Barnabas Day – OV Drew Benvie

On Tuesday 11 March 2025 it was a great pleasure for King’s to welcome OV Drew Benvie (K 85-96) back to School and into the Barnabas Group.

The Barnabas Group is made up of distinguished OVs who have excelled in their chosen profession and are invited to speak to the School about their experiences, lessons learned, and the encouragement they feel able to pass on as a result. You can read more about the Barnabas Group, and its members, here.

Drew is the founder and CEO of global social media agency Battenhall, which is based in London and has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Asia, and across the UK. Battenhall delivers social media, advertising, marketing and PR for global brands, and the company has been named 30 times as its industry’s agency of the year. Drew has himself been named the industry’s top CEO by Campaign Magazine, The Sabres and by the PRCA. Outside of work, Drew launched a non-profit in 2023 called Raise (Responsible Actions in Social for Everyone), which campaigns to make social media safer.

At King’s, Drew was head of Kittermaster and was a monitor. He played rugby for the 1st XV, captained the athletics team, and was one of the first school basketball team members.

On Barnabas Day, Drew was introduced to the whole School in Worcester Cathedral by Acting Head, Dr Alison Oliver (Hon OV). Taking his place at the lectern, Drew shared his experiences of King’s to a rapt audience (including his own children), engaging them with his memories of sport, lessons and teachers. His life beyond King’s was similarly interesting: the change of university degree reassuring those in the Sixth Form that you do not have to set your life in stone at the age of 18, and Drew’s encouragement to seize every opportunity, especially outside of academic life, helped give all the pupils inspiration for their own futures.

Drew’s career trajectory was filled with spotting opportunities and trends, taking leaps of faith, and surrounding himself with inspiring people. This formula meant Drew led the social media evolution, literally writing the Wikipedia page, and continues to be at the forefront of social media and AI, while expanding his award-winning business reach across the globe. You can watch Drew’s full speech via YouTube HERE.

Following the Barnabas Assembly, Drew had a very full day speaking with a variety of pupils. He began, though, by spending some time with Dr Oliver for the latest edition of the Vigornian Voices podcast, which you can listen to via Mixcloud HERE.

Drew then had the opportunity to revisit College Hall, where he had spent many hours in Assembly as a pupil, and watched many concerts as a parent. A quick trip to No.12 gave Drew the chance to catch up with his former History teacher, Tom Sharp (Hon OV), as well as current Head of History, Wayne McGarvey.

Returning to Hostel House, Drew met with Heads of School Amelia V and Eric D, who presented him with the Barnabas Shield in recognition of his support for the school, his achievements, and to formally welcome Drew as a member of the Barnabas Group.

Then it was straight over to Choir House (aka the English Block) to meet with Head of English, Rebecca Dyke, and the Fifth Formers who will be studying English A-level. Their discussions around AI and creativity gave much food for thought, with Drew’s very important words of advice for the pupils to learn more about AI, such as ChatGPT, but just as key is to know how and when not to use it, for example in place of their own work! Drew also gave the pupils the chance to experience the latest, speaking, version of ChatGPT, which none of them had yet seen nor heard.

The Lower Sixth Computer Science A-level students in Head of Computing, Duncan Branchett’s (Hon OV) class were very keen to have some time with Drew. While AI was similarly a core topic of their conversations, in particular the ethical challenges it poses, so was the use of coding and how essential technical skills are in the world of work, irrespective of the sector/industry. Drew passed on some useful tips, and some additional reading to help expand the students’ understanding and application of AI.

Some time was put aside for Drew to meet with L6 student Pranav M, who is focusing on AI for his EPQ (Extended Project Qualification), before Drew joined Dr Ronan McLaverty-Head (Hon) and his A-level RP class for an in-depth discussion around AI and ethics. As part of the conversation, Drew explained how his company has an Ethics Board, set up specifically to discuss how to use AI without infringing on true creativity and ensuring there is no misrepresentation of their work in the public arena.

For lunch, Drew joined Head of Careers, Claire Gent, Head of Alumni and Business Development, Hannah Sparrey, and Sixth Formers in the Sixth Form Centre, School House.

Over lunch, Drew spoke with each of the students about their university and career aspirations, in return, the students asked Drew about his business, how it works, and his own experiences. A thoroughly enjoyable time.

The School is incredibly grateful for Drew for giving so much time to speak with so many pupils, sharing his knowledge and wisdom for their benefit, and inspiring so many. A truly memorable Barnabas Day.