IJ-8 Speaker Profile: Jan Hedquist

Jan Hedquist was born in Sweden and educated in Switzerland. Subsequently he spent more than 35 years in the global advertising agency business living and working both in Europe and the USA.

His career has included stints with BBDO, Ketchum Communications and Young&Rubicam where he was General Manager of BBDO Latin America, President of Ketchum Advertising and Vice Chairman of Ketchum Communications and Vice Chairman of Young&Rubicam Europe respectively.

Jan’s assignments included responsibility for such multi-national companies such as Ford, Nestle, Unilever, Pepsi-Cola, Apple, Ericsson, Danone, RJ Reynolds, Digital, Gillette, LVMH and Citibank among others.

An early proponent of multi national and integrated communications he is an avid student of differences in communications cultures and how they affect branding and brand perception.

He is a frequent speaker on global communications issues. When challenged he is himself able to communicate in five languages.