Simon has worked in communication his entire career since qualifying as a journalist in the ‘80s.He ran his own agency for almost 20 years – working with more than 100 shopping centre and retail parks across the country as well as working closely on numerous initiatives in the towns and cities where they were based. He also delivered creative services and marketing solutions for a number of UNESCO world heritage sites and leading tourist attractions.In 2007, Simon sold his agency and created the UK’s first ‘destination marketing’ team. One of the UK's earliest adopters of social media for commercial use – he founded MallToMobile (to support the UK’s shopping centre industry) followed by SOCIALiSTREET (demonstrating how towns and cities could best utilise digital and social media).In late 2012, he set up Destination66 Ltd with his wife, Susan. In 2017, Destination66 created Destination Digital with a specific remit of designing and delivering ‘digital improvement districts’. In the same year, having helped to partner the launch of A Smarter Scotland, Simon led research into Scotland’s Towns Partnership Digital Towns Pilot Programme, the findings of which were published in 2018. In September 2018, Destination66 was appointed - in partnership with Rapier Systems - to deliver the UK's and Scotland's first Digital Improvement District: the 15 month demonstration project will delivery integrated digital communication to support multiple audiences in/around the market town of Cupar in Fife. The pilot is funded by The Scottish Government, Digital Scotland & Fife Council. If successful, it will convert to the first full five year term of a Digital Improvement District in 2019. A contributor to Huffington Post and regular commentator on media channels, Simon advises place managers (and their key partners) on how they can best use the collaboration of available technology to support their destinations’ businesses, residents, visitors and community stakeholders.

I head Bray Leino's Destination team working primarily with clients in the UK's retail, tourism and leisure industries. All that we do is anchored to four core objectives:1) Optimise visit numbers / footfall2) Enhance engagement / dwell time3) Increase loyalty, referral / repeat visits4) Converge / convert all 3 into increased sales/profitTo achieve these goals, we provide a range of integrated services – tailored to each client’s need and budget - covering the customer’s journey before, during and after their experience.Increasingly, our planning, design, delivery and evaluation is centred around digital, mobile and social media.

In our small team, I covered sales and marketing, supported by my business partner (who oversaw the day-to-day management of the business, finance, etc.). My role encompassed account management - looking after our clients. Our creative approach was very collaborative - and we all played a significant role in developing ideas to benefit our clients and their customers.

Before joining Bray Leino, I was a partner in PCM Design - a design and advertising agency based in Exeter that worked primarily in the UK's retail, tourism and leisure sectors. In early 2007, we were approached by Bray Leino with an aquisition offer. In August 2007, we sold the business - and it became Bray Leino Destination - delivering integrated services including branding, creative, experiential, digital, media & pr to retail, tourism & leisure clients across the UK.