Michael Birkin (executive)
Michael Birkin (born 1958) is an English global marketing executive, notable for his role in developing the concept of brand valuation as well as for his involvement in global marketing operations. He began his career at Interbrand in 1987, later working at Omnicom Group and Acer Inc. He founded his own marketing services company, Red Peak Group, in 2010. He currently serves as CEO of kyu, the strategic operating unit of Hakuhodo DY Holdings. Background Michael Birkin was born in England in 1958. Birkin's father, Sir Derek Birkin, was CEO of Rio Tinto Zinc, a mining company. After attending Marlborough College, where he now serves as a member of council, Birkin went on to study law at University College London. He was a nationally-ranked squash player and played on the Junior England Squad. In his spare time, Birkin pursues an interest in Renaissance art from the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries. Career Early career In his early career, Birkin was trained as an accountant, working for PricewaterhouseCoopers from 1981 to 1984. Later, he took a role as PA and protégé to Sir Mark Weinberg, chairman of Hambro Life Assurance, now Zurich Insurance Group. While handling the project to change the