Rita Clifton

About Rita Clifton

Whether you want to engage CEOs and boards, boost performance across all employee levels, or help entrepreneurs build lasting value, Rita is the ideal speaker for your event. She speaks with authority on modern business leadership, value creation, corporate and personal branding, and the impact of digital and AI transformation. Passionate about diversity in leadership and sustainability, she delivers honest, thought-provoking, and practical insights that leave audiences with clear opportunities for action and growth.

Key points

• “The Doyenne of branding” (Campaign Magazine), “The Queen of branding” (Marketing Week), “Brand Guru” (Financial Times)
• Awarded CBE in the New Year’s Honours list in 2014 for services to creative industries
• Former CEO & Chairman of Interbrand
• Former Vice Chairman & Strategy Director at Saatchi & Saatchi
• Successful Board Chair and non-executive director, business leader and entrepreneur
• Best-selling and award-winning writer
• Long-standing environmental and sustainability champion
• Visiting Fellow at Oxford University (Said Business School)

Biography in More Detail

Rita began her career in advertising and swiftly rose to become Vice Chairman and Strategy Director at Saatchi & Saatchi during its most successful era. She then transitioned into brand strategy, becoming London CEO and later Chairman of the global brand consultancy Interbrand, where she led a highly diverse and talented team. She has advised leading global businesses as well as start-ups and growth-stage companies of every kind. In 2013, she co-founded and chaired BrandCap, a business and brand consultancy with offices in London, New York, and Hong Kong, which she successfully sold to the Populus Group.

A regular commentator across major media platforms including the BBC, Sky, and social channels, Rita is also a columnist for national newspapers and industry publications. She served as a mentor and judge on the CNBC award-winning business series Pop Up Start Up, produced in partnership with Alibaba.

Rita currently serves as Board Chair and Non-Executive Director for several organisations, including the John Lewis Partnership—one of Europe’s largest employee-owned businesses—and the healthcare leader Simplyhealth. Her previous non-executive board roles span companies such as ASOS, Nationwide Building Society, Ascential plc (owner of Cannes Lions, WGSN, and Flywheel), Bupa, Emap plc, and Dixons Retail plc. Her nonprofit work includes serving on the boards of WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) and the UK Government’s Sustainable Development Commission. She is Chair of the sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future, a Trustee of Green Alliance, and a Visiting Fellow at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, specialising in corporate reputation.

Rita is also the author of several best-selling books, including The Future of Brands and two editions of The Economist’s Brands and Branding. Her latest title, Love Your Imposter, is a refreshingly honest leadership book exploring how to build a personal brand and thrive as a business leader in today’s world. It was recognised as a “Distinguished Favorite” by the Independent Press Awards and shortlisted for the Business Book Awards.

Speaker Style

Rita is an honest, engaging, and witty speaker who blends her expertise in business and branding with warmth and humour. Her delivery style creates an authentic emotional connection with every audience—whether addressing CEOs and boards of global corporations or entrepreneurs, emerging leaders, and front-line teams. She tailors every keynote to the audience and platform, ensuring fresh content and actionable insights that inspire lasting impact.

Sector Specialisation:

All sectors and stages of business, from start-ups to global corporations. Both B2C and B2B.

Recent Speaker Creds Include:

• EY High-Performing Women’s Network
• Experian Global Conference
• RSM Global Leadership Conference (Toronto)
• Retail Week ‘Be Inspired’ Conference
• United Way Conference (Florida)
• Brand Boot Camp (Manila)
• Google Agency Conference
• Guardian ‘Disrupters’ Small Business Network Conference
• EU Brands Conference (Brussels)
• British Brands Group Annual Lecture
• Marketing Society Annual Conference
• Gamechangers Summit (Istanbul)
• Wella Professionals Conference
• UKTI Conferences
• Franchise India Conference (Delhi)
• FUTR DX (global)