Director Marketing Communications

• Oct 2020 - Present

Strategic Planning | Marketing & Fundraising | Customer Experience | Writing | Web Development

• 2010 - Present

With 38 years of international business, marketing and consulting experience, I have a proven track record of producing outstanding results in the public, private and non-profit sectors. My skill set is exceptionally wide and deep. I have hands-on experience Client-side, Agency-side and as a Consultant in strategic planning, fundraising, digital and offline marketing, data analysis, customer experience, writing and web development. I am a certified Search Marketing and Email Marketing Specialist. Let me help you: * unearth new business and customer insights by digging deep into your market research, customer feedback and sales data and connect dots that haven’t been connected before * develop innovative, motivating strategies derived from these insights * work with creative teams to execute these strategies in ways that stand out and are rooted in your brand * tell your story across a range of media * work with designers on a new brand identity and implement it across your organization * prepare briefs - creative, design, market research, media * track the effectiveness of campaigns * create effective surveys and analyze the responses * identity gaps in your information and recommend how to fill them * plan and build a new website and a social media presence Show less

Director, University Marketing

• 2006 - 2010

First ever professional marketer hired for core U of T brand. * Revolutionized undergraduate student recruitment at Canada's top university by conducting a significant market research project whose results led to a new, deep understanding of this important market. * Used digital marketing to increase 'U of T as first choice' applications by 4.5% in our first year of advertising and 10% in year 2. * Identified the need for engagement tools and helped produce, from conception till deliverable, a large bank of core brand videos. * Working with only one other person, a graphic designer, developed a new visual identity framework and implemented it across this huge organization with 3 campuses, more than 30 divisions, more than 150 sub-divisions, and 20,000 faculty and staff. Show less

Head of Marketing & Fundraising

• 2005 - 2006

Responsible for marketing, fundraising and supporter relations for this humanitarian emergency relief and development aid agency. Using radio and text messaging, created, implemented and managed the most successful Child Sponsor acquisition campaign ever run by World Vision Ireland in its 23 year history - 530 new Child Sponsors (target of 100) at 35 euros per acquisition (previous average was 290 euros) and tapped into a new, younger audience. Responsible for marketing, fundraising and supporter relations for this humanitarian emergency relief and development aid agency. Using radio and text messaging, created, implemented and managed the most successful Child Sponsor acquisition campaign ever run by World Vision Ireland in its 23 year history - 530 new Child Sponsors (target of 100) at 35 euros per acquisition (previous average was 290 euros) and tapped into a new, younger audience.

Branding | Marketing | Market Research Consultant

• 2002 - 2004

Provided senior level advice on a variety of Brand/Marketing/Customer Experience projects, from the strategic (change programs, brand positioning, rebranding, new product development, market research) to the practical (up-skilling, change implementation). Working with clients from various sectors including telecoms, financial services, utilities and retail. Also involved in the music industry, managing an emerging artist, promoting gigs and doing research for the most popular Indie radio show in Ireland. Show less

Client Service Director (Advertising)

• 1999 - 2002

Part of the JWT network. Part of the JWT network.

Director Marketing & Sales

• 1997 - 1999

A member of the Executive Team charged with revolutionizing the business from a nationalized company to a privatized one, and managing the considerable change in culture from British Rail (operational satisfaction) to Virgin (passenger satisfaction). I was responsible for a cost budget of 15-20M sterling and a department of 45-65 professionals in Marketing, Sales, Public Relations, Customer Relations, Revenue Management and management of the substantial Virgin TrainLine (call centre) contract. A defining role, which inspired me to be the driving force and visionary behind the new product and on-train customer service strategy - the first tangible evidence of ‘Virginification’; to lead the delivery of Year 1 and 2 increases in passenger revenue of 11% and 13% respectively; to become the key media spokesperson for ‘bad news’ stories (replacing Richard Branson) appearing live on national and regional TV and radio; and to oversee the set up of the first internet rail ticket retailing in the UK, the Virgin TrainLine. I had the incredible fortune to work closely on the Customer Experience with Richard Branson, especially in year 2 when our performance issues were damaging the Virgin brand's reputation, and learned much at the feet of this master. Show less

Account Director (Market Research)

• 1993 - 1996

Specialists in advertising pre-testing and brand health monitoring. Turnover £40M. Successfully ran a variety of UK and pan-European CPG, retail and other accounts including Kraft Jacobs Suchard, Asda Supermarkets, Coca-Cola, Camelot, Benckiser Perfumes, SC Johnson, OrangeMobile Phones and Sara Lee Personal Care, with a combined annual turnover of approximately £1.2M. Responsible for developing and running training sessions for junior staff in a variety of client service related areas. Valuable contribution to ongoing development work on their proprietary advertising pre-testing (LinkTest) and new brand equity (BrandDynamics) projects. Show less

Account Director (Advertising)

• 1992 - 1993

Marketing Communications Director

• 1989 - 1992

Board Director, responsible for this environmental group’s £10M product business in CPG, DIY and Industrial fields. Key responsibilities were NPD, all sales and marketing functions, liaising with advertising and PR agencies and Customer Relations. Major success was in helping change the dynamics of the household cleaning market, forcing key players (P&G, Lever Bros) to make their formulations more environmentally-responsible. Ark, which was founded by Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), Kevin Godley (10cc) and two ex Greenpeace activists, was ahead of its time in recognizing that enabling people to make a difference via products was more powerful than guilting people into giving money to support campaigns. Show less

Account Manager (Graphic Design)

• 1988 - 1989

Account Executive

• Apr 1987 - 1988

Account Executive (Advertising)

• 1984 - 1987