Experience

I Know Some People Ltd

• United Kingdom
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Founder and brand strategy adviser

  • Feb 2020 - Present

  These days I’m a lowfalutin freelance brand strategy consultant. Most of my work is with b2b and service brands who have close relationships with their customers. I don’t have a fixed process. I approach every project from first principles. These days I’m a lowfalutin freelance brand strategy consultant. Most of my work is with b2b and service brands who have close relationships with their customers. I don’t have a fixed process. I approach every project from first principles.



Scottish Documentary Institute

• United Kingdom
• Media Production
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Member Board Of Trustees

  • Feb 2021 - Present

  SDI nurtures filmmakers to give voice to the voiceless and tell stories that give us a more enlightened and compassionate view of the world. The organisation has a progressive, feminist soul, for which I love it. I sit on the Fundraising and Marketing subcommittees. SDI nurtures filmmakers to give voice to the voiceless and tell stories that give us a more enlightened and compassionate view of the world. The organisation has a progressive, feminist soul, for which I love it. I sit on the Fundraising and Marketing subcommittees.



All Hands On

• Movies, Videos, and Sound

• Co-founder and Executive Producer

  • May 2019 - Present

  I co-founded this not-for-profit production company to make documentary films about innovations in direct democracy. Politics as usual is unwilling and unable to tackle the defining issues of our time. Rethinking our approach to democracy is an essential component of an urgent systemic reboot. I co-founded this not-for-profit production company to make documentary films about innovations in direct democracy. Politics as usual is unwilling and unable to tackle the defining issues of our time. Rethinking our approach to democracy is an essential component of an urgent systemic reboot.



Puppet Animation Scotland

• United Kingdom
• Performing Arts
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chairperson

  • May 2015 - Sep 2021

  Non-executive board member from May 2015. Non-executive Chair from December 2018 to September 2021. Puppet Animation Scotland (renamed Manipulate in 2023) is a Creative Scotland regularly funded organisation. It nurtures artists and promotes the subversive storytelling art forms of puppetry, animation and visual theatre. Non-executive board member from May 2015. Non-executive Chair from December 2018 to September 2021. Puppet Animation Scotland (renamed Manipulate in 2023) is a Creative Scotland regularly funded organisation. It nurtures artists and promotes the subversive storytelling art forms of puppetry, animation and visual theatre.



Cello Signal

• Strategy Director

  • Oct 2016 - Feb 2020

  Head of a strategy team operating out of the agency’s London, Edinburgh and Cheltenham offices. The team comprised both generalist planners and specialists in SEO, CRM, content marketing and social media. It was exhilarating to have a team that taught me more than I could teach them. I advised clients including Baillie Gifford and the Scottish Government. I gave the occasional conference speech and wrote the occasional opinion column for The Drum. Head of a strategy team operating out of the agency’s London, Edinburgh and Cheltenham offices. The team comprised both generalist planners and specialists in SEO, CRM, content marketing and social media. It was exhilarating to have a team that taught me more than I could teach them. I advised clients including Baillie Gifford and the Scottish Government. I gave the occasional conference speech and wrote the occasional opinion column for The Drum.



Blonde

• United Kingdom
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Planning Director

  • Jan 2007 - Oct 2016

  Ten years as Planning Director for this swashbuckling digital agency. Setting the strategy agenda for the agency and for a team of planners and UX, SEO, and social media specialists. Insisting on work whose purpose was clearly defined and whose value was precisely measured, which was uncommon in the early days of digital marketing. Worked for clients such as Royal Mail, Molson Coors, AG Barr, Open University, BASF, and RBS on digital communications, eCRM and service design. Board director… Show more Ten years as Planning Director for this swashbuckling digital agency. Setting the strategy agenda for the agency and for a team of planners and UX, SEO, and social media specialists. Insisting on work whose purpose was clearly defined and whose value was precisely measured, which was uncommon in the early days of digital marketing. Worked for clients such as Royal Mail, Molson Coors, AG Barr, Open University, BASF, and RBS on digital communications, eCRM and service design. Board director, pitch leader and regular public speaker. Show less Ten years as Planning Director for this swashbuckling digital agency. Setting the strategy agenda for the agency and for a team of planners and UX, SEO, and social media specialists. Insisting on work whose purpose was clearly defined and whose value was precisely measured, which was uncommon in the early days of digital marketing. Worked for clients such as Royal Mail, Molson Coors, AG Barr, Open University, BASF, and RBS on digital communications, eCRM and service design. Board director… Show more Ten years as Planning Director for this swashbuckling digital agency. Setting the strategy agenda for the agency and for a team of planners and UX, SEO, and social media specialists. Insisting on work whose purpose was clearly defined and whose value was precisely measured, which was uncommon in the early days of digital marketing. Worked for clients such as Royal Mail, Molson Coors, AG Barr, Open University, BASF, and RBS on digital communications, eCRM and service design. Board director, pitch leader and regular public speaker. Show less



The Leith Agency

• United Kingdom
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Managing Director

  • Aug 1994 - Dec 2006

  I spent twelve years at The Leith Agency, the last six as Managing Director. In those days Leith was a fierce challenger agency which liked nothing better than giving London based competition a bloody nose. My time as MD coincided with A-list creative work, A-list pitch wins and steady growth in revenue and profit. I played a role in successful pitches and standout campaigns for the likes of Honda, Baillie Nicol Jarvie, Tennent's Lager, Standard Life, Grolsch, IRN-BRU, and Coors Light. I spent twelve years at The Leith Agency, the last six as Managing Director. In those days Leith was a fierce challenger agency which liked nothing better than giving London based competition a bloody nose. My time as MD coincided with A-list creative work, A-list pitch wins and steady growth in revenue and profit. I played a role in successful pitches and standout campaigns for the likes of Honda, Baillie Nicol Jarvie, Tennent's Lager, Standard Life, Grolsch, IRN-BRU, and Coors Light.



BBH London

• United Kingdom
• Advertising Services
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Account Director

  • Sep 1988 - Aug 1993

  Account Director on the likes of Cadbury, Shell and Phileas Fogg. A brilliant schooling in strategy and creative quality control. Also very fortunate to work in a full service environment with some brilliant media planning practitioners before the whole media independent thing happened. Account Director on the likes of Cadbury, Shell and Phileas Fogg. A brilliant schooling in strategy and creative quality control. Also very fortunate to work in a full service environment with some brilliant media planning practitioners before the whole media independent thing happened.