helping brands, businesses and their leaders across the globe

Welcome to STRAY RHINO

MAXIMISING YOUR POTENTIAL WITH OUR EXPERIENCE

We bring hard-earned understanding to help prioritise your professional business issues.

We've also got the medals to prove it

What's this all about...

Why the Rhino?

Indomitable strength. Surprising speed. Relentless toughness.... all go without saying.

But basically, we like to think of a rhinoceros as a big, grey unicorn… still magical just a lot more grounded. If you could only put a saddle on one, surely, you could take over the world.

Stray Rhino can help bring all these attributes to your business, your brand, your project, your team or even to you, as an individual. Because no issue is the same, there’s no playbook or template for success so often it helps to have some company while you wander down paths less travelled. With some hard-earned experience at your side, you, too, could feel a lot more like taking on the world.

Then again, it all could just be an anagram.

Coincidentally, Tony Harris has spent over thirty years working with teams and projects across the world, from Manila to Manchester, making them and their organisations hugely successful. He would love the chance to help you do the same.

He is also an anagram.

Why not see if we can help to put some of your more complex business issues in the right order?

Could Business Mentoring help you...

You’re probably wondering what does a business mentor actually do and would they be of any conceivable use to your own enterprise. To explain best, why not take a look at some of the questions concerning which we have recently been asked to advise and respond.

“Our management team needs re-energising, could you take a look and help us workshop a restructure?”

“We’ve got a breakthrough online service, can you help us in clarifying its proposition to attract more customers?”

“We’re an agency that’s going well but, with all the market changes, how do we start to make ourselves future-proof?”

“I’ve just been put in charge of a business for the first time, where do I start?”

"There's a big new business pitch but we need someone to really bring some magic to our presentation."

“Our business has a competitive edge but the window of opportunity is closing, how do we ready ourselves for a sale?”

Some of these relate to businesses directly, others to brands and some to individuals themselves. The benefit of experience is that many of these questions have been tackled before and with a little gentle probing into each context, we’ve managed to effect some very successful outcomes.

There are very few situations that have no precedent so an experienced eye can often see the various threads and unpick the knots that are jamming up the process. Everyone can benefit from a solid sounding board.

In all honesty, many of our clients had the answer already, they just hadn’t realised it and it was often a case of simply finding the right triggers to effect the most positive reaction. Think of us as another pair of eyes to see a way through a problem.

So… one last question. – how can Stray Rhino help you?

People seem to like what we do...

"Tony is the guy that turns question marks into exclamation points. Whenever I’m stuck or feel like an impostor, he’s there to sort me out. Just recently he helped me with formulating a strong succession plan, a task that – before engaging him – seemed like a never-ending cycle of indecision."

Andreas Krasser - Chief Executive Officer, DDB Hong Kong

“Tony has always been a great listener, able to distill pain points and needs and had an incredible ability to act decisively to help solve problems thoughtfully. Tony is reliable and caring; a great combination for mentoring.”

Freddie Covington Corbett - SVP, Global Brand & IMO, Visa Worldwide

"Pausing, stepping back, and looking at your business isn’t an easy task and often gets brushed to one side.

Tony helped guide us, reset our compass, and point us in the direction for the next chapter for our business, and our own personal growth and development. He simply got us, and the entire team from the get-go.

Tony has the best bedside manner in getting to the root cause and delivering the diagnoses, and often hard truths in a comfortable and actionable way."

Nick Vaus - Founder & Creative Partner, Free The Birds, London

“Tony has that unique ability to see the big picture and sweat the details. It’s what makes him such a powerful mentor; he’s visionary and practical. And when those two forces unite it engenders incredible trust.”

Bram Williams - Founder, Archibald/Williams, Sydney

'What makes Tony a great presenter, fundamentally, is the way he approaches his craft. He thinks beyond designing effective tactics. Tony understands why these tactics are effective at a basic psychological level. This enables him to engage the room in ways that bridge the gap between marketing practice and academic research. He makes it look easy but it’s no easy feat!"

Amy Dalton - Associate Professor of Marketing, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

"The best conversation I have had this year. I immediately felt a new sense of direction. This is EXACTLY what I needed. You have reassured me and put some steel in my resolve. Already, looking forward to our next meeting."

Philip Higham - Head of Account Management, VCCP Blue, London

Who is Tony Harris?

In previous incarnations, Tony Harris has been the following though not necessarily in this order…

Chief Executive of 3 offices for BBDO – the world’s most awarded creative network – in Manila, Tokyo & Hong Kong.

Author of “Advertising. More Fun In The Philippines” which he describes as “three hours of your life you’ll never get back” but was still shortlisted for the National Book Award.

Deputy Chairman & Chief Operating Officer for RKCR/Y&R in London when it was voted one of the World’s Top 5 agencies.

Blog-writer for discdiscussions.com (and he can bore you to death on this).

Leader of BBDO Guerrero when they became the first Philippine agency to enter the World Top 50 rankings.

Winner of an Exhibition in Ancient & Modern History to Lincoln College, Oxford.

Founder of BBDO Japan, in Tokyo, developing a previously untapped reputation for effectiveness campaigns.

Audience member at Wembley Stadium for Live Aid.

One of London’s Top 10 Account Men according to Campaign Magazine.

Author of "Leadership 101 - 101 observations in 101 words for those who find themselves in charge", published in June 2022 by Clink Street Press.

Still the record holder for the slowest recorded times in the Dunelm and Swainston Runs at Durham School.

Guest lecturer at UHKST for their marketing faculty.

Playboy Man of the Month (though he only takes his clothes off if the part absolutely demands it… and, mercifully, for all concerned, on this occasion it didn’t).

Throughout all of the above, he has amassed an eye watering record collection & a barely passable mastery of the bass guitar and still carries the curse of being a Newcastle United fan.

Welcome to STRAY RHINO

MAXIMISING YOUR POTENTIAL WITH OUR EXPERIENCE

What's this all about...

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen and a push in the right direction.”

Could Business Mentoring help you...

“Our chief want in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can.”

People seem to like what we do...

“A mentor is someone who lets you see the hope inside yourself.”

Who is Tony Harris?

Welcome to STRAY RHINO

MAXIMISING YOUR POTENTIAL WITH OUR EXPERIENCE

What's this all about...

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen and a push in the right direction.”

Could Business Mentoring help you...

“Our chief want in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can.”

People seem to like what we do...

“A mentor is someone who lets you see the hope inside yourself.”

Who is Tony Harris?

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