Member Interview With Joe Lipscombe

We are delighted to bring you a Member Interview with Joe Lipscombe, Partner at The Romans

What’s your golden rule?

If you think your title is a free pass to be an asshole, you and I are done.

Who has been your biggest influence?

Tough question. Different people have influenced me in different ways. Here are three of them:

1. David Bowie is my creative inspiration. The ability to think critically about the world around you and have the confidence to shift the paradigm as and when. He was an icon musically and creatively. To look at the state of play and be able to change it time and time again is an incredible gift.
2. Sir Patrick Moore is my academic inspiration. Curiosity is an undervalued and highly important attribute. He had it in abundance. For an incredibly intelligent and multi-skilled academic, he humbly claimed he was just curious and interested in the world around him. If we can remain curious and interested we can learn more about others around us, the world, and ourselves. Also, he met the first person in space, the first person on the moon, and the first person to fly. Pretty cool.
3. My wife is my character inspiration. She taught me to be a better listener, to be more compassionate, to be more selfless, and to dress a little better.

What is your most hated business expression?

Culture. Purely because I think we've completed abused and misused the term. Today it's some kind of blanket term for boosting morale. I believe it's a far more strategic set of guiding principles that propel a team forward. It's hard to have a serious conversation about company culture today because people have such varying views on what it is and how to prioritise it.

What’s the smartest business idea you’ve ever had?

Emirates serves 77 million meals yearly. Make meat opt-in, not opt-out, and we'd dramatically reduce meat consumption and lower global emissions. That's not technically a business idea, but it's a great idea nonetheless.

Which leader do you admire most and why?

Actually, I think really great leaders are in short supply today. Whether it's major corporates, politicians, sports, etc. I'd be fascinated to hear from Xabi Alonso, who just took German football side Bayer Leverkusen from a relegation battle to their first ever league title in under two years. That is a generational turnaround for what was his first senior coaching role. He also has great hair.

What keeps you up at night as a marketing leader?

Excel, mostly.

Why is being part of The Marketing Society important for your career?

Ask me again in 12 months.

Why does marketing matter to you?

At a time where every major global challenge comes with a major communications challenge, it's an industry that combines some of the most influential and impactful skills and crafts—creativity, social sciences, data & analysis—and leverages them for social benefit.

Tell us something that’s not on your CV

I'm an amateur skydiver but have so far managed to fight off the urge to use the fact on LinkedIn. But I'm sure I'll break soon enough.

Not a member yet?

Now it's time for you and your team to get involved. Get access to world-class events, exclusive publications, professional development, partner discounts and the chance to grow your network.

Our Membership Speaks For Itself. Be part of it.

Published on 17 May 2024