Linda Sawyer
CEO
N.A. Deutsch Inc. A Lowe & Partners Company
What are you reading right now?
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. OK, I admit I am always behind, but I’m determined to read it before I see the movie.
What person has been the biggest influence on your career?
Having worked in the business for 27 years and at Deutsch for 22 of them, Donny Deutsch has been inspirational, a driving force, and our partnership has made the perfect business marriage.
If you could have lunch with one person, living or dead, who would it be?
I never had grandparents as my parents were surviving children of the Holocaust. Of course, I wish I could meet all of them but in particular my father’s mother. I was named after her with my middle name, and she sounded like a pioneering, strong woman. I think we would get along quite fine and wish she had the satisfaction to know her death didn’t end the family tree or her spirit.
What brand do you admire the most, past or present?
I am a loyalist, and I have to say IKEA was a defining account for me and the agency. I know the brand so well. Beyond impressive concept.
What is your go-to late night snack?
I always say if I was stuck on an island and had to commit to one food group it would be soup. Healthy and satisfying. From a young age I’ve always loved soup.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
I would like to be able to go back and erase every terrible mistake and awkward moment I have had but not for a minute have to relive or remember it. That would be awesome and very marketable.
What is your favorite quote?
I am not a quoter, but somewhere along the way I heard, “The only thing you can predict is change.”
Since 1989, Linda has been a key player in helping Deutsch Inc. grow into an advertising-industry leader. Under her leadership, Deutsch became the North American anchor of the Lowe & Partners global network in 2009. Deutsch’s unique model combines its fierce independence and strong culture with a global federation of creative, independent and diverse agencies around the world – allowing Deutsch to take its business-focused approach to new levels and simultaneously enhance Lowe’s U.S. offering.
As Deutsch’s CEO of North America, Linda has oversight of Deutsch NY, Deutsch LA, Lowe Roche Toronto and Lowe Healthcare. She was honored for her outstanding achievement in the industry with a 2009 Matrix Award, presented by New York Women in Communications. Advertising Age named Linda one of advertising’s Women to Watch, a distinction bestowed upon a select group of women executives in the industry. Linda is Chairmen Emeritus of the Advertising Educational Foundation and currently serves as Director-at-Large for the American Association of Advertising Agencies. She has also shared her marketing insights on seasons one and two of The Apprentice.