Susan Credle

Susan Credle's story is one of the most inspiring in the history of advertising — a testament to tenacity, talent, and an unrelenting creative vision. She began her career not in a corner office, but as a secretary, learning the business from the ground up and earning every rung of the ladder through sheer force of will and an extraordinary instinct for ideas. That foundational journey gave her something most creative leaders never develop: a deep, human understanding of every person in the room, from the receptionist to the CEO. It is a perspective that would come to define her leadership style and the work she championed throughout a legendary career. At BBDO, Credle honed her craft alongside some of the industry's most formidable creative minds, developing a reputation for bold, emotionally resonant work that connected brands to culture in ways that felt both surprising and inevitable. She rose to become one of the agency's most celebrated creative leaders, producing campaigns that earned top honors at Cannes Lions, The One Show, and Effie Awards. Her next chapter took her to Leo Burnett Chicago, where she served as Chief Creative Officer for North America — one of the most storied and demanding creative roles in the business. At Burnett, she carried forward the agency's legendary tradition of populist, human-centered storytelling, guiding the creative output of one of the world's most iconic agency networks. She then ascended to the global stage as Global Chief Creative Officer of FCB, where she led creative vision across a worldwide network, championing work that was brave, purposeful, and built to last. As an instructor at Ad Legends Academy, Susan brings the full weight of her extraordinary journey to every lesson. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that great creative work begins with genuine human empathy — that the best ideas are not born in boardrooms, but in the honest observation of real people and real lives. She challenges students to reject the safe and the predictable, to find the emotional core of every brief, and to lead with both courage and craft. Drawing on decades of experience building and inspiring world-class creative teams, Susan teaches not just how to make great advertising, but how to build a creative life worth living. Susan is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the creative industry, having broken barriers throughout her career and consistently championed the next generation of talent — particularly women and underrepresented voices — who deserve a seat at the table she helped build.