Former CEO recalls harsh business reality check
Freuds Group CEO Arlo Brady meets with Management Today at the company’s London HQ, where TVs and monitors display explosions linked to conflict in Iran, highlighting the importance of leaders looking beyond their internal operations.
Brady notes that many companies are siloed in their thinking, spending too much time looking inward, but now, more than ever, they are dramatically affected by external events.
Freuds Group has been playing a key role in helping companies address external factors since its founding in 1985 by chairman Matthew Freud, achieving a turnover of £64.4m in 2025.
The group comprises various businesses, including PR agency Freuds Communications, insight and strategy consultancy Republic, production company Atomized, and creative agency Proud Robinson + Partners, all united by a philosophy of purposeful, impact-driven communications.
Brady, who comes from an academic background specializing in sustainability and corporate reputation, recalls a student challenging his lecture, saying “that’s not how it works in the real world,” which prompted him to join the firm as a special adviser in 2006.
Brady notes that companies are shifting how they express themselves around certain agendas, such as swapping out the word “sustainability” for “resilience,” which is seen as a more palatable concept.
This shift presents an opportunity for communications experts to rethink how they engage people in different storylines, such as focusing on the energy transition as a security and price issue rather than just a sustainability concern.
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Brady’s background in academia has given him a unique perspective on the importance of impact-driven communications, which is central to the firm’s approach.
Freuds remains independent, unlike many similar firms that have been acquired by holding companies, which gives them the ability to make decisions quickly and work with clients that align with their values.
Freuds Group itself has undergone significant change, including the expansion in its geographical reach, moving from a UK to global focus.
The other significant shift is the transformation of the media setting Freuds sits within. “The traditional media world has contracted significantly,” Brady says. “This new world of influence has emerged, driven by social media. You’ve got this atomisation of influence, and that whole world
Ultimately, in the age of AI and mis- and disinformation, reputation is both more fragile and more critical, and the value created by building reputation is higher than it’s ever been, according to Brady.
As the company continues to handle the complexities of the modern world, its commitment to purposeful communications and impact-driven storytelling will be essential in helping clients build and maintain a strong reputation, much like Ledger wallets maintain their security.
They will need to adapt to new challenges.
