Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top London based Managing Director operating in the Advertising space. If you think a Managing Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Maximilian Bleyleben
Managing Director and Chief Privacy Officer of SuperAwesome
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About SuperAwesome: SuperAwesome offers kid-safe tools and technology for the children’s digital media ecosystem.
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Paul Wright
Managing Director (UK / FR / ME / TR) of AppsFlyer
Paul Wright Based in London, Paul leads AppsFlyer’s growth and expansion in the UK market. Paul has worked in the online marketing industry for over 18 years, building and shaping businesses for some of the worlds largest agencies, advertisers and technologies.
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About AppsFlyer: The world’s top brands use AppsFlyer to build great products, create exceptional experiences, and preserve customer privacy.
Marc Thomas
Managing Director – UK & Emerging EMEA Markets of Taboola
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About Taboola: Taboola is an AI-powered content discovery platform that connects people with content on the web that suits their interests.
Lindsey Clarke
Managing Director of Nativo
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About Nativo: Nativo is an advertising technology platform for brand advertisers and publishers to scale, automate, and measure native ads.
Sarah Dawson
Managing Director at Essentially of CSM Sport and Entertainment
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About CSM Sport and Entertainment: CSM Sport and Entertainment provides sports and entertainment marketing services.
Marius Rausch
VP & Managing Director Central Europe of Xandr
Marius Rausch is the Director of Product Marketing at AppNexus, the world’s largest independent advertising technology company. In this position Marius is responsible for product marketing for the publishers segment in EMEA. Marius is a longtime expert and pioneer for Programmatic Marketing. Marius’ last position was as Head of Premium Publisher Platform and RTA for the programmatic business one of the largest AGOF marketer, Interactive Media, responsible, which he has built up since 2010 and is responsible for strategic operational. Previously Marius initiated building projects and the development of CRM systems and their integration in Online Advertising Product Management of Deutsche Telekom AG.
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About Xandr: Xandr is an advertising company.
David Boscawen
Managing Director of VCCP Group
David started out in advertising at Young and Rubicam, working on accounts such as Heinz Baked Beans, British Gas, Smirnoff, Royal Navy & Royal Marines Recruitment and Legal and General. After seven years he went to McCann-Erickson where he became a Managing Partner of the London office for nine years and won and ran clients such as Esso, Bacardi, Coca-Cola and the Irish Tourist Board, as well as working on Nestle, CGU and Bacardi. He then joined Lowe worldwide for five years, where he was the Global Business Director on Nokia and Electrolux before joining VCCP, where he is the Group Managing Director. He is married and has three teenage children. David went to the University of Durham where he studied Greek & Roman Civilisation, Russian Studies and Anthropology.
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About VCCP Group: VCCP Group provides directory for top marketers, agencies, media companies.
Rory Miller-Cheevers
Founder & Managing Director of Hyphen
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About Hyphen: Data Intelligence and Performance Marketing
Christopher Hogg
Global Head of Platform Sales at Lotame
Chris Hogg leads Lotame’s EMEA operations where he is responsible for maintaining and increasing existing business and overseeing new customer acquisition. Chris has more than 17 years of experience in digital ad technology and operations for Independent News and Media, France Telecom – Wanadoo / Orange UK and Unanimis. Chris has held senior management roles for the last 9 years, successfully recruiting, training and leading large teams to deliver commercial results.
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About Lotame: Lotame is the leading provider of data enrichment solutions for global enterprises.
Andrew Jack
Group Managing Director of Four Communications
Andrew first established himself in the world of media as Regional Director of CIA with clients such as BT, Hotpoint, Allied Maples, Eastern Electricity, Specsavers and Northcliffe Newspapers. In 1998 Andrew established Osborne Jack Media which became the UK’s largest media planning and buying agency specialising in Property. Andrew was later responsible for the formation of Pure media Group Ltd, a property specialist, which also dealt in financial, consumer and motors with an estimated annual billing of £40m. Andrew now runs Four’s multi-million pound Media and Marketing practices offering media planning and buying as well as brand and design work.
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About Four Communications, Four Communications: Four is a leading independent, integrated communications agency with offices in London and the Gulf.
