Advertising Week president Ruth Mortimer: ‘I was warned the salary leap might be too much’
Archaeologist turned journalist turned global president of Advertising Week Ruth Mortimer has had quite the career. She tells us about her wide-ranging career, and why you shouldn’t stay in your lane, in this week’s Square Mile and Me
CV
- Name: Ruth Mortimer
- Job title: Global president at Advertising Week
- Previous roles: Archaeologist, editor at Marketing Week, director at Festival of Marketing and managing partner at Econsultancy
- Age: 46
- Born: London
- Lives: North London
- Studied: Ancient History & Archaeology at University of Manchester
- Talents: Speed reading and never lost a music quiz yet
- Motto: Advertising Week’s slogan is ‘Great Minds Think Unalike’ and I can’t imagine a more exciting philosophy
- Biggest perk of the job? Meeting people and learning new things
- Coffee order: Two lattes, eight shots minimum
- Cocktail order: Mojito
- Favourite book: A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
What was your first job?
My first job was to photocopy academic papers at the local university. I often mixed up the pages so I’ve potentially caused the educational downfall of a whole generation.
What was your first ‘serious’ role?
I started life as an archaeologist. I spent most of my first role in a camp in South East Turkey with no internet, no phones and the occasional cow wandering into a tent. I loved the experience but I decided that academia was not for me and I retrained as a journalist.
When did you know you wanted to build a career in marketing?
My career has been about building businesses around content and stories. While I started as a magazine editor, I gradually discovered that the business side of the media industry interested me.
I worked as a content director across 10 different media brands, then ultimately moved into managing a large-scale event, then running a research and consultancy subscription business. When an opportunity came up at Advertising Week to develop the business globally, I was excited because this role brought together the storytelling I love with scaling a global business.
What’s one thing you love about London?
I love the history and modernity of London. You can turn a corner and you’re in Oliver Twist. Turn another corner and you’re in 2025.
And one thing you would change?
Nothing. I love the way people refuse to speak to you on the Tube. I love the diversity. You can walk almost everywhere and the transport is incredible compared to almost every other major city where I’ve worked. Never change, London.
What’s been your most memorable job interview?
An old-school recruiter told me that the salary leap would “be too much for me and they weren’t sure I could handle it”. I was shocked; not only because I’m good at spending money but I had been recommended for the job. I felt sure nobody would have said the same comment to a man.
And any business faux pas?
I’ve made so many mistakes in my career. Printed the wrong cover on a magazine. Run an awards where we had so many people turn up that we had to order Domino’s pizza. But I see mistakes as ‘failing fast for success’ so I won’t worry too much.
What’s been your proudest moment?
Seeing ideas that were once fleeting thoughts in my head come to physical form. The Future is Female Awards is one example. Seeing this become more than an award and grow into a global community of women who are friends, hiring each other and working together has been incredible.
And who do you look up to?
Lilly Ledbetter – she persuaded President Obama to write the US Equal Pay Act into law. She fought pay discrimination for women as a working class woman who decided one person could make a difference and fought for years against the odds. I hope I can retain that fire, curiosity and sense of fairness in my own whole life.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t worry about being good at everything, just be good at something. If you’re brilliant at something, people care and they dismiss everything else.
And the worse?
Stick to your lane. That’s not the same advice as being good at something – that’s about reducing yourself. I’m here to use all the lanes.
Are you optimistic for the year ahead?
I get my energy from meeting people and learning new things. Therefore, I’m only ever excited about the future.
We’re going for lunch, and you’re picking – where are we going?
Milk Beach Soho, The Barbary or Bubala. Or Toklas at our Advertising Week venue at 180 Studios.
And if we’re grabbing a drink after work?
If I’m working locally in North London then I love Floral Hall, which is an amazing cocktail bar. In Soho, Disrepute is fun.
Where’s home during the week?
North London because my whole life here is predicated around the ability to get to meetings in 25 minutes on the tube. But I am often travelling – our office is in New York and we also have events in Mexico City and Tokyo.
And where might we find you at the weekend?
At Zero Gravity Pilates where I am constantly trying to develop abs of steel but am often simply talking too much to achieve that.
You’ve got a well-deserved two weeks off. Where are you going and who with?
My favourite place on earth is South America. I’ll take my family because nobody else is going to put up with me for two whole weeks.