Darren Burroughs

Darren Burroughs Email and Phone Number

Fractional Commercial Director @ Making The Leap
England, United Kingdom
Darren Burroughs's Location
Aston, England, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
About Darren Burroughs

I am a leader in the very competitive content marketing sector. Over the last 20+ years I have achieved significant commercial success through impactful creative work, and what I’m most proud of is being able to balance the often-conflicting needs of creativity and client service with commercial rigour and cost control. My career has spanned publishing, creative, media and marketing agencies, and now as Managing Director of Sticky I get to combine my experiences and lead the agency in a way that stays true to my values. And that excites me almost as much as my beloved Aston Villa.As a progressive leader, my goal is always to create an environment where people follow me by choice, not compulsion. My strength lies in an innate ability to relate to people at all levels, believing that strong personal relationships are at the heart of successful leadership. Inclusivity defines my leadership style and whilst I thrive on the pressure of being the ultimate decision-maker, I will always consider a breadth of voices and opinions before making decisions. I have no issues with showing vulnerability as a leader and believe that to run a business successfully, you must be comfortable employing people who are stronger than you in their areas of expertise. This approach has helped me significantly when taking on roles that require cultural shifts. By genuinely understanding and being empathetic to the needs and abilities of individuals, I can identify and implement the culture needed to harness success. And the right culture is the bedrock of business success.Being a black leader in creative business, I acknowledge the responsibility to engineer change from within and transform the way the industry evolves. I’m immensely proud of the truly diverse team that I lead at Sticky. Through mentoring and thought leadership, and my involvement with MEFA and other such networks, I strive to inspire individuals and reach broader audiences with the aim to support those from under-represented backgrounds and drive social mobility.I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and sharing ideas. If that piques your curiosity then give me a shout and let's grab a coffee. And if your business wants to talk marketing, the team at Sticky is always ready for a chat!

Darren Burroughs's Current Company Details
Making The Leap

Making The Leap

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Fractional Commercial Director
England, United Kingdom
Employees:
127
Darren Burroughs Work Experience Details
  • Making The Leap
    Fractional Commercial Director
    Making The Leap
    England, United Kingdom
  • Sticky
    Managing Director
    Sticky Mar 2023 - Present
    London, England, United Kingdom
    Initially brought in as an interim Managing Director to steer a turnaround, I quickly transitioned into a permanent role due to the critical need for strong leadership and the tangible impact my approach was having on the agency. My main goal was to revitalise a demotivated team, cultivate a positive and dynamic culture, and ultimately address significant commercial under performance. Despite a challenging market and economic instability, we achieved a remarkable 485% increase in profit from the first to the second half of the year, By the close of 2023 and into 2024 the agency's energy and morale had significantly improved.The success has been built on a foundation of truly listening to the team and then making decisions with clarity and purpose. We've gone through an organisational restructure and sharpened our focus on "Curiosity" as our core agency value and strategic approach to understanding consumer behaviour, all whilst staying true to our people-first ethos. These changes have set the stage for continued growth and success as we move forward. I am incredibly proud of our team's accomplishments, fuelled by the diversity of thought that comes from our diverse workforce.
  • Media For All [Mefa]
    Member And Mentor
    Media For All [Mefa] Sep 2022 - Present
    United Kingdom
    Active member and mentor
  • Archant
    Executive Director Of Agency
    Archant Sep 2020 - Sep 2022
    At Archant my remit was to transform APS, a high volume, low quality, non-revenue generating production department, into Creative Life, an in-house creative agency focused on producing quality work delivering profits to the business. My role focused on executing a 3-5 year strategy to launch and develop the brand. We delivered £800k revenue in the first year from a standing start, with the business on track to deliver £1.5m in Year 2 before the Newsquest acquisition saw a pivot in strategy at board level. I built the agency from the ground up, designing the operating structure, recruiting talent, and overseeing all aspects of pricing, budgeting, forecasting, and board reporting. I changed the culture and inspired over 100 creatives, account directors, and support staff, turning Archant into a place where people could fulfil their creative dreams. Additionally, I sourced and negotiated all third-party contracts, supported commercial teams in shifting clients to paid ad design and provided creative guidance to hundreds of local SMEs through the Insight Day webinar series. As part of the Archant Executive Board I played a key role in steering the overall business.
  • Dennis
    Director Of Dennis Content Studio, Formerly Head Of Commercial Partnerships
    Dennis Sep 2016 - Aug 2020
    At Dennis Publishing, I was headhunted to create a central partnerships team and vastly improve partnership revenue. Through a new insight-led approach and my strong network of agency contacts, I overhauled the branded content offering, almost tripling revenue from £1.6m to over £4m in three years. My role evolved from running a small team to launching and overseeing the 30-person Dennis Content Studio. I was responsible for setting strategic direction, managing P&L, and aligning a portfolio of brands and commercial teams to work towards common goals. I introduced new processes, training programs and templates which enhanced hit rates, and upskilled the sales team. Additionally, I nurtured senior agency contacts relationships, diversified our strategy to focus on owned platforms and white-label offerings, and drove strategic investment in third party suppliers to elevate our content offering and use of insights and data.
  • Telegraph Media Group
    Senior Creative Solutions Manager
    Telegraph Media Group Dec 2011 - Aug 2016
    As a key member of the award-winning CREATE/SPARK creative solutions team, I managed agency pitches, regularly topped biller charts, and won numerous awards for branded content campaigns.
  • Vice Magazine
    Head Of Sales
    Vice Magazine Nov 2010 - Oct 2011
    London
    I ran the London commercial team, reporting into the UK and European Group Publishers, at a time of rapid growth for Vice in the UK.
  • Zenith Optimedia
    Strategic Planning Manager
    Zenith Optimedia Mar 2008 - Nov 2010
    Ran the strategic planning across Warner Music and Puma accounts.
  • Zenithoptimedia
    Press Manager
    Zenithoptimedia Sep 2001 - Mar 2008
    Began on graduate scheme and progressed through the ranks to Press Manager. Ran the print buying on a number of key accounts including British Airways, O2, Paramount and the Richemont Group.

Darren Burroughs Education Details

Frequently Asked Questions about Darren Burroughs

What company does Darren Burroughs work for?

Darren Burroughs works for Making The Leap

What is Darren Burroughs's role at the current company?

Darren Burroughs's current role is Fractional Commercial Director.

What schools did Darren Burroughs attend?

Darren Burroughs attended University Of Nottingham, King Edwards Camp Hill.

Who are Darren Burroughs's colleagues?

Darren Burroughs's colleagues are Maximus A., Johnnie Wallace, Татьяна Данильченко, Doug Mori, Betty Campbell, Gerard Brand, Fu 629379140.

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