Andrew Jack
Group Managing Director of Four Communications
Andrew first established himself in the world of media as Regional Director of CIA with clients such as BT, Hotpoint, Allied Maples, Eastern Electricity, Specsavers and Northcliffe Newspapers. In 1998 Andrew established Osborne Jack Media which became the UK’s largest media planning and buying agency specialising in Property. Andrew was later responsible for the formation of Pure media Group Ltd, a property specialist, which also dealt in financial, consumer and motors with an estimated annual billing of £40m. Andrew now runs Four’s multi-million pound Media and Marketing practices offering media planning and buying as well as brand and design work.
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About Four Communications, Four Communications: Four is a leading independent, integrated communications agency with offices in London and the Gulf.
Marion Hardman
Managing Director of Property PR of Four Communications
A former Evening Standard news journalist, Marion launched and ran, as joint managing partner, a PR and award-winning publications consultancy with a range of blue-chip clients for 15 years before joining Four in 2003. The property PR practice handles a diverse range of clients from major developers to niche clients such as interior designers and overseas property clients, including United House, Jackson-Stops & Staff and award-winning Hand Picked Hotels.
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About Four Communications: Four is a leading independent, integrated communications agency with offices in London and the Gulf.
Marion Hardman
Managing Director of Property PR of Four Communications
A former Evening Standard news journalist, Marion launched and ran, as joint managing partner, a PR and award-winning publications consultancy with a range of blue-chip clients for 15 years before joining Four in 2003. The property PR practice handles a diverse range of clients from major developers to niche clients such as interior designers and overseas property clients, including United House, Jackson-Stops & Staff and award-winning Hand Picked Hotels.
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About Four Communications: Four is a leading independent, integrated communications agency with offices in London and the Gulf.
Truda Spruyt
Managing Director of Four Communications
Truda Spruyt is a director in the culture practice, Four Colman Getty. Clients include the Man Booker International Prize, London Art Fair and the Library of Birmingham which opened in September 2013. Previous campaigns include David Mach’s Precious Light exhibition at Edinburgh City Art Centre and the consumer campaign for the BBC’s Your Paintings website. Truda has extensive experience of managing complex multi-stakeholder projects and of directing strategic campaigns. Truda is one of the team behind Four Colman Getty’s presenting and networking night, Off the Page, which encourages dialogue, innovation and partnership building between publishers, arts organisations, creative agencies and tech start-ups.
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About Four Communications: Four is a leading independent, integrated communications agency with offices in London and the Gulf.
Truda Spruyt
Managing Director of Four Communications
Truda Spruyt is a director in the culture practice, Four Colman Getty. Clients include the Man Booker International Prize, London Art Fair and the Library of Birmingham which opened in September 2013. Previous campaigns include David Mach’s Precious Light exhibition at Edinburgh City Art Centre and the consumer campaign for the BBC’s Your Paintings website. Truda has extensive experience of managing complex multi-stakeholder projects and of directing strategic campaigns. Truda is one of the team behind Four Colman Getty’s presenting and networking night, Off the Page, which encourages dialogue, innovation and partnership building between publishers, arts organisations, creative agencies and tech start-ups.
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About Four Communications: Four is a leading independent, integrated communications agency with offices in London and the Gulf.
Einir Williams
Group Managing Director of Four Communications
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About Four Communications, Four Communications: Four is a leading independent, integrated communications agency with offices in London and the Gulf.
Einir Williams
Group Managing Director of Four Communications
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About Four Communications, Four Communications: Four is a leading independent, integrated communications agency with offices in London and the Gulf.
Julian Miall
Managing Director of Gravity4
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About Gravity4: Gravity4 is the world’s first high-frequency machine-learning marketing OS, built to enhance the advertising and SaaS industries.
Paolo Pironi
Managing Director of MightyHive
Paolo oversees EMEA business development at Adbrain. He previously worked as the Director of Business Development at Videoplaza (now an Ooyala company), where he helped build and commercialise their programmatic publisher platform. He previously spent 5 years in media and ad tech sales at Google and Doubleclick.
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About MightyHive: MightyHive is a programmatic solutions provider that simplifies complicated programmatic media buying for advertising organizations.
