Chairman and chief executive of McCann Worldgroup, Ben Lilley began his career in the creative departments of agencies including George Patterson Partners, McCann Erickson and DDB Needham, receiving numerous local and international awards before launching his own full-service agency Smart in 2000, which became acclaimed for its creative work for brands including Adidas, ANZ Bank, Coca-Cola, McDonald's and News Limited. In 2011, Smart was acquired by McCann Worldgroup, with Lilley appointed to the top job. Lilley has featured in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and in the AdNews 40 Under 40.