Carswell Gould is a highly creative communications agency based in Southampton. It has an eclectic mix of clients from a range of sectors including education, manufacturing, marine, tourism and technology. Creative thinking, leading to effective practical marketing communications, is the agency's biggest strength. This means that a major focus of the role of Managing Director at Carswell Gould is to provide the necessary leadership for the agency to harness its creativity in order to achieve its ambitious growth targets. I have worked to develop a new strategic direction for the business, which includes expanding its horizons beyond its traditional regional heartland. The agency now boasts some of the UK’s largest organisations as its clients, as well as maintaining a strong regional footprint.To achieve this, I have changed the agency’s own marketing strategy to target larger businesses and develop our people and products to reflect this new audience’s needs. This includes developing the team’s digital marketing skills and adding new members to the team who have the expertise our clients and prospects need.I have implemented new processes and procedures to help the team work more efficiently and effectively. This includes introducing a new project management platform to be the ‘single point of truth’ for all our client work, communications and interactions.As Managing Director, I am also responsible for the financial health of the business. I have worked with the owners to reshape the business and improve profitability through better cost management and the recruitment of the best people at the right cost to the business.

The focus of the role was to own strategic planning, both in terms of Carswell Gould's own growth and marketing, and the delivery of high-quality products and services to each individual client that the agency has the opportunity to work with. The role was a Board level appointment and responsibilities included leading the development of the next Carswell Gould five-year plan and of the annual marketing plan. Another key activity of the role was to evaluate industry and market trend information; competitor threats and possible business opportunities to give insight and guide Board decisions.

During my time at OS, I had responsibility for overseeing all facets of marketing communications, sponsorship, events, and associated budgets. This encompassed spearheading the development, implementation, and advocacy of comprehensive, market-wide campaigns, crafted to resonate with the organisation's audience's preferences and aspirations, while upholding Ordnance Survey's core brand ethos.Some notable initiatives I led include:• Leading the conception and rollout of the organisation's new brand identity.• Orchestrating the development and launch of our revamped corporate website.• Initiating, orchestrating, and harmonising the immensely successful #GetOutside strategic communications initiative.• Unifying a fragmented marketing communications function into a cohesive entity, aligned under a singular strategic vision.

In my role at Hampshire County Council, I undertook a diverse array of responsibilities aimed at optimising our outreach and enhancing customer engagement. These included:• Conducting comprehensive market intelligence assessments, leveraging tools such as Mosaic socio-demographic analysis, to discern and address customer preferences and needs effectively.• Directing and supervising the marketing, design, and web teams, fostering collaboration and synergy among multifunctional units.• Spearheading the enhancement of in-house design team competencies to bridge knowledge and skill gaps, ensuring adeptness in meeting evolving demands.• Planning and executing high-profile promotional events and initiatives to bolster organisational visibility and impact.• Strategically overseeing the entirety of the council's marketing endeavours, aligning initiatives with overarching objectives.• Driving the development of income-generating activities to fortify the authority's financial sustainability.• Managing customer intelligence and data collection efforts to inform decision-making and enhance service delivery.• Implementing a robust and sustainable CRM system to streamline operations and enhance customer relations.• Steering digital marketing and e-commerce initiatives to capitalise on emerging online opportunities.• Orchestrating sales promotion activities to stimulate demand and drive revenue growth.• Crafting and implementing pricing strategies to optimise revenue streams while maintaining competitiveness.• Establishing productive relationships with external creative agencies to leverage expertise and augment campaign effectiveness.

Responsible for the management of a number of high profile, blue-chip clients (Mercedes-Benz, Westerly Yachts, PriceWaterhouseCoopers), in a wide range of industries, from DIY (Stikatak) and super-yachts (Devonport Yachts).

Achievements included the re-branding of a charity (Motiv8) and the development and launch of a major international cycling brand (dhb).Responsibilities included:Client briefing and subsequent development of proposal and creative concept work/themes.Management of creative teams to ensure the best work was produced within the budget.Management of suppliers, including printers, list brokers, mailing houses and translation agencies.Financial management; budget preparation and full campaign reconciliation.

Sales and Marketing Manager for an advertising agency, with a number of high profile clients (B&Q, Alldays, Peverel, Coopervision, ThomasSanderson). Achievements included the successful launch of the website division and the capture of a large number of new clients.Responsibilities included:New business meetings and subsequent pitches. Client brief taking, proposal writing and presentation of subsequent creative themes.Direct management of the design team; including graphic designers and website programmers.Managing the launch and development of the web site division of the business.Planning and implementing the marketing of the entire organisation.Achievements included:Launching the online division.Driving down supplier costs in order to make the agency more profitable.New business generation.