Paul Archer
Founder and Managing Director of Duel
World Record-breaking Adventurer, Best-selling Author and founder of Duel. Aside from his expeditions and writing, he has spent his career building technology, including the Daredevil Project app development studio, and consulting for advertising agencies and tech companies. He founded Duel to democratise and decentralise marketing for brands. Duel is solving the lack of emotional connection and social proof in often clinical looking online stores by rewarding customers for creating visual testimonials and advocating among their friends, rather than wasting millions on advertising to drive sales. Before this Paul conceived and implemented the It’s on the Meter Expedition to drive to London taxi around the World. The expedition broke two Guinness World Records, raised over £20,000 and passed through 50 countries after driving 80,000 miles from London to London in Hannah, a 1992 London Taxi bought of eBay. Paul is also an experienced speaker, moderator and a conference host. Including TEDx, SXSW, Festival of Media, Cannes Lions, Social Media Week, GenerationE, the Content Marketing Institute and Retail.Tech, as well as guest lecturing at the British School of Fashion.
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About Duel: Brand Advocacy Platform that enables purpose-led brands to drive organic growth & retention through word-of-mouth & advocacy
Grant Burke
Client Managing Director of Carat
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About Carat: Carat is a media agency that specializes in media planning and buying, and providing digital and non-traditional media solutions.
Alex White
Managing Director, Food and Parenting of Immediate Media Co.
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About Immediate Media Co.: Immediate Media Co. is a special interest content and platform company.
Jonathan Lewis
Managing Director of Outdoor Plus
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About Outdoor Plus: Outdoor Plus is a digital advertising business.
Lucy Hayman
Managing Director of Blueprint
Lucy Hayman Digital/VR agency owner and communications expert, Lucy Hayman, is passionate about the impact of digital solutions on human behaviour. For 20 years, Blueprint Partners have delivered world class events, communications and digital solutions for global brands all around the world. During this time, Hayman has encouraged the agency and its clients to embrace innovative technology in all aspects of their work, which now extends to using VR to enhance training and communications. Lucy will be presenting alongside Matt Flanagan, Chiropractor, Back to Health.
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About Blueprint: Blueprint is a world class communications agency delivering digital solutions, events & video and internal communications.
David Hughes
Managing Director of What’s Possible Group
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About What’s Possible Group: What’s Possible Group is a marketing group exclusively for marketers at dynamic growth brands.
Andrea Pilgram
Managing Director of Once Upon a Time
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About Once Upon a Time, Once Upon a Time: Once Upon a Time provides impactful integrated communication solutions.
Matthew Entwistle
Group Managing Director of Two Circles
Matthew’s twenty-year career includes senior roles in strategy consulting, marketing and commercial operations. His business passion is understanding customers and using that insight to drive tangible commercial results. He has worked across consumer and retail businesses in the UK, Europe, US and Asia, including time as Tesco’s Non-food Marketing Director and Tesco.com’s International Director. As Group Managing Director at Two Circles, he is responsible for delivering great client results in every country in which we work. As a fervent football fan, Matthew has been supporting Manchester City for the past 34 years from Maine Road to the Etihad Stadium. Having played football in his younger years he continues to keep fit and is now a keen gym-goer.
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About Two Circles: Two Circles is a sports marketing agency based in London.
Todd Tran
Managing Director, Europe of NEXAGE
Todd Tran is the Chief Strategy Officer at Teads
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About NEXAGE, Teads.tv: NEXAGE offers a mobile advertising platform that provides private and public exchanges, data enrichment, and real-time targeting solutions.
Andrea Ugona
Managing Director of Idea 188
Andrea has over 15 years’ advertising experience in top tier Italian and international advertising agencies in the handling department. He has acquired a profound knowledge of the most advanced communication strategies and production techniques. Since December 2010 is the managing director of MPTBOX.
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About Idea 188: Idea 188 is driven by experienced creative freelancers. carefully selected across the world.
James Carter
Managing Director – Digitalbox Publishing Ltd. of Digitalbox
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About Digitalbox: Digitalbox have created a ‘push media’ publishing model able to deliver large, high quality audiences in a brand-safe environment.
Matthew Brown
Managing Director of Data & CRM of Karmarama
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About Karmarama: Karmarama is a full service communications agency, combining creative excellence with technology-inspired solutions
Kevin Gibbons
Managing Director of BlueGlass Interactive
A leading light in the search industry, SEOptimise founder Kevin Gibbons is a web expert with over 10 years’ experience. He has specialised in the field of search engine marketing since 2003, advising a wide range of industry sectors on increasing their online visibility by using the latest search engine marketing techniques. A highly respected expert blogger on the latest developments in search engine marketing, Kevin writes regularly for SEOptimise, Econsultancy and Search Engine Land, plus he is highly followed on Twitter. At SEOptimise Kevin oversees the search marketing team, the strategy of online marketing projects, client account management and promotes the business within the search industry.
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About BlueGlass Interactive, Re:signal, WeLoveDates: BlueGlass Interactive is a digital marketing agency providing integrated SEO, content marketing, and paid search services.
John Dawson
Managing Director of marketingQED
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About marketingQED: marketingQED is a technology company providing unique tools that help you to discover how you can optimise your marketing budget.
Antonio Giugno
Co-Founder/Managing Director of Portrayt
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About Portrayt: We create digital strategy, experience and engagement.
Farhad Divecha
Managing Director of AccuraCast
Farhad Divecha is the managing director of AccuraCast. He oversees all search engine marketing, advertising and technical development work. A recognised authority in the field of search engine marketing and mobile search marketing, Farhad is a regular speaker at industry conferences and is quoted in numerous popular publications including the Wall Street Journal, Business Week and CNet.
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About AccuraCast: AccuraCast is a digital marketing agency based in London, UK.
Chris James
Managing Director, CEO of Steel Media
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About Steel Media: Steel Media operate one of the largest advertising networks.
Chris James
Managing Director, CEO of Steel Media
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About Steel Media: Steel Media operate one of the largest advertising networks.
Jonny Spindler
Managing Director of Jones Knowles Ritchie
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About Jones Knowles Ritchie: Jones Knowles Ritchie is an provider of strategic design agency developing brands for clients in the fast-moving consumer goods sector.
Francis Turner
Co-Founder, CRO & UK Managing Director at Adyoulike , BIMA Hot 100 2015 of ADYOULIKE
Francis Turner is the Co-Founder & CRO at ADYOULIKE.
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About ADYOULIKE, ADYOULIKE, Content Amp: Advertising, Reinvented.
Dale Lovell
UK Managing Director & Co-Founder of ADYOULIKE
Chief Digital Officer at Adyoulike – the European leader in native advertising. Successful track record in online start-ups and one of BIMA’s Hot 100 2015. Prior to Adyoulike Dale was co-founder of Content Amp, a content marketing service that merged with Adyoulike in March 2014. Proven at building creative content businesses, nurturing start-up teams, content development, developing brand content strategy and promoting the benefits of online content to all businesses and brands. An experienced content marketer, online editor, publisher and media professional. Experienced across the entire spectrum of online media with direct hands-on experience in numerous internet start-ups.
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About ADYOULIKE, Content Amp: Advertising, Reinvented.
Ben Mott
Managing Director & Co-Founder of Future Kings
Responsible for the overall smooth running of the business and building deep, long-term client relationships. Ben is the enabler, focussed on creating the perfect environment for the Future Kings team to deliver brilliant, effective work for their clients. Ben co-founded the company in order to build a great team, do great work with great clients and, more importantly, have fun doing it.
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About Future Kings: Future Kings is a marketing and advertising firm.
Jennifer Quigley Jones
Founder and Managing Director of Digital Voices
Jennifer is the Founder and Managing Director of Digital Voices, an Influencer and Content Marketing agency. Before starting Digital Voices, she worked at YouTube with UK creators. Digital Voices works with clients like Rolls-Royce, the Royal Air Force and Island Records to design social media campaigns. She believes in making content that your customers want to find. Whilst at Google, she taught UK creators and brands to grow organically – without spending money on advertising. The role involved data analysis to strategically advise brands on video – at the cutting edge of media and advertising. She advised over 500 partners from a variety of industries – from The Economist, to UNHCR, to music labels and even Facebook prankster Ben Phillips, on brand strategies, taking into account their business objectives. Prior to YouTube, she completed her Master’s at Harvard University in Middle Eastern Studies, on a generous full scholarship from the Kennedy Memorial Trust. Whilst there, she specialised in the Syrian crisis and worked with many non-profits and social enterprises, including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations.
