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LÉON BRISTOW (Ngāpuhi)

@leonbristow

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👨🏽‍💻 That Māori Art Director in advertising
🖤 Forbes 30u30 | Shattering glass ceilings
🌱 Founder 📧 [email protected]

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proud to share that another Māori has just made it on the FORBES 30under30 🤎🥹😭

cannot thank everyone who has supported me enough. it truely took a village for me to be where I am today. this is such a special moment

I am so proud to stand alongside industry giants as Tangata Whenua and Tagata Moana. representing my people in international spaces

arohanui 🤎 x taken in Aotearoa by @leonbristow

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5 months ago

Kia ora, I’m Léon 😊

I’m an art director and entrepreneur by trade. otherwise I’m a gemini and proud introvert who loves a deep and meaningful conversation. I’ve got a gentle nature, but a staunch moral compass

for a long time I felt like sharing my journey and being defined by it would be a disadvantage. an easy reason to pigeonhole or underestimate what I could bring to the table

but now I’ve learnt to wear my journey and battle scars as a badge of honour. it would be silly to not acknowledge the moments that have shaped me so deeply

if i’m being real this is only scratching the surface of my story, but I hope it gives you a greater understanding of where I came from and maybe where I hope to go

arohanui x taken in Aotearoa by @leonbristow

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6 months ago

ABSOLUTELY BLESSED TO BE A FINALIST FOR YOUNG NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR 🥹✨

blessed to have shared a stage with such inspiring change-makers

blessed to whakapapa to this beautiful whenua

blessed to be Māori

blessed for the opportunities that brought me here

blessed to have the support of loved ones

there will be many more special moments to come

because I know I’m just getting started (;

but none quite like this

moving forward my hope for Aotearoa is kotahitanga

courage in the face of difference, to stand shoulder to should, kanohi ki te kanohi, in support of one another

thank you @nzeroftheyear for such a special moment🤎

arohanui x taken in Aotearoa by @leonbristow

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7 months ago

hands down one of my faves 🙌🏽

#advertising #business #success #coinbase #creative by @leonbristow

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8 hours ago

$no fractions here 🙅🏽‍♂️ taken in Aotearoa by @leonbristow$

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a day ago

I believe this to my core 🙌🏽✨

#advertising #business #success #dei #inspire by @leonbristow

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2 days ago

to excel in advertising I’ve had to learn a lot and endure the good, the bad, and the ugly

after nearly six years in the industry working on brands like Under Armour, Samsung, Sony Pictures, and Mars

these are some of the lessons I’ve learnt 🙌🏽

#advertising #maori #artdirector #creative #lessons by @leonbristow

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8 days ago

being an Art Director has been the hardest and fastest learning I’ve had to do

after nearly six years in the industry working on brands like Under Armour, Samsung, Sony Pictures, and Mars

these are some of the lessons I’ve learnt 🙌🏽

#advertising #maori #artdirector #creative #lessons taken in Aotearoa by @leonbristow

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10 days ago

Léon Bristow is a Māori Samoan creative leader using storytelling and design as tools for inclusion, equity, and change.

As an Art Director at Colenso BBDO, and Founder of BEINGS, a casting platform championing underrepresented talent, Léon is reshaping how stories are told, and who gets to tell them.

At just 30, Léon has become one of the most recognised young creatives in the world. Listed on Forbes 30 Under 30, ranked the 4th Best Art Director globally at Cannes Lions, and a finalist for Young New Zealander of the Year, Léon’s accolades reflect both vision and impact.

His work spans brands including Under Armour, Samsung, Volkswagen and Sony Pictures, earning multiple international awards and Grand Prix, alongside work as a judge, speaker, and mentor.

Through creative practice, advocacy, and leadership, Léon is creating greater space for others to be seen, heard and celebrated.

Hear his keynote at the Indigenous Tech Summit, 26-27 November in Pōneke 🌊 by @leonbristow

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14 days ago

Don’t let the tools you’re using limit your ability to connect for greater impact

I’m such a visual person and know for a fact that I won’t remember everything a speaker says

which is why I’m supported by a great presentation that sticks in the mind

if people take photos then I know I’ve done something right

#presentation #speaker #figma #pitch #creative by @leonbristow

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24 days ago

This year, @leonbristow was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list.

But behind the recognition is a much bigger story.

For Léon, being Māori in an industry where our people remain significantly underrepresented has meant more than bringing a different creative perspective. It has meant speaking up when something doesn’t feel right. Advocating when nobody else will. Carrying conversations that were never written into the job description.

And turning that responsibility into action.

Through his work as an Art Director and the creation of @beingsdotco , Léon is challenging who gets represented, who gets to tell our stories, and who gets a seat in the rooms where decisions are made.

Because original thinking doesn’t come from filling rooms with people who all think, live and see the world the same way.
It comes from difference.

Read Léon Bristow’s full kōrero via the link in our bio.

📷 @zicooneillrutene taken in Tāmaki Makaurau by @leonbristow

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a month ago

kinda proud 🥹 taken in Aotearoa by @leonbristow

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2 months ago