Kelly Bennett, founder and CEO of One Plus One Communications, has had a standout year. Under his leadership, One Plus One took home the Large PR Agency of the Year at the PRINZ awards for the third consecutive year. The agency also won Boutique Agency of the Year at the PR Awards Asia Pacific for the first time.

Bennett’s 30-year career has seen him work both in Aotearoa and the UK. After founding and managing TBWA\’s PR arm Eleven, he went on to establish One Plus One in 2013.

Now 12 years old, the business is going from strength to strength.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Honestly, most of my working days are a privilege and a pleasure. I tend to wake up before 6:00am. Then I check my phone, look at news and emails for a bit, and I’m often out the door for a quick run. I’ll probably have a lengthy chat with my friend and business partner Max Burt and spend time supporting our awesome clients. Bluntly, I’m usually trying to hustle something or ‘on the make’, as someone once charitably described my professional operating style. Nowadays, more often than not, I’m working on the business as opposed to in it, which is testament to the recent success and growth we’ve enjoyed.

What initially drew you to PR, and what keeps you passionate about it today?

I studied art history at university, then did a journalism degree. My first ever ‘proper’ job in the communications industry was in the TVNZ newsroom, starting at 11:00pm and working through until the early morning. I was the only one there, essentially to make sure that if something significant happened, a cameraman or journalist were dispatched to the scene. That stint with the Fourth Estate lasted six months and then I blagged the first entry level PR gig I could get, to be honest. Perhaps, in retrospect and without getting too glassy eyed, you could say I wanted to create news and not chase it.

With over 30 years of experience, what do you believe makes PR truly effective?

Lots of things need to happen at any one time to make something that you are communicating effective. Ultimately, I reckon it comes down to follow through and execution. Managing expectations. Making stuff happen. Then rinsing and repeating but getting incrementally better as you go along. That’s pretty much it.

What does winning awards mean to you personally?

Well, now that we’ve won a few and know what it feels like, to be able to say with confidence and conviction we’re the PRINZ 2025 Agency of the Year feels absolutely brilliant! It’s a way of validating the growth, development and maturity of our business, which I’m exceptionally proud of. I’m a competitive person, and as a team we want to stay quietly ambitious and win more and more of them!

How would you describe your leadership style?

Fair? Devolved? I’m not even sure I have one, to be honest, and if I did it wouldn’t be for me to say. I asked Max and he said: “free-range, organic and pesticide free”.

How do you balance work and personal life?

We work Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in our Parnell office – it suits us well and breaks up the week. On Tuesdays, I often work at Piha looking over the ocean and can get stuff done there that our office just won’t allow. After 12-consecutive years of growth, I’ve realised you have to pace yourself and take steps in and out of the business. I’m super fortunate we’re doing so well, although I often think that’s only come about because of lots of hard graft and consistently showing up, day after day.

Do you have a mentor who’s shaped how you work or lead?

Ironically, I’ve realised in later life it’s actually David Walden, former CEO of TBWA. A charismatic throwback to the Mad Men era. He was also kind-hearted, ambitious, encouraging, and street smart with it. I’ve tried to take the best, and reject the worst, of my influential time working alongside him.

Do you follow any business philosophy?

Presently, it’s neatly summarised by advertising icon Sir John Hegarty, who I was fortunate to reconnect with again earlier this year. The BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty) founder encourages us all to “do interesting things and interesting things will happen to you.” And he does this by maintaining a world view that’s curious, creative and proactive. We try to channel this attitude and ethos through all our efforts and outputs at One Plus One.