I am a strategist, teacher and writer.
My most recent role was in The Zoo at Google (2014 to 2016) – which is a creative think tank for agencies and brands. My job (three days a week) was to advise brands and agencies on effective use of digital platforms in general and YouTube in particular.
I also teach.For the past 10 years I have also developed and delivered courses for marketers and agencies in UK and around the world including Nigeria, Pakistan, Brazil, Eastern Europe, RSA and China (see my training courses)
I publish regularly-mostly in Market Leader- and was editor of a pioneering textbook about the impact of the digital revolution called The Communications Challenge (APG 2004) which has been translated into Italian, Spanish and Korean (for which I still receives royalty cheques but not large ones.) See my articles and publications
I currently also have non-executive strategy roles at The Hub ( a new wave discipline neutral agency) Aqueduct (a digital agency) and Ignis (an integrated agency specialised in festivals) and I am an associate director of Triniti (a marketing consultancy)
I have worked in most categories but particularly in Media, Automotive, FMCG, Financial Services, Food , Drink, Government Communications and Travel
Previous roles:-
The Big Thinkers program for The Central Office of Information (COI).(2008 to 2011) I co-designed ( with Janet Grimes) and ran this program for civil servants, which was dedicated to bringing the latest thinking about effectiveness to government communications- with a particular focus on behavioural psychology. I edited the Big Thinkers blog and was a member of the team that produced a key publications on communications and behaviour change.
Non Executive Strategy Director – Good Technology (gt) (2004-2008) Won the best in category award at the Revolution awards for my work on online fund raising for Christain Aid. Pitched for and won BBC digital account. The agency won Revolution agency of the year 2008.
Strategic Advisor: The Marketing Store (2002-2004): working with Global CEO Graham Kemp I designed TMS’s strategic planning tools which also involved training staff international and publishing a guide to promote them. The TMS’s largest client at the time was MacDonalds
Executive Planning Director at McCann-Erickson. (2002-2003) Worked with the big global clients – Microsoft and Unilever – to build the profile and capability of planning at McCann.
Chief Executive Officer,Red Cell London (1998-2002) Reporting to Luca Lindner and in consultation with Martin Sorrel we relaunched as “The Challenger Thinking agency”. Sir Bob Geldof supported our launch after we had delivered him pro bono work for the Drop the Debt campaign. Key new business wins: Bank of Scotland , Singapore Airlines, Wales Tourism Board, Alfa Romeo
European Strategy Director, Red Cell 1996-1998. My main role was to develop and retain our largest client international client- Alfa Romeo- for whom i worked on six car launches. Spent a lot of time working in Italy and Co-ordinating our European Offices.
Planning Director at Ogilvy 1988-1996. Worked on key international clients especially American Express and Unilever. Key new business wins: The Sunday Times and Duracell. Trained as a planner ended up as a director of the London office
The 1980s: Before I joined Ogilvy, I worked for The Labour Party when Michael Foot was leader, in a creative hot shop called Michael Bungey and at an agency called Lintas.