CB Hot Suit Takes: Elizabeth Beatty, CEO, Waitapu Group
CB Hot Suit Takes is our new Q&A series for extremely busy CEOs and senior leaders across the industry ~ covering careers, creativity, challenges and the song that sums it all up. Next up in the hot seat is Elizabeth Beatty, CEO, Waitapu Group.
1. What made you get into advertising?
I originally wanted to be a psychiatrist. I’ve always been fascinated by how people think. Advertising felt like psychology at scale. I started client-side, moved to London, tried agency life and never left. I’ve gone back a couple of times, but I missed the chaos and adrenaline: turning a blank page into something that might genuinely shift behaviour.
2. Which piece of work are you most proud of, and why?
BMW’s Reverse April Fools’, ten years ago. On April 1st we ran a front-page ad in The Herald offering to swap your old car for a brand-new BMW. Everyone assumed it was a joke. It wasn’t. We had no idea how many people would turn up. One person did — and she absolutely deserved it. It went global and generated $20m in earned media from an $11k spend (excluding the car). It proved that insight and conviction beat budget.
3. What’s the biggest challenge you face right now?
Leading through change. AI, in-housing and tighter budgets are reshaping the model at speed. The challenge isn’t just making better work, it’s redefining the value equation. I’d rather build what’s next than defend what was.
4. What’s the most recent thing you’ve learned?
Resilience matters more than brilliance. Transformation is messy. Success isn’t perfection, it’s staying in the game long enough to make it work. I believe in the art of the possible. Never, never, never give up.
5. What song sums up your career?
“Titanium” – David Guetta ft. Sia. Unbreakable under pressure.