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 United Kingdom based Partner operating in the Advertising space. If you think a Partner 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.
Johnny Vulkan
Founding Partner of Anomaly
Johnny has held many senior and diverse positions in both the UK and US. As one of the founders of Anomaly – AdAge’s Agency of the Year 2016 – he is responsible for communications, media and product innovation as well as stewarding digital strategy and philosophy for the company. Alongside global marketing campaigns for brands like Budweiser, Converse & YouTube the company is famous for co-developing its own IP, from TV shows to lip balms and medicinal cannabis.
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About Anomaly: Anomaly is an advertising agency.
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Simon Dunlop
CