Sam Dawson, Head of Creative Studio

Since January 2024, Sam Dawson has transformed OVO’s Creative Studio into a cohesive in-house agency. Sam leveraged her operational expertise to lead the studio in partnership with the brand team. The result is thriving creativity, with Sam guiding the creative leads, as well as better communication and alignment with the wider business.

A highlight of Sam’s leadership has been the integration of OVO’s Creative Studio with Publicis Groupe's LeSHOP. Fusing agency experience symbiotically with in-house knowledge, it lets OVO call on specialist skills when needed, making budgets stretch further and boosting the amount of completed briefs by 30%. Sam also integrated the social team, upping engagement significantly, and hired a Creative Strategist for better brief insight and creative impact.

Under Sam's leadership, the studio now functions as a full-service in-house agency, managing over 600 briefs across 16 workstreams in 2024. The OVO brand is feeling the effects, with rising awareness, consideration, trust, and standout scores.

Sam has cultivated a strong culture of community and creativity, proven by a 95% staff retention rate and a 1.2-point increase in employee satisfaction. She champions flexible working and is a role model for growth and self-development. Beyond OVO, Sam actively supports her professional network, placing 6 specialists this year, and leads sustainability initiatives with charity partnerships. Her impact since becoming Head of Creative Studio can’t be understated, and as her mentee states, Sam is "one of the most authentic people – and leaders."