About me

I am a Creative Director with considerable experience in advertising, particularly in the retail sector. For the last 10 years I have specialised in retail, as Creative Group Head at AMVBBDO for over 5 years, on their largest account Sainsbury's, and for over a year at DLKW Lowe on their largest account Morrisons, and Creative Director at VCCP running ASDA amongst many other accounts.

The work for these large supermarket accounts (which were the largest revenue earning accounts in each agency) involved producing TV, radio, Press (both quality and value, brand and tactical, national and local), outdoor, digital, POS, extensive in-store material POP and customer journey, and considerable brand development projects.

During this period I also worked on many other accounts too, including more retail for Homebase, Halfords and WH Smith, as well as Nuffield Health and many FMCG and pharmaceutical accounts. As Creative Director , I have had a lot of experience running and mentoring teams (both small and large) in many of the agencies I have worked for over the years, and very large ones such as when I was Creative Director at Burberry. I enjoy getting my hands dirty as well as working on strategy and the bigger picture. I love working collaboratively and am very used to the relentless fast deadline nature of retail, with all its problems and last minute changes.

I have done an immense amount art direction of photography, particularly food shoots, as well as extensive experience in client presentation and direct client liaison, and am known for my good client skills, both management of their expectations and interpersonal skills with both client and agency alike.

I am currently freelance, and happy to continue freelancing, but with a view to finding a permanent position, particularly on a retail brand or in the retail sector, as this is my greatest experience.

I am hired as either a solo Art Director/Creative Group Head, or as a team, with my copywriter partner of the last 15 years.

Skills

* Senior Creative with deep strategic and tactical understanding of brands, * Extensive experience of above and below the line campaigns for major companies, * OUtstanding project management abilities - constantly sees the bigger picture and manages the detail, * Proven relationship skills with both client and agency alike, and managing client expectations, * Used to working to challenging timescales, demanding clients and last minute changes, * Considerable experience of pitching and presenting work directly to senior management, * Innovative leader and mentor who produces the best from the team, * Good collaborative worker used to working directly with senior management

Sector Experience

Retail, Pharmaceutical, FMCG, Finance, Press, TV, POS, POP, In-store material and customer journey, Magazines and brochures, Brand development, For ATL and BTL agencies, Direct for clients

Awards

BDMA Award, ECHO Award, work accepted in the D&AD annual, MA RCA (Royal College of Art), BA Hons, St Martin's College of Art, Harrow College of Art, 8 GCEs and 1 A level, City of London School for Girls

Clients

AMV BBDO, Aquafresh, bayer, BBC, Braun, Brompton Agency, Burberry, Cahoot, Californian Almond Board, Camberwell College of Art, Cancer Research, CHRYSLER, City Lit, COI, Curry's, DAD (Sapient Nitro), Diageo, DLKW Lowe, dunnhumby, Finex, Gillette, Homebase, Kellogg's, Kids Company, Leo Burnett, M&C Saatchi, McBain Noel-Johnson, McCanns, Morrisons, Norwegian Tourist Board, P&G, Portsouth College of Art, Robert Dyas, Sainsbury's, Sheba, Sky, Sunderland University, Tesco, The Observer, The Sunday Telegraph, University of Westminster: Wrote and taught Advertising Module to MA students, Wunderman Worldwide, Yell.com