform, and why?

Instagram. I like the purity of a picture being the medium and the message, and there are loads of fascinating brands and people to follow.

“I’d like to propose we ban all the initialisms that seems to have sprung up in the emerging programmatic space, no more talk of DMPs, SSPs, DSPs, PMP”

8 – Where is your ideal meeting venue?

We like to use the new Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire, its informal but impressive, the accommodation is fabulous, the meeting venues are big and roomy, there are tons of things to do as a team, and the food is really excellent. Oh, and its quite near home!

9 – What is your favourite restaurant?

I tend to head towards Mayfair; Scott’s for formal, Little House on Queen Street for informal.

10 – What is hot in international media and marketing, and what is not?

If by hot, we mean what emerging trends are most important to international clients? Then clearly data and data management strategy is an essential focus at one end of the spectrum and content, and its role in building valuable narrative with consumers, is essential at the other. What’s not hot is worrying about old models of who does what and who owns what – it’s all up in the air and it’s all up for grabs.

11 – Which industry buzzword would you ban?

I’d like to propose we ban all the initialisms that seems to have sprung up in the emerging programmatic space, no more talk of DMPs, SSPs, DSPs, PMPs – much better we talk about data, selling, buying and inventory! We do tend to overcomplicate, as if it somehow underpins and reinforces the value of agencies. Much better to seek complete simplicity at all times.

12 – Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

Working a bit less, spending a little less time in airport lounges, perhaps with a portfolio of interests, but still connected to and involved in this wonderful marketing and advertising industry.

13 – Finally, who would play you in a movie of your life?

I’m not sure anyone will be at all interested in a movie of my life