8. Record-breaking ruler
2 January 2025
Norris became the longest-serving CEO of a FTSE 350 firm in April 2018 following the abrupt departure of WPP’s Sir Martin Sorrell.
Almost seven years later, he continues to extend that record to levels that will be hard for future generations to match.
Talking to IT Channel Oxygen in April, Norris attributed the feat to “getting the job young” (he was only 34 when he was handed the CEO reins), adding that “I’m not going anywhere yet, I promise”.
“What keeps motivating me? I’m a really annoying person that can’t think of anything else to do – that may be true,” he said.
“I enjoy doing it. The acquisitions in the US, being Britain’s second-largest company in Germany, having 1,200 employees in Bangalore that I’m going out to see in five weeks’ time, having scale, having size, building something of significance… that’s what I get a kick out of.
“I just make it a bit bigger, a bit faster and a bit smarter, and give better service. If you do all those things you’ll make money. I get a kick out of building it and I want to do it for as long as I can.”
