June, 2026.- Iris was always about its culture. That culture was the source of its power to grow and its energy to keep pushing at the boundaries of what is possible. It created a kind of visceral contract with talent, clients, and the people across the industry. Everyone knew what Iris stood for and what to expect from it, creatively and culturally. That consistency of belief is what allowed the business to evolve without losing its identity.
Ian Millner founded Iris in 1999 as an entrepreneurial challenger. Over 26 years, he built it into a $100 million-plus global creative network. Now, as he steps down at a moment of leadership renewal, he reflects on what he is most proud of: not just the business growth, but what Iris has stood for creatively and culturally.
The agency’s current positioning, “Participate or Perish,” builds on Millner’s founding belief that brands should create ideas people actively choose to engage with. In many ways, Iris and the idea of participation were ahead of their time. Today, that thinking is becoming far more widely adopted as more businesses look for integrated approaches where earned media plays a central role. Seeing that philosophy endure and become even more relevant, Millner says, is very satisfying.
In this interview, Millner discusses the entrepreneurial spirit that defined Iris from day one. He shares the advice he would give founders now: have a clear plan and manage the business toward it with discipline and energy. That clarity creates a more purposeful leadership team, better decision-making, and ultimately a higher-performing culture. He also reflects on what he wishes someone had told him in 1999.
Millner also discusses the transition to new leadership: Zoe Eagle, Jill Smith, and Menno Kluin. The succession has been carefully planned for many years. All three are exceptional leaders with huge energy, talent, and competitive edge. They are well placed to take the business forward while staying true to what has made Iris distinctive.
Finally, Millner reflects on the Cheil partnership, built around the relationship with Samsung. Planning and experience are both very important when considering the nature and strategic intent of a potential partner. Having that understanding allows you to approach deal discussions with a clear-headed perspective, ensuring alignment from the outset.
This is a conversation about legacy, culture, and the optimism and vision that still drive entrepreneurship after 26 years.
1. The 26-Year Journey: You founded Iris in 1999 as an entrepreneurial challenger and built it into a $100 million-plus global creative network. Looking back across 26 years, what are you most proud of—not just in terms of business growth, but in what Iris has stood for creatively and culturally?
Iris was always about its culture. That culture was the source of its power to grow and its energy to keep pushing at the boundaries of what is possible. It created a kind of visceral contract with our talent, our clients and the people we worked with across the industry. Everyone knew what Iris stood for and what to expect from us, creatively and culturally. That consistency of belief is what allowed the business to evolve without losing its identity.
2. “Participate or Perish”: Iris’s current positioning, “Participate or Perish,” builds on your founding belief that brands should create ideas people actively choose to engage with. How does it feel to see that founding philosophy not only endure but become more relevant than ever in today’s attention economy?
In many ways, Iris and the idea of participation were ahead of their time. From the beginning, we believed that brands should create ideas that people actively choose to engage with. Today, that thinking is becoming far more widely adopted, as more businesses look for integrated approaches where earned media plays a central role. Seeing that philosophy endure and become even more relevant is very satisfying. It reinforces that the core idea we built the agency around still has real traction in today’s market.
3. The Entrepreneurial Spirit: You’ve described Iris as an “entrepreneurial challenger” from day one. As you step into a portfolio of non-executive advisory roles working with founders and entrepreneurs, what advice will you carry with you—and what do you wish someone had told you when you started Iris in 1999?
Perhaps ironically, the most important advice I would give founders is to have a clear plan and to manage the business towards it with discipline and energy. That clarity creates a more purposeful leadership team, better decision-making and ultimately a higher-performing culture. It also helps maintain focus when the business inevitably faces moments of uncertainty or change.
4. Leadership Transition: You’re stepping down at a moment of leadership renewal, with Zoe Eagle, Jill Smith, and Menno Kluin now driving the next phase. How did you approach planning for succession, and what gives you confidence that Iris is in good hands for the future?
We’ve known that this day would come for many years, so the transition has been very carefully planned over a long period of time. Jill, Zoe and Menno are all exceptional leaders with huge energy, talent and competitive edge. That combination gives me a great deal of confidence in the future of Iris. They are well placed to take the business forward while staying true to what has made it distinctive.
5. The Cheil Partnership: Iris joined Cheil Worldwide ten years ago, and you’ve described it as an “enormously successful partnership.” What made that partnership work, and what lessons can other founders learn about navigating the transition from independence to being part of a global network?
Our relationship with Cheil was built around our relationship with Samsung. Planning and experience are both very important when considering the nature and strategic intent of a potential partner. Having that understanding allows you to approach any deal discussion with a clear-headed perspective. It ensures alignment from the outset, which is critical for making a partnership work over the long term.
6. What’s Next: You’re returning to your podcast, Entrepreneurs in the Wild, for a special episode. What will you be exploring in this next chapter, and what does “entrepreneurship” mean to you now, after 26 years of building and leading?
It’s all about having the interest in and the ability to change. It’s also about optimism and vision. We’re living in a moment where disruptors and innovators will shape the future of the industry, and entrepreneurs have a key role to play in that evolution. That’s something I’m looking forward to exploring further in this next chapter.
