Designing and delivering KidsUP, a leading-edge innovation programme, in partnership with Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.Helping established organisations, government bodies, investors and the most exciting startups collaborate to solve important problems in children’s health.- Growth strategies- New product development- Open Innovation- Commercialisation- Transformative Coaching- Investment readiness- Internationalisation

I help people and businesses adapt more skillfully to the modern digital market. Through working with 100+ founders and multiple corporates I have developed an approach that helps build companies that matter.CurveFinder® programmes help organisations big and small accelerate their best ideas and implement creative growth strategies. - Design and implement commercial growth strategies - Create new or improve existing products and services- Build and scale profitably- Tap into on-demand tech, design, and data expertise through my CurveFinder Collective- Transformative coaching for individuals and teams

Built and led a talented multi-disciplined team who delivered a full end-to-end transformation and improvement programme across North America and Europe for a diverse affiliate and digital publishing portfolio including Sports Betting, Sports Media, iGaming, and Casino brands.Responsibilities included:- Devising and implementing the strategic tech/product vision leading to seven-figure cost efficiencies.- Bridging the gap between product strategy and delivery, fostering team alignment enabling the rapid delivery of multiple new products and services.- Evaluating customer needs, market landscape, and competitor strategies to determine high-demand products.- Developing a scalable product portfolio to enhance profitability.- Developing/Scouting new technology that drives engagement and revenue- Managing product life cycles through continuous improvement - Improving legacy tech to meet emerging consumer and market demands- Building high-performing teams collaborating globally

Established an initial MVP programme as a pathfinder project to help establish the overall tech and product vision for the following 2-3 years through rapid innovation. The project provided the business confidence to invest in scaling up the range of solutions explored across the wider global business. This encompasses: - Developing a scalable product portfolio to enhance profitability.- New Content Management System- AI-driven automation for key service-focused processes- Enhancing the use of Salesforce CRM- New Advertising technology stack- Improvements in customer data and insight capabilities - Mobile-focused website design delivering excellent CWVs

As Managing Partner, I designed and directed groundbreaking innovation programmes for established brands and governments across the UK and beyond. My programmes have helped 70+ founders adapt and improve their businesses and technology. Simultaneously I developed UP into a digital venturing partner that delivered progressive programmes and testbeds at scale. Successful projects included:- GM Future of Health Challenge with Novartis, PushDoctor, Google, Salford Royal Trust, and Health Innovation Manchester- Pathfinder with Highlands and Islands Enterprise- GCHQ Innovation Co-Lab- Smart City Testbed with MediaCityUK and Connected Places Catapult

UP Ventures Group helps outstanding entrepreneurs to create high growth, high-value businesses. As Associate Director I consulted on a number of market-leading projects spanning media, life-sciences and health tech.

I designed and delivered large-scale digital change programmes that enabled people, product and ultimately cultural change and digital confidence. I led multi-disciplined teams to collaborate with inventive tech providers, solving real business problems and creating demonstrable value.My focus over the last two years was the transformation of a 140+ product portfolio to a mobile-focused, AMP-powered common platform with an associated tech stack. Allowing the business to adapt its business model.Reaching 60M+ visitors each month, the portfolio included iNews.co.uk (sold to DMGT May 2020), The Scotsman, and The Yorkshire Post and recorded +35% audience growth YoY in 2020. Key successes include:Designing and directing a full agile digital transformation programme delivering 150+ digital sites and apps in 18 months. Implementing a rapid innovation and continuous improvement project delivering a new product suite and tech-stack including a new video player, cloud-based content API, new CDN and subscriptions layer. Evolving the business model through the launch of 7 new subscription sites and a contributor model. This technology is now powering significant subscription revenue growth and customer acquisition.Digitizing the i brand (acquired in 2016), launching inews.co.uk which over four years grew from a start-up to the most trusted digital news brand in the U.K. with c16m monthly users. Subsequently sold in May 2020 as part of a £50m deal.Creating a group-wide digital content hub designed to place our best journalistic talent at the heart of the JP digital portfolio focusing on mobile content strategies and monetisable opportunities.Securing two separate Google Digital News Innovation Fund awards. Subsequently, I developed a new progressive web app, chatbot, publishing engine, and interactive data-driven storytelling platform focused on psychographic customer profiling and emotionally-led purchasing habits.

Reporting to both the Chief Digital Officer and Chief Publishing Officer of Johnston Press Plc, I led digital transformation and improved the commercial performance of The Scotsman business, as well as directing the successful digital start-up WOW247.co.uk. The role required excellent strategic and operational leadership in order to find answers to ambiguous problems. Strategic planning derived from detailed critical analysis leveraging key audience insights and focusing on monetiseable opportunities.Integrating new talent and developing the existing team through coaching and challenging effectively, especially holding people (and myself) accountable. Also assessing and integrating inventive and advantageous tech partnerships.Key successes include:The Scotsman business returning to profit for the first time in several years, growing digital revenues by 15% yoy, stabilising local advertising categories and driving operational and publishing efficiencies.Developed a successful digital strategy to include a new fully responsive website and app for The Scotsman reaching monthly audience levels of c4m.Formed and implemented a new content strategy including new channels such as Future Scotland and foodanddrink.scotsman.com​.Relaunched WOW247 onto new responsive platform powered by a groundbreaking contributoroutreach programme spanning 11 cities and 130 writers and vloggers.Delivered 300% audience growth yoy and a 30% increase in returning visitors.Delivered a content creation and curation strategy which formed a new publishing model for thewider Johnston Press group through the expansion of a new Digital Content Academy andcontributor/blogger outreach programme.Successfully managed a multi-million pound P&L and headcount of 44.

