The impacts of technology and media consumption upon GenZ.

Claire Hollands
CEO Saatchi and Saatchi

Gen Z has a major problem. They are divided. In an increasingly online existence, boys and girls no longer walk the same path from childhood to adulthood. Fuelled by algorithms and social media, young people are increasingly consuming different content, which is shaping their perceptions and experiences. The result is a generation who are becoming culturally, even politically, divided. And a society that is looking for accountability and change. Claire will take a deep dive into some of the key cultural narratives from this year through to how the telco industry is driving change.

Claire has designed this lecture in response to three big cultural beats in 2025:

• Adolescence: The Netflix drama that got everyone talking about the misogynistic social media targeting young boys
• C4s Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones
• Careless People: A cautionary tale of the power of Facebook (Meta), greed and lost idealism.

Claire Hollands: took over as CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi in March 2025. Saatchi & Saatchi is one of the biggest names in marketing communications, home to some of the UK’s most iconic brands including EE, John Lewis & Waitrose, Subway, Ovo and British Heart Foundation. Claire was formerly CEO at MullenLowe UK and Chief Client Officer at AMV BBDO. She is a Trustee of the Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity and Alumni of the Marketing Academy.

The event will be held in the Alan Walters Building on our Edgbaston Campus.

Claire is an alumnus of the University of Birmingham.

• The Annual Birmingham Business School Advisory Board Guest Lecture is the pivotal event of the Business School calendar is always given in response to a key issue in business that has come to the fore during the year.