Christopher Graves heads one of the world’s largest, leading public relations networks and serves on the board of its parent company, the Ogilvy & Mather Group. Prior to being named Global CEO, he served as CEO of Ogilvy Public Relations in Asia Pacific, where it is the largest, most award-winning public relations network.
Graves joined Ogilvy PR after 23 years in business news including 18 years with Dow Jones & The Wall Street Journal and CNBC. He was one of the founders of the Wall Street Journal Report on TV (now three decades old), Vice President in charge of news and programming for CNBC Asia, Vice President in charge of news and programming for CNBC Europe, Managing Director of Business Development (EMEA & Asia) for Wall Street Journal Online (WSJ.com), and Managing Director of Far Eastern Economic Review magazine which won magazine of the year twice in Asia during his tenure.
Graves is a frequent public speaker and moderator, appearing as a guest host on CNBC Squawkbox and at such events as the Clinton Global Initiative, World Economic Forum, World Islamic Economic Forum, Boao (China’s most influential forum). He served as chairman of the Asia Marketing Effectiveness Festival, Spikes Awards, and Titans of Industry. He has hosted, debated with, or interviewed such heads of state as Tony Blair, Singapore founding father Lee Kuan Yew, and many of the ministers of China, India and other countries as well as celebrities such as Robert Redford and Andre Agassi.
Graves is a contributing author of two recent McKinsey books: “Korea 2020;” and the business bestseller “Reimagining Japan.”
In 2010, Graves was elected life member to the Council on Foreign Relations, the most influential foreign policy think tank in the US.
Graves serves on the board of the Council of Public Relations Firms, is a trustee of the Institute for Public Relations, is on the board of Caring for Cambodia (foundation that builds schools), and on the Leadership Council of Opportunity Nation (a bi-partisan coalition of 200 NGOs devoted to restoring social and economic mobility). Graves is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and of The Seminar.
Awards include, WPP Atticus Grand Prix for original writing, Agency of the Year, Asia Pacific PR Professional of the Year, Asia Pacific Consultancy of the Year, an EMMY nomination and more than a dozen awards from The New York Film and Television Festivals and the Asian Television Awards. In 2011, Graves was chosen to serve on the jury for the Cannes Festival of Creativity (PR Lions).