Simon Mainwaring

Simon Mainwaring is the founder and CEO of We First, Inc., a strategic brand consultancy dedicated to accelerating growth and impact for purpose-driven brands. His previous experience includes holding the position of creative director at renowned advertising agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Wieden & Kennedy, and Ogilvy, where he worked with high-profile clients like Motorola, Nike, and Toyota. He's a member of the Steering Committee of Sustainable Brands, the Forbes Business Council, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Among Mainwaring's accomplishments is the establishment of We First, Inc., a certified B Corporation, which counts TOMS, Timberland, VF Corporation, SAP, Avery Dennison, VSP Global, Coca-Cola, Clif Bar, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Wrangler, and Reef among its clients. He was also a Featured Expert and Jury Member at the Cannes Lions Festival for the Sustainable Development Goals in 2021, and his company, We First, was included in the Real Leaders list for the Top 100 Impact Companies in the US for 2021 and 2019, as well as a B Corps ‘Best for The World’ Honoree.

Mainwaring is the author of the books "We First: How Brands and Consumers Use Social Media to Build a Better World" and "Lead With We: The Business Revolution that Will Save Our Future". His first book "We First" was a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon bestseller. He also hosts the "Lead With We" podcast and is a columnist known for his branding and social media insights.

Recognized as a thought leader in his field, Mainwaring was ranked among Real Leaders magazine's "Top 50 Keynote Speakers in the World" and voted a "Top 5 Marketing Speaker" by speaking.com. His expertise and insights led to his feature on the National Speaker's Magazine cover. He was also a Real Leaders Top 100 Visionary Leader in 2018, a finalist for the Conscious Company Leadership Awards in 2017, and received the MAKE CHANGE ‘Conscious Leadership’ Award in 2016.

Before We First, Mainwaring's career in advertising led him to work with agencies worldwide, winning awards at all major advertising festivals for clients such as Nike, Toyota, and Motorola. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two daughters.