Todd Sampson
Todd Sampson is a Canadian-born Australian television personality, entrepreneur, adventurer, and business leader. Best known as the CEO of Leo Burnett Australia, Todd Sampson has become a familiar face on Australian television through his appearances on Gruen, The Project, and the acclaimed documentary series Redesign My Brain. His achievements span advertising, media, science communication, and extreme adventure, including reaching the summit of Mount Everest.
Todd Sampson’s Advertising Career
Todd Sampson began his advertising career at the Cape Town agency The White House before moving to Australia. During the mid-1990s, he worked as a strategist for The Campaign Palace, one of Australia’s leading advertising agencies.
In 2002, Todd Sampson joined Leo Burnett Sydney, where he quickly rose through the ranks. His leadership and innovative approach to marketing eventually led to his appointment as CEO of Leo Burnett Australia, one of the country’s most influential advertising agencies.
Earth Hour Co-Creator
One of Todd Sampson’s most significant achievements is co-creating the Earth Hour initiative. The global environmental campaign became one of the largest sustainability movements in history, inspiring participation from more than 1.4 billion people across over 5,500 cities worldwide.
Earth Hour demonstrated Todd Sampson’s ability to combine creative marketing with meaningful social impact, helping to raise awareness about climate change and environmental responsibility.
Board Positions and Corporate Leadership
In 2014, Todd Sampson was appointed to the board of directors of Fairfax Media, one of Australasia’s largest multi-platform media companies.
In February 2015, he joined the Qantas board as a non-executive director. These appointments highlighted Todd Sampson’s reputation as a respected business leader with expertise in branding, strategy, and corporate governance.
Television Career
Todd Sampson is widely recognised for his television appearances as a regular panellist on the ABC media review program Gruen. He has also appeared on earlier and related programs including The Gruen Transfer, Gruen Nation, and Gruen Sweat.
Beyond Gruen, Todd Sampson frequently appears on Network Ten’s The Project, where he has served as both a guest panellist and guest host. His engaging communication style and marketing expertise have made him a popular television personality across Australia.
Redesign My Brain
In October 2013, Todd Sampson starred in the groundbreaking science documentary series Redesign My Brain. The program explored the brain’s ability to change and adapt through neuroplasticity, with Todd undertaking a series of challenging mental and physical experiments.
The documentary received widespread acclaim and won the 2014 AACTA Award for Best Documentary Television Program, further establishing Todd Sampson as a respected science communicator and documentary presenter.
Adventure and Mount Everest
Outside of business and television, Todd Sampson is known for his passion for adventure and exploration. Among his most notable achievements is successfully climbing Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain.
His adventurous spirit has also been showcased in several documentary projects, where he explores human performance, endurance, and the limits of the mind and body.
Todd Sampson Today
Today, Todd Sampson continues to be a leading figure in Australian media, business, and science communication. Through his work in advertising, television, environmental initiatives, and adventure documentaries, he has built a reputation as one of Australia’s most influential and versatile public personalities.
