David Jones, the 59-year-old British founder of Brandtech, is racing to reshape advertising with AI. The former Havas chief executive launched the group in 2015, raising $300mn from investors including the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust managed by Baillie Gifford. A $4bn valuation in 2024 made Jones a rare success amid industry struggles, with Brandtech now spanning 11 agencies, over 7,000 employees, and $1bn in revenue across platforms like Pencil, Jellyfish, and Oliver.

Jones argues that 95% of creative work is unoriginal and should be automated: "Why not do that with fast, efficient machines and let the geniuses handle the other 5 per cent?" This stance has made him an "agent provocateur" to peers like VCCP's Charles Vallance, though many concede his direction is inevitable. His approach distinguishes Brandtech from traditional holding companies like WPP and Omnicom, which Jones dismisses as stagnant.

Yet optimism is tested. Scottish Mortgage slashed its internal valuation of Brandtech by 90% to £14mn by March 2025, and Chrysalis Investments also marked down its stake. Jones acknowledges the cuts but cites Baillie Gifford's continued belief in his vision, noting a "large divergence between the fair value of the business and that of the instrument we own."

Unfazed, Jones insists marketing faces its "fastest-growth industry" era, not decline. He rules out a near-term IPO: "Short term, we've got to obsessively focus on being the best." Having learned from his father's textile business collapse, the rugby-playing CEO remains convinced Brandtech will one day be worth $100bn or more. "I'm having more fun than I've ever had."