Michael Smith is the Toronto-based founder and Chief Executive Officer of MDS Media Inc., a marketing and branding solutions firm, and host of the How to be Discoverable podcast. For more than two decades, Michael has solidified his status as a disruptive brand architect, helping companies execute industry-leading strategies and achieve profitability at scale. He’s a savvy visionary who does so much more than lead a business – "he elevates the entire digital conversation."
Throughout his career, Michael has earned many of the media industry’s top honors. In 2019, he received the GlobalTrend Video Awards’ Ascent Award as well as three Triumph Awards; W3 Awards for his work in Branded Entertainment, Health & Wellness, and Not-For-Profit Videos; Davey Awards for Social Campaign and two Summit Creative Awards. Michael recently received the highest honors at AMCP’s 2020 AVA Digital Awards for Corporate Image and Social Campaign. Michael’s branding work is often recognized alongside globally renowned brands like Apple, Netflix, Disney, Google, and Pepsi.
In 2020, Michael was recognized by MADCon as a Top 100 Global Leader in Marketing and Advertising - setting standards for industry impact, innovation, and future-readiness.
While bringing home 7 MUSE Awards in 2020, Michael's very own MDS Media Inc. was ranked in the Top 5 Agencies worldwide alongside work representing Spotify, Ferrari, BMW, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal, and many more
Additionally, Michael is a frequently published Forbes contributor and Forbes Agency Council Member, where he leverages his experience and subject matter expertise to lead a global discussion about branding trends and best practices. He appears on several expert panels each year to share his insights on disruptive strategy, marketing, media, and agency-specific concerns.