When Kris Hoet takes up an interest, he goes deep: As FCB’s Global Chief Innovation Officer, he has to. Hoet immerses himself in all media, from Instagram (where, as a devoted mountain biker, he posts about the @bestcyclingkits), to running his own newsletter, to new AR or voice tech programs—whatever the tool, Hoet pushes himself to understand it inside and out before recommending it to clients. Through platforms like TED Talks and Cannes Lions, he has spoken worldwide to diverse audiences. His talks reflect his quiet, assured manner. Whether he’s discussing the rebirth of advertising, the need for creativity in business, approaches to prototyping or ways to design for innovation —to name just a few of the topics he’s covered —he invariably garnerspraise and attention. It makes sense: Hoet leads by example, testing products and ideas thoroughly and bringing boundless creative energy to his endeavors; his audiences sense that when he speaks on a subject, it’s because he has explored that subject to its limits. That holds true for his personal interests too. Curator of the Art Directors Club of Europe Festival in 2017 and 2018, Hoet has a passion for creativity that extends to art in its many forms. A Belgian native, he served as EMEA marketing manager at Microsoft and was managing partner of digital and innovation at leading Belgian creative agencies Duval Guillaume & Happiness before joining FCB Global. In addition to going deep, Hoet also moves quickly —as evidenced by his penchant for collecting and driving classic cars. He’s someone to keep up with, that’s for sure.