Guy Browning
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Powerful disruptive thinker and expert on creativity in business
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Former Creative Director at Europe’s largest marketing agency
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Author of the best-selling business book, Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade
Described as the David Attenborough of the business jungle, Guy Browning is an acknowledged expert on the use of creativity in business. He is also one of Britain’s leading humorists, writing for The Guardian, The Sunday Times and for the BBC.
Starting working life as an advertising copywriter at Darcy Masius Benton and Bowles, where he was responsible for the line "Delicious Meaty Chunks in a Nutritious Gravy", Guy went on to become Creative Director at The Added Value Company, Europe’s largest marketing agency.
Currently, Guy is Managing Director of Smokehouse, an innovation consultancy which helps organisations brainstorm new products and services, new ways of working and new ideas for communication. He’s worked with the giants such as Unilever, British Airways, Sainsburys, Pepsico and Toyota helping them develop new products and successful ways of marketing them. He’s also trained generations of managers to think creatively at some of the UK’s largest companies.
Guy has written many business and humorous books including the best-selling Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade. Others include:
• Double Your Salary, Bonk Your Boss, Go Home Early
• You've got to learn to unleash the power of gratuitous flattery, and congratulate your boss on tasks that can be done by a small monkey
• Being nice in business is like being nice on the roads. Everyone likes you but you don't get anywhere
• Never Push When it Says Pull" will attempt to pull off the same success. Other projects in Guy's pipeline include a radio serialisation of his Weak at the Top column in Management Today.
Guy Browning is unquestionably one of the UK’s most in-demand and engaging speakers on the conference and after dinner circuit. He combines the two elements essential for engaging business audiences; a firm grasp of business issues and an indestructible sense of humour.
Widely acknowledged as one of the funniest after dinner speakers on the circuit. Guy slices straight through all the management clichés, reveals the true purpose of conferencing and offers some invaluable tips on how to scale the greasy pole.
With a wide knowledge of different business sectors, Guy is ideal for conference hosting — with his background in stand-up comedy he creates great energy at events!
In his workshops, Guy demonstrates how to use basic intelligence, initiative and imagination to tackle core business issues. And as a keynote speaker he gets back to basics, cutting through the mass of clichés to sort out what really matters from what really, really doesn't.
Creativity & Innovation
• Gets groups thinking differently about their job, their company and their whole sector.
• Introduces creative thinking skills but also making-things-happen skills
• Focuses on new products, better service and stronger teamwork
• Immediately useful tools and techniques to take away
• Interactive, energising, humorous – great with mixed and multinational audiences
Office Politics
• Observations of absurdities and surreal happenings in office life
• Taken from his ‘Office Politics’ book and column in the Guardian
• Interactive and tailored to individual companies
• HR Friendly
Conference Hosting
• Extensive experience designing and running interactive events for large groups
• Wide knowledge of different business sectors
• Business journalist – insightful commentary on businesses and awards
• Background in stand up comedy – Guy Browning’s Small Talk BBC Radio 4
• Creates great energy for events. Flexible, user-friendly, unflappable.
You were awesome throughout the day and into the evening. Our delegates actually appeared to have tears rolling down their cheeks.
Our performance appears to be unique in that everyone has scored you in the highest category possible.
This was the most wonderful half day of my career at Nationwide. I have taken away so much more clarity of thought and have already put several ideas into place.
I can hand on heart say that over beers at the end you were pointed to as the highlight of the day. Thanks again – it was a great uplift at the beginning of the day, and linked nicely to the innovation in our business.
Your presentation was not only hilarious but was able to deliver a serious business message in a thought provoking and engaging way.
How to book Guy Browning for your event
To book Guy Browning, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.
Business guru and former Inland Revenue Non-Executive Director
The definitive authority on lateral thinking, innovation and creativity
Customer focus, brand insight and innovation expert
CEO of Odeon Cinema Group, the largest cinema chain in Europe, 2005-2014
Former Creative Director for Apple and the man who put the ‘i’ in iMac
Former Head of Creative Development and VP Marketing EMEA Warner Bros