Experience

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  British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)

  • United Kingdom
  • Education Administration Programs
  • 1 - 100 Employee

  • Acting Director General

    • Jun 2024 - Present

  • Deputy Director General

    • Jan 2021 - Jun 2024

    The British Educational Suppliers Association is the trade association for the commercial education industry. We represent companies supplying products and services to the education sector in the UK and worldwide.Our 400+ members range from small businesses to some of the UK’s largest education companies across a range of sectors from EdTech, to furniture manufacturers and classroom resources.

  • Operations Director

    • Nov 2019 - Jan 2021

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  the marketing alliance

  • Owner

    • Apr 2018 - Jan 2021

    After a hiatus of nearly 2 years I am back doing the work I love – freelancing. I’m looking to take on projects for B2B publishers and EdTech companies, but that’s not to say I wouldn’t consider something outside of this if it was a good fit on both sides. I can offer marketing consultancy, training and support over a period of time to help identify potential blockers, plan strategies that deliver sales and create processes that will scale as your business grows. I’m a strong project manager, can organise a mean event, and have been known to take on the odd public speaking gig from time to time!If you want to know more, or to discuss your requirements then do please drop me a line. Get in touch ☛ [email protected]

• 

  GL Assessment

  • London, United Kingdom

  • Head of Marketing

    • Jul 2016 - Mar 2018
    • London, United Kingdom

    GL Assessment is experiencing rapid growth and has ambitious plans for the future. My role is to help shape the marketing team and processes to align with this goal - delivering innovation and change across both UK and International marketing in order to drive brand recognition and sales. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:► Restructured the marketing team to better meet market needs. Brought a change in management style to improve individual and team performance► Merged international and UK marketing operations into one blended team to ensure greater collaboration and cross-pollination of learnings► Provided strategic sales support to generate leads and provide messaging and collateral for sales teams in the field► Relaunched CRM and championed customer insight. Worked across all areas of the business to win hearts and minds and embed CRM usage► Introduced a test and measure approach encouraging risk taking in order to drive change► Relaunched website with resulting increase in ecommerce revenues► Automated the renewals process, enabling scalability and reducing cost to serve► Mapped customer lifecycle communications in order to build automated marketing funnels for new business and renewals► Delivered an annual programme of 200+ events in UK and EMEA regions, from small workshops right up to 200+ delegate conferences

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  the marketing alliance

  • Owner

    • Apr 1996 - Jun 2016

    We are an intentionally small marketing agency offering freelance marketing services and consultancy primarily to publishers, but increasingly also to content providers and edtech companies. Founded in 1996 when I was young and didn't know any better, we were working remotely before it was hipster to do so. Since then we have launched a data management tool on the London Eye, instigated the global rebrand of a top five publisher's book fair presence, helped a mid-size publisher restructure, recruit and mentor a revitalised marketing department and written thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of words of compelling copy. Oh and we also produce roughly 20 catalogues a year for various clients.At the marketing alliance we like to get involved, to become part of your team. We roll up our sleeves and work alongside you to ensure your projects deliver your goals.★ Tight budget? We love 'em. We have lots of ideas for marketing on a shoestring.★ No time, short staffed, just plain overwhelmed? No problem, let us take a load off your plate (and your mind).★ Need a creative, innovative approach and don't know where to start? We do ideas too.★ Feel you need some objectivity? A fresh look at your approach and a killer plan to steer you in the right direction. Strategy is what we do best. Want more information and to see case studies of our work? Then email me for more details, we'd love to hear from you.Learn more ☛ www.themarketingalliance.netGet in touch ☛ [email protected]

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  The Profile Group (UK) Ltd

  • Group Marketing Manager

    • 1994 - 1996

    With responsibility for a suite of B2B information products for the PR, media and marketing industries, this was a newly created role in a then small but rapidly growing company. My remit was to help generate leads for the sales team, to increase the profile of our brands and to develop cost-effective marketing solutions that could scale.Here is where my respect for the entrepreneur was born, and with it my desire to work with agile, disruptive companies. When the chance came to branch out on my own, I grabbed it with both hands, and I took Profile Group along as my first client.

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  Gower Publishing - Business and Management

  • Marketing Manager

    • 1992 - 1994

    At Gower I was able to take more responsibility for planning and strategy. Working primarily on their training resources I helped implement a rebrand for the division which resulted in increased brand recognition and sales. I went on to manage a network of resellers, oversee the customer service team and to deliver regular sales presentations at large HR conferences around the UK.

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  Simon & Schuster

  • Marketing Controller

    • 1991 - 1992

    When Blackwell Education was sold to Simon and Schuster I was one of only two people who were taken on by the new company. During this time I was primarily responsible for direct marketing to schools, supporting the sales reps and managing our presence at events. But to be honest, me and big companies were never going to be a great fit, so I began to look at smaller publishers where I could make more of an impact.

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  Blackwell Publishers (now Wiley-Blackwell)

  • Marketing Executive

    • 1990 - 1991

    My first job in publishing which I actually started before I had finished my degree. I worked on the education list just as the National Curriculum was being introduced - a really exciting time to be publishing textbooks. Taught me everything I needed to know about direct mail and the beauty of a good scratchcode.