John Kearon

Webit Speaker, Founder & President of System1 Group PLC

John’s role in conceiving and leading System1 Group PLC – The Effectiveness Agency - made him Ernst & Young’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’, and the agency has been voted ‘Most Innovative Market Research Company’ more than any other.

Provocative and playful, John has regularly challenged the industry to measure people’s System 1, emotional, instinctive response to ads and innovation, as a far more accurate predictor of short and long-term profitability.

System1’s most recent publication, ‘Look Out’ [a repair manual for advertising effectiveness], is now the fastest and largest selling IPA publication.

John started his career as a Unilever Marketer, before becoming Planning Director at Publicis UK, and starting his first business Brand Genetics ltd, inventing new products and services for companies large and small.

John’s recipe for entrepreneurial success is; creativity, resilience, determination, perseverance, stamina, drive, imagination, resourcefulness, courage, self-belief, commitment, ability to go without sleep and a touch of madness.