A high-profile advocate of new media and new techology, Stephen Waddington has long exhorted his PR peers to get to grips with the disruption underway in their industry, warning that many firms face irrelevance if they do not embrace new models and methods. That is an ethos that has helped 'Wadds' rise to chief engagement officer at Ketchum, where has responsibility for reshaping the firm's approach to innovation. A former founder of Speed Communications, Wadds is not just a highly-visible presence in your social media feed. He also plays a genuine leadership role in the industry, publishing numerous books and serving in senior industry association roles, all of which revolve around his singular focus on the future of communications.  

How do you define innovation?

Most innovative PR/comms campaign you’ve seen in the last 12 months?

What brands and/or agencies are most innovative when it comes to marketing/PR?

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider ‘innovative.’

In what area of marketing/PR do you see the most innovation?

How would you describe the communications/PR industry’s level of innovation?

Where do you see the greatest opportunity for marketing & PR to become more innovative?

Who most influences how innovative a brand’s marketing/PR is?

Who is your mentor and why?

How do you find inspiration?

Advice for people seeking to bring new ideas, ways of doing things to their organizations?

In your opinion, what’s the most innovative place in the world?