Rita Clifton

Rita Clifton CBE, dubbed 'Brand Guru' by the Financial Times and 'The doyenne of branding' by Campaign magazine, brings unmatched credibility from her time as Vice Chairman at Saatchi & Saatchi and fifteen years as CEO and Chairman at Interbrand. Now Co-Founder and Chairman of BrandCap, Deputy Chair of John Lewis Partnership, and Chair of Forum for the Future, she delivers practical strategies that help leaders turn branding into their most powerful asset for growth, reputation, and long-term success.

Organisations invest heavily in products, services, and operations, yet often underestimate the commercial power of their brand. Rita Clifton CBE helps leaders recognise that a brand is not just a logo or a marketing tool, but the most valuable strategic asset an organisation owns. Described by Campaign magazine as "The doyenne of branding" and by the Financial Times as a "Brand guru", Rita is a globally recognised authority who brings clarity, rigour, and commercial insight to how businesses create and sustain long-term value through branding.

Rita's career spans the highest levels of advertising and brand consultancy. She rose to Vice Chairman and Strategy Director at Saatchi & Saatchi during its most successful period, before spending fifteen years as London CEO and later Chairman at Interbrand, the world's leading brand consultancy. In 2013, she co-founded BrandCap, a business and brand consultancy that has performed amongst the top 1% of UK start-ups and now operates across London, New York, and Hong Kong. Today, Rita holds influential board positions including Deputy Chair of John Lewis Partnership, Chair of Forum for the Future, and non-executive directorships at Nationwide Building Society and Ascential plc. Her previous boards include ASOS, Bupa, and Dixons Retail plc, whilst her non-profit work spans WWF, the UK Sustainable Development Commission, and Green Alliance. She is also a Visiting Fellow at the Said Business School, Oxford University, specialising in corporate reputation. Rita is the author of best-selling books including The Future of Brands and two editions of The Economist's Brands and Branding, and her leadership book Love Your Imposter was published by Kogan Page in 2020. She is a regular media commentator on CNN, BBC, Sky News, and across national press and social channels. In 2014, she was awarded a CBE for services to the advertising industry.

As a speaker, Rita delivers honest, stimulating, and practical insights that resonate across boardrooms, executive teams, and entrepreneurial audiences. She addresses leadership, innovation, corporate reputation, sustainability, digital disruption, diversity, and the strategies required to build world-class brands. Rita leaves audiences with a clear sense of opportunity and action, equipping them to make branding a core principle for growth, resilience, and competitive advantage. Whether engaging CEOs, inspiring emerging leaders, or guiding start-ups, she provides the clarity and confidence organisations need to succeed in an uncertain world.