Rory Sutherland is the Vice Chairman of Ogilvy and the co-founder of the agency's influential behavioral science practice. He is a leading authority on the application of psychology to business problems, specializing in uncovering "unseen opportunities" in consumer behavior to create disproportionate effects from small, contextual changes. His work elevates marketing beyond conventional media planning, focusing instead on "invented media" and "discovered media"—unexpected, inexpensive behavioral tweaks that fundamentally change how people make decisions.
Sutherland’s career at Ogilvy spans over two decades, beginning as a graduate trainee and copywriter before rising to creative director. His experience has cemented his reputation for combining deep creativity with psychological insight. He is a respected voice in the industry, having served as President of the IPA and Chair of the Judges for the Direct Jury at Cannes. His columns for The Spectator, Wired, and Market Leader consistently challenge conventional wisdom in advertising and economics.
As an author, Sutherland has captured his unconventional philosophy in two key books. The Wiki Man provides an early glimpse into his thinking on digital culture, while the bestselling Alchemy: The surprising Power of Ideas which don’t make Sense makes a compelling case for embracing the illogical in strategy and marketing. His collaborative work, Transport For Humans, further applies behavioral science principles to complex infrastructure and service design. These works illustrate his core belief that overlooked psychological factors are often the most potent drivers of commercial success.
Currently, he hosts the OnBrand with ALF podcast and leads a personal development program focused on helping marketers adapt to accelerated disruption using behavioral science, creativity, and innovation. His presentations draw on real-world examples—such as tripling a call center’s sales rate with a few changes to the script—to demonstrate the immense value of addressing problems clients did not know they had. He delivers highly engaging and intellectually crisp talks that equip business leaders with a new lens for competitive strategy and maximizing marginal gains.
