Lee Newman

Lee Newman harnesses the power of creativity to build brands and generate growth. He has successfully led some of the most prestigious creative agencies and helped build some of the world’s most iconic brands.

As CEO of GSD&M, Newman leads a talented team in building what the agency calls “first and only” brands. Proudly based in Austin, Texas, GSD&M’s roster includes Southwest Airlines, U.S. Air Force, Corona, UT MD Anderson, Vrbo, White Castle, and Capital One.

Previously, Newman served as CEO of MullenLowe for eight years, where he pushed creative boundaries and crafted narratives for blue-chip clients including Acura, JetBlue, KFC, E*TRADE, Patrón, and Whole Foods. Before that, he was President of Ogilvy Chicago through a period of significant growth, and Managing Director of Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, where he helped build prestigious global brands like Coca-Cola, Nike, ESPN, P&G, GE, Heineken, and Levi’s. During his tenure, the office added new clients, significantly increased profitability, and expanded its footprint into Russia and the Middle East. The Gunn Report named W+K Amsterdam “the most creatively awarded agency in the world” in 2011.

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a BA in Journalism and Political Science in 1992, Newman started his career at Leo Burnett. He then joined Fallon where he helped develop the ground-breaking BMW Films campaign which won a Titanium Grand Prix at Cannes, became a Harvard Business School case study, and was awarded AdAge Campaign of the Year.

He’s proud of the teams he has helped built – talented people taking creative risks, venturing into uncharted territory, and outsmarting the competition. He believes Jerry Garcia said it best: “You do not merely want to be the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do.”

Lee lives in Austin and can be found on the trail around Lady Bird Lake early and often with his wife Jessica. He has a daughter Samantha, currently in med school, and a son, Daniel, who recently started his career at Grainger.