WOW247.co.uk was a corporate digital start-up and one of the UK's fastest growing culture and entertainments site providing news, reviews, guides and listings for key cities across the country. With this project I made it my goal to build something that had a 'challenger'​ approach at the heart of its culture; a culture that would challenge the wider business to take an alternative view of how creativity and innovation can provide positive disruption. I was responsible for creating/developing the concept and leading the creative process through to its launch in Dec 2012 subsequently developing the strategy for growing the business across the UK with a relaunch in June 2015.Key responsibilities included: Platform and Product Development, Technology Partnerships, Business Development, Brand Development, Audience Acquisition, Content Planning, SEO and Social Media strategies. Also influencing and collaborating with other group-wide disciplines. Key successes include:Formed a ‘challenger’ brand within a ‘legacy’ business forcing an alternative view of how creativity and innovation can provide positive disruption.Attracted a monthly audience of 1.1m organic users with a 300% yoy revenue growth in 2014 and 5%in 2015.Developed a ground-breaking Digital Publishing Academy and contributor/blogger outreach programme leading to a sustainable talent tap.Launched a successful sponsored content programme which contributed to 20% of overall revenue.DADI Awards 2013 finalist – Leisure and Consumer Brand Launch of the Year.

Deputy to the Assistant Managing Director (Advertising), managing a work force of c130 people covering a variety of disciplines including Enterprise, Research, Commercial Editorial, Sponsorship, Display Advertising and Classified Advertising. Directly lead a classified sales force of c90 people.Key responsibilites:* Maintain and increase revenue across our Digital and In-paper portfolio including Scotsman.com, The Scotsman and 23 weekly titles/web sites throughout Scotland* Drive key revenue streams worth c£23m across all categories including Recruitment, Property, Motors, Travel, Services, Retail, B2B and Public Notices by developing multi-platform media solutions * Develop strong relationships with clients at all levels * Recruit, develop and mentor individuals with varying degrees of experience and expertise, from school leavers and graduates to sales and marketing specialists * Full P&L responsibility* Manage key divisional partnerships both internally and externally including Editorial, Distribution, Operations, Marketing and Product Development* Ensure clear communication of management information at MD, DMD and C levelKey achievements included:- Forming and implementing an integrated sales strategy leading to 100% client conversion from print only- Up to 2% growth each year in pro-active revenue categories in the teeth of a recession

Reporting to Assistant Managing Director (Advertising)* Manage and lead a sales force of 42 who are responsible for a number disciplines including Sponsorship, Agency Sales (Local and National) Direct Retail and Key Accounts* Maintain and increase revenue worth c£7m across our on-line and off-line portfolio* Develop strong relationships with clients at all levels* Recruit and develop individuals with varying degrees of experience and expertise, from graduates to sales and marketing specialists* Devise and implement sales strategies using a clear understanding of our brands strengths and weaknesses within the marketplace Key Achievements:* Successfully integrated on-line sales into a traditional newspaper based sales force * Further developed a 'creative solutions' based sales approach which drove revenue up by 10% year on year * Oversaw launch of new products such as a series of Community Newspapers and Edinburgh Lifestyle Magazine - The Pulse which leveraged £100k of advertising revenue in year 1

Managed a sales team of 13 and deputised for the General Manager* Recruited a 'specialist' sales team who covered Sponsorship, Events and Agency Sales * Introduced 'creative solutions' based sales incorporating all aspect of our portfolio * Developed a salient sales strategy that utilised a more consultative approach to client briefs* Trained and coached both one to one and on a group basis* Developed strong relationships with clients at all levels Achievements:* Delivered record revenue performance year on year * Successfully recruited and merged Agency Sales, Digital Sales and Sponsorship to create 'solutions' team leading to 20% increased integrated sales revenue

* Helped launch media phenomenon Metro into the National marketplace* Account managed a diverse range of media owners covering varied aspects of the media mix* Account managed Scottish media and creative agencies * Developed strong relationships with clients at all levels* Developed 'Planning/Selling' sales strategy within the Scottish marketplace* Managed strategic relationship with partner media-owners * Devised and implemented bespoke advertising and marketing solutions together with our London based sales teams Achievements:* Achieved revenue of £1m for Metro within 12 months from a standing start* Positioned Metro as a truly unique media choice for planners and buyers in Scotland* Successfully delivered a new rate and trading structure to the marketplace for the Evening Standard* Voted media sales person of the year in 2002 at 'The Drum' industry wide awards

Account managed Scottish media and creative agencies, building and developing relationships* Managed a number of 'direct' business accounts in Scotland* Worked towards a monthly target* Generated new revenue by creating new initiatives and advertising platforms