Bookmark/Search this post with
Alex THOMPSON
CCO | THOMSON REUTERS
Alex joined Thomson Reuters in November 2019 as Chief Communications Officer. He also leads the Social Impact Institute, which architects the company’s global volunteerism and sustainability efforts – and its overarching work on access to justice and transparency.
Before Thomson Reuters, Alex served as vice president of Brand Stewardship & Impact for Recreational Equipment, Inc (REI), a $2.6bn retail co-operative headquartered in Seattle that comprises 18 million members and 13,000 employees. He led public policy, government affairs, employee recognition, internal and external communications, content & media, philanthropy and sustainability.
During his time at REI, #OptOutside won the Cannes Titanium award for shutting down its business annually on Black Friday and encouraging people to reconnect with nature. The campaign disrupted retail and contributed to REI being recognized for the 21st consecutive year as a Fortune Top 100 Best Place to Work. REI is known as a national leader in sustainability, having launched broad-reaching product sustainability standards for the outdoor industry, which accounts for 2.2% of consumer spending in the U.S.
Earlier in his career, Alex spent more than a decade working in Europe, south east Asia and the U.S. for the world’s largest independent marketing communications firm, Edelman. He specialized in international brand building and reputation defense. Latterly - as an Executive Vice President in the Corporate Affairs division - he co-led the New York Business + Social Purpose practice.
Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics & Philosophy from the University of Leeds. He advises Sustainable Brands and is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society.He grew up in London, but his family is now distributed across the U.S. and New Zealand. He’s married to a Texan and lives in Toronto.
influences
questionnaire
1. What was your very first job?
My first real paid job after volunteering for a charity was as a public affairs associate, working in Westminster, London, largely on big behaviour change issues in the food, science and health sectors. It involved a lot of interpretation of legislation - and while it was conceptual, it involved next to no creative work, which I got into a few years later.
2. Please describe, in your own words, what your job is and what work it entails.
I serve as Chief Communications Officer for Thomson Reuters and lead Social Impact globally. So my job is to define and defend the brand reputation of one of the most trusted professional services companies in the world – and to advance the issues that we believe strengthen the foundations of society.
3. How did you discover that the creative world was right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? Was there a train of events that brought you where you are today?
I studied philosophy at University which, as a discipline, is often centered on imagining the world live in or want to shape. That conceptual work has run through my career and because the creative industries fundamentally deal in concepts and imagination, that’s probably the spark that lit the fire. When I entered the agency world, though, and left public affairs, I was drawn to creative expression of concepts. You need the magic, as well as the logic (thanks, Futerra, for coining that phrase).
4. In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how do you find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant?
Might be unusual, but I like to look backwards as much as around me. Some of the very best campaign thinking from decades ago is still fresh now. I love talking to the people who led creative innovation in the 80s and 90s. And conversations are always the best path to inspiration. I realize this might make me sound like I am buried in brand history books, but it’s more about embracing the oral storytelling tradition.
5. If you had to pick one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, more for the creative work and innovation rather than its recognition or industry "success," what would it be?
Designing and launching #forceofnature, a campaign to make the outdoors the world’s largest level playing field. The imagery completely reset the visual and narrative tone for REI for years – and made it impossible for the outdoor industry to go back. I wasn’t the creative working on the project, but I watched - and contributed where possible - as some really amazing creatives sharpened their tools.
6. Which creative disciplines do you commission most, and are most interested in seeing more of and why? Which of these disciplines are you most interested in seeing at CONNECTIONS? (ie photo, film, production, social, experiential, vr, cgi, animation etc)
Film and social. I am interested in how tough ideas relating to ESG or tackling global problems are translated into engaging, short and long-form storytelling.