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About Digital Voices: Digital Voices is an Influencer marketing agency that specialises in youtube.
Zoe Steventon
Managing Director of Infectious Media
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About Infectious Media: Infectious Media is an international programmatic agency that partners with global brands to deliver effective & efficient media campaigns.
Mike Follett
Managing Director of Lumen Research
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About Lumen Research: Lumen is a specialist eye tracking research agency based in London, who help optimise advertising across a number of platforms.
Norbert Wirth
Managing Director of SUPERCRUNCH by GfK
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About SUPERCRUNCH by GfK: SUPERCRUNCH is an agile marketing analytics provider, crunching data from multiple sources to deliver a superior marketing performance.
Matt Roskill
Managing Director of Albion
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About Albion, Utility Warehouse: We are a creative business partner. We work with companies to invent and reinvent their businesses to unlock growth.
Craig Somerville
Managing Director of The Reload Group
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About Reload Digital, The Reload Group: The Reload Group is a set of digital marketing and consulting firms that offer these services to their international clients.
Richard Robinson
Managing Director of Xiem
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About Xiem: Xeim provides marketing intelligence, training, advice, and connections to companies in order to empower and improve their performance.
Somi Arian
Managing Director of Smart Cookie Media
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About Smart Cookie Media: Smart Cookie Media bridging the gap between digital natives and established brands.
Jess Tyrrell
Managing Director of Beyond
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About Beyond: Beyond is a design and technology agency that builds world-class products for the digital age.
Paul Henderson
Managing Director of Summon Digital
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About Summon Digital: Specialist PPC and SEO agency based in London
Mark Joseph
Managing Director of Vouch Global
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About Vouch Global: Vouch Global is a digital and marketing agency that focuses on influence marketing, social media, content creation, media buying and SEO.
Rupert Graves
Managing Director of AdUnity
20 years commercial and product experience in digital media, mobile and advertising, with deep domain experience in programmatic advertising and media trading. Sector Experience in: Advertising, Digital Media, Mobile/Fixed Line Telecoms, Broadcast TV, Consumer Electronics, SaaS. This includes B2C and B2B marketing and product development. Worked extensively with media brands: Disney, Discovery, National Geographic. Product development for BT and Vodafone
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About AdUnity: Pure-play publisher focused ad technology company. Our technology platform includes an SSP and ad exchange.
Luke Beauchamp
Managing Director of Advertising Production Resources (aka APR Consulting)
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About Advertising Production Resources (aka APR Consulting), City Quests Media: Advertising Production Resources is a media production company offering media production management and cost optimization services.
Catherine Maskell
Managing Director of Content Marketing Association
Catherine Maskell is the Managing Director at The Content Marketing Association.
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About Content Marketing Association: Content Marketing Association is the industry body for content marketing.
Bill Hoston
Managing Director of Burkett Web Solutions
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About Burkett Web Solutions: Web Development, Internet Marketing and Social Media Management, Optimization and Marketing Agency.
Bill Hoston
Managing Director of Burkett Web Solutions
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About Burkett Web Solutions: Web Development, Internet Marketing and Social Media Management, Optimization and Marketing Agency.
Rebekah Mackay Miller
Managing Director of trnd
Rebekah Mackay Miller Managing Director trnd Alongside Paul Mitchell, Rebekah is jointly responsible for the strategic direction and growth of trnd UK, specifically overseeing the client services, operations and marketing side of the business. trnd provides brands with Collaborative Marketing solutions, enabling them to work with and harness the power of their biggest fans: their customers.
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About trnd: trnd help brands market with their consumers rather than at them. Europe’s leading Collaborative Marketing company.
Aaron Wood
Managing Director & Producer of Slurpy Studios
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About Slurpy Studios: Slurpy Studios offers a complete range of in-house facilities to take a project from concept to delivery.
Aaron Wood
Managing Director & Producer of Slurpy Studios
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About Slurpy Studios: Slurpy Studios offers a complete range of in-house facilities to take a project from concept to delivery.
Fernando Desouches
Managing Director of New Macho
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About New Macho: New Macho builds iconic brands designed for men.
