Wayne Brown, founder and managing director of Cureative, started out as a digital and graphic designer in London before launching Cureative in 2018, with offices in both Australia and the UK. Brown’s business ventures started back in 2014, when he launched his own clothing brand he eventually had to abandon. But the experience instilled in him the grit and determination required to keep his agency thriving.
1. You started as a digital/graphic designer in the UK and then joined Manning Gottlieb OMD. If you had to pick only one, what would be your career highlight so far?
Brown: Without question, the highlight of my career has been founding Cureative. While my early career, particularly my time at Manning Gottlieb OMD gave me the foundational experience in creative strategy and client service, launching my own business has been the most defining and rewarding chapter. Cureative was built with a clear vision: to offer high-quality creative services in a way that’s agile, collaborative, and genuinely human. What makes it truly fulfilling isn’t just the growth of the business, but the impact it’s had on the people around me. Watching our team develop their craft, take ownership, and support one another, that’s what I’m most proud of.
Likewise, seeing the real-world value our work delivers to clients across industries affirms why Cureative exists in the first place. For me, success is measured not just in business milestones but in the opportunities we create for others to thrive.
2. Do you have a mentor, coach, or leader who’s been influential in your career?
Brown: I’ve been fortunate to have a few key figures who’ve shaped both my career and character. Mark Walters gave me my first real opportunity in the industry back in 2010 at Visual Response. He saw potential in me before I truly saw it in myself, and his belief set the tone for how I approach mentorship today. Sam Potter, also at Visual Response, played a pivotal role in my design journey. He instilled in me the fundamentals of design, principles I still apply and pass on to my team today.
More recently, Clive Burcham has been instrumental in helping me grow into the role of managing director at Cureative. His guidance has pushed me to think more strategically, lead with greater clarity, and take the business into new and exciting territory. Each of these people has left a lasting imprint on how I work, lead, and support others.
3. As someone who builds high-quality creative at speed, what’s one piece of advice you give clients to help them balance speed with strategic thinking?
Brown: If you take the time to clarify the brief, align on the outcome, and define the problem you’re solving, everything else moves faster. At Cureative, we’re agile by design, but we don’t skip the strategic thinking and processes that are required to deliver the work. We’re also exploring how technology can support this balance. For example, we’re investing in AI tools to drive efficiency where it counts, from AI-generated voiceovers that reduce costly re-records on award videos, to training our designers to become expert prompters. We believe prompting will be a key skill of the future as it helps us get closer to the right creative solution, faster.
4. As a young boy, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Brown: Like most kids growing up in the UK, my dream was to play professional football, specifically for Arsenal. I idolised Ian Wright, and later Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry. I chased that dream seriously, playing at a high level and reaching step six in the football league system, just a few leagues below the pros. My claim to fame? Playing in a cup final at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s home ground and being scouted to play in America.
While I didn’t end up on the pitch at the Emirates, that experience taught me a lot about discipline, teamwork, and resilience, all of which I’ve carried into building Cureative.
5. You’ve been incredibly successful. How do you maintain the momentum?
Brown: For me, momentum comes from staying curious and committed to constant improvement. I’m always looking for smarter, simpler ways to do things whether that’s through refining our processes, evolving our offering, or exploring new markets. Surrounding myself with talented, driven people is a huge part of it too. Their energy keeps me sharp and inspired. I’ve always
believed that success isn’t built on big moments alone, but on doing the simple things really well, over and over again. Show up, put the reps in, and you’ll move forward. Lately, building out our international team has been a huge source of motivation. It keeps me energised and ensures we’re set up to meet the changing needs of our clients, wherever they are in the world.
6. What’s keeping your clients awake at night?
Brown: Right now, many of our clients are grappling with the sheer volume and unpredictability of work. It feels like we’re all in a constant sprint, deadlines are tighter, briefs are coming in at the last minute, and yet the expectations for quality haven’t shifted. That pressure creates bottlenecks, especially when internal teams are already stretched. We’re also seeing a growing sense of uncertainty around artificial intelligence, not just how to use it effectively, but how it fits into existing workflows without compromising creativity or originality. The pace of change is fast, and for many, it’s hard to keep up while still delivering thoughtful, high-impact work. That’s where we step in helping clients navigate the chaos with speed, clarity, and creative consistency.
7. When you started the agency, did you imagine it would grow locally and globally?
Brown: Honestly, going global wasn’t part of the original plan. When I started Cureative, my focus was to deliver exceptional creative work and build strong relationships through service, care, and consistency. What’s taken us global isn’t a bold expansion strategy, but the fact that clients trust us and trust spreads. People gravitate toward teams that genuinely care, solve problems without adding complexity, and are easy to work with. That’s what’s driven our growth across markets. It’s a reflection of our mindset more than a map. Build great work, treat people well, and the rest follows.
8. As an industry, what’s one thing you would want to change to make us all better?
Brown: If there’s one thing I’d change, it’s the pace, or more specifically, the obsession with speed at the cost of thinking time! Right now, the industry is in a cycle of constant reaction. Everything’s urgent, timelines are shrinking, and while we’re delivering more than ever, the space for strategy and craft is disappearing. We need to slow down to go faster and allow time for creative teams to think, question, and solve properly, rather than just produce.
9. Can you share something that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?
Brown: Long before Cureative, my first attempt at entrepreneurship was a clothing brand I launched called Phunk Clothing back in 2014. I built it from the ground up, sourcing products, designing the brand, and even manning a stall at Spitalfields Market in central London. I vividly remember driving around the city, personally delivering orders to customers. It was gritty, hands-on, and full of energy.
Eventually, I ran out of funding and I had to make the tough call to close it down, but it remains one of my fondest business memories. That experience taught me more about hustle, creativity, and customer connection than any textbook ever could. It also lit the spark that would eventually lead to Cureative.
10. Do your parents know what you actually do?
Brown: If you asked them, they’d probably say I’m a creative person who makes beautiful things, and honestly, they wouldn’t be far off. While they might not grasp the full scope of agency life or what running a creative business entails, they’ve always understood the essence of what I do. I actually credit my creative gift to my mum; she is an incredible drawer, and growing up, I was always inspired by her talent. That influence stayed with me and helped shape the path I’m on now. I think what they see, and are most proud of, is that I’ve taken something I’ve always loved and turned it into a career that builds teams, supports clients, and brings ideas to life.
