BIOgraphy

From a Degree in Biochemistry to a Creative Director

Simon is currently an EVP, Group Creative Director at Patients & Purpose, where he leads a thriving copy department of over 50 writers.

During his over 20 years with the agency—a remarkable tenure in the ad world—Simon has been instrumental in helping Patients & Purpose grow from just 21 employees to over 250.

This is a testament to his passion for the people, purposeful work, and the belief that what we do can have a real, positive impact on people’s lives.

Making the Move to Healthcare

Simon’s advertising career began at JWT as an Account Executive before taking a number of portfolio classes and switching to copy—starting out on Merrill Lynch, Lipton Brisk, DeBeers, and Advil. It was there that he realized he wanted to put his degree in biochemistry to meaningful use.

Since joining Patients & Purpose, Simon has combined his scientific insight with creative vision to drive success for a diverse roster of clients, including Pfizer, Genentech, Biogen, Eisai, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Amgen, and BMS, among many others.

At this stage, he has worked across the majority of disease states—from niche rare diseases to diabetes, oncology, depression, neurology, heart disease, and beyond.

His portfolio spans everything from unbranded programs for rheumatoid arthritis and high-touch adherence initiatives to launching multiple integrated 360° campaigns for blockbuster drugs.

Award-Winning Industry Leader

Throughout his career, Simon has won numerous industry awards, a reflection of his dedication to creative excellence and innovative thinking.

As an expert in health literacy and a passionate advocate for patient empowerment, he spearheaded the development of the world’s first AI-driven Healthy Communication tool.

For Simon, the patient is always at the center of every creative challenge—he believes that providing people with the information they need to make smart healthcare decisions is the most important work advertising can do.

Whether developing a mass media TV spot or pioneering a cutting-edge literacy tool, nothing excites Simon more than uncovering a deep human truth and transforming it into breakthrough creative that engages audiences, drives behavior change, and improves outcomes.

Grounded in Joy and Inspiration

At the heart of Simon’s leadership philosophy is a simple but powerful belief: having fun is the foundation of great creative work.

Knowing that advertising can be messy, demanding, and sometimes humbling, he also believes that great work comes not from obligation, but from joy and inspiration.

When people feel genuinely connected to each other and to a meaningful purpose, they unlock the imagination, resilience, and energy needed to achieve excellence. Getting to great is hard, but it’s also exhilarating—and it fuels a cycle of motivation, inspiration, and connectedness.

Ultimately, Simon believes that when people genuinely enjoy working with each other, they do the best work—and believes strongly in building and nurturing an environment where deep connections, creativity, happiness, and great work go hand in hand.

Oceans, Mountains, and Family

Simon lives in Brooklyn with his wife Kim and his 2 kids Xander and Cassidy. Outside of work, Simon finds his happiness spending time with his family his friends on the water or in the mountains.

Growing up in the UK on the North Sea Simon spent probably too much time racing sail boats. After University he moved to The States to teach sailing—ultimately ending up in New York, where he fell in love with the city, snowboarding in VT, and his future wife, Kim.