A lasting legacy

A transformational leader

Mentor, friend, supporter and visionary leader, the late Tom Bedecarré was often described as bold, creative, humorous, generous, tenacious and modest. Co-founder and Chairman of AKQA for 15 years, Tom led the digital agency that exists today to create revolutionary and innovative solutions for its clients. A tireless innovator and pioneer in media, entertainment and communications with a glittering career that spanned more than 35 years. Tom has left an indelible mark on the past, present and future of advertising. A legacy that will live on forever and inspire for years to come.

Non-linear thinking

As Silicon Valley began to emerge in the 1970s, and his Stanford University peers were establishing themselves at Microsoft and Apple, Tom enrolled at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, receiving an MBA in Marketing and Management Policy. He moved from San Francisco to New York and began working at Ogilvy & Mather as an assistant account executive in 1981.

He and his wife moved back to San Francisco to be closer to the phenomenal growth of 1980s Silicon Valley, and in and amongst the transformation of technology, worked alongside Hal of Hal Riney & Partners. This marked the inception of Tom becoming the principal leader of the industry in Silicon Valley.

Fuelled by an entrepreneurial spirit, Tom left Hal Riney in 1990 to help found a new agency, Atlas Citron Haligman & Bedecarré. Later named Citron Haligman Bedecarré (CHB), the agency saw explosive growth in the mid 1990s by embracing technology and being an early adopter of dotcom trends. Under Tom’s leadership as CEO, CHB was quickly regarded as the leading internet agency that embraced dotcom companies – and other agencies followed suit.

In 2000 Tom built the company’s digital assets to become a global player. Straight from the off, AKQA had a global footprint like few other agencies, working with global marketers including Nike and Visa. And over time, they added global marketing accounts for clients like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Heineken. In 2006, AKQA became the first agency to launch operations in China as a wholly foreign-owned enterprise, with no joint venture partner. That same year it acquired a search agency followed by a search technology platform and launched the first agency-based mobile practice—a year before the introduction of the iPhone. It led the way of integrating social media marketing campaigns into its portfolio way ahead of many of its competitors.

The future, faster

In 2012, AKQA sold to WPP in one of the biggest acquisitions of a digital agency at the time. Following the announcement, his long-time business partner and co-founder of AKQA Ajaz Ahmed assumed the role of CEO, with Tom becoming Chairman of AKQA. Concurrently, Tom was named President of WPP Ventures, where he explored Silicon Valley-based investment opportunities for WPP, the world’s largest communications services group.

During Tom’s time at AKQA, the company won more than 600 awards; AKQA was named Agency of the Year 33 times, most notably by OMMA five times and appeared on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list four times. AKQA was listed as a Leader in Forrester’s 37-criteria evaluation of US digital agencies in 2012.

Champion of the work and people

Throughout his career, Tom presided over a global creative and strategic transition of astonishing proportions, founding two best-in-class agencies, steering numerous boards and attracting some of the most forward-thinking brands and brains in the process. As such, he was named national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013.

Tom consistently gave back to the advertising community as a speaker, board member, award show judge and industry leader. In a fitting marker of his enduring influence, Tom was invited to be the Innovation Lions Jury President at the Cannes Lions Festival in 2014.

An internationally respected figure with an inclusive spirit, Tom was instrumental in establishing of Future Lions at Cannes Lions 20 years ago. Now one of the most coveted, global competitions for young people.

A life-long student of ‘what’s next?’

After stepping down from his roles at WPP and AKQA, Tom showed no signs of slowing down. He returned to alma mater Stanford as a lecturer and mentor in their Distinguished Careers Institute.

Having been a mentor and coach to a generation of business leaders of advertising agencies, marketing departments and global organisations, Tom was asked to join the Faculty of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, then becoming an Adjunct Lecturer at the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, Stanford’s entrepreneurship centre, where he continued to influence the Marcoms industry and mentor hundreds of students.

In 2016, he was named a Fellow of the Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute and, in 2018, Stanford Career Education presented him with the Jon Blum Outstanding Alumni Mentor Award in recognition of his empowerment of students – an accolade which is rare for non-academics.

Our thoughts are with Tom’s family and friends and all those who were honoured to have known him.