Simon Mainwaring has spent his career asking a deceptively simple question: what does it actually take to build a business worth believing in? As the founder of We First and the author of We First and Lead With We, he's long believed that the most durable companies are the ones that succeed by serving something larger than themselves. It's a conviction shaped by curiosity, sharpened by experience, and — if you ask his two daughters — probably discussed at the dinner table more than they'd like.

Born and raised in Australia, Simon spent fifteen years inside some of the world's most influential creative agencies, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy, and Wieden + Kennedy. That front-row seat to the power of storytelling shaped everything that followed, leading him to reimagine what business communication could do: not just persuade, but build trust, shape culture, and create genuine impact. Since then, he's worked with global corporations, high-growth challengers, and mission-driven organizations, helping leaders align strategy, culture, and narrative in ways that hold up under real pressure.

Simon is a sought-after keynote speaker and adviser who has appeared at Cannes Lions, SXSW, the UN Global Compact, and private leadership off-sites, and whose ideas have been featured across the BBC, CNBC, Forbes, and Fast Company. He's advised organizations including Unilever, SAP, Bain Capital, and VF Corp., and hosts the Lead With We podcast featuring candid conversations with leaders wrestling with what responsible leadership looks like in an AI-shaped world.

When he's not advising CEOs or on stage, you'll find Simon in the ocean — a passionate, if spectacularly imperfect, surfer who approaches waves with the same enthusiasm he brings to everything else, if not quite the same results. At his core, he's a proud dad, a curious thinker, and a partner to leaders at moments when the decisions are hard and the stakes are real — helping them build organizations that grow with integrity, lead with humanity, and create value that lasts.