A huge fan and champion of advertising, as UM’s EVP Strategy, Richard helps empower brands to ‘Stand Against Bland’ and achieve their full growth potential by helping them navigate the ever-changing media and cultural landscape and providing strategic leadership, audience-building insight, brand consulting, and media expertise. Over his tenure, UM has become an industry leader and one of the most vibrant, innovative, and exciting agencies to watch, becoming Canada’s most awarded media agency (200+ awards over last 3 yrs), RECMA’s #1-ranked media agency (5 years running) and Canada’s most effective media agency, as per WARC Effective 100 and Effie Canada. A passionate learner and educator, Richard teaches advertising and media strategy and is committed to industry development through outreach, speaking engagements, mentorship (Schulich School of Business, Account Planning Group Canada, Miami Ad School, TDSB high schools). Richard has worked extensively across creative, media, digital, and product innovation - wearing both agency and advertiser hats - and brings a unique, cross-discipline approach to solving business challenges and helping teams transform insight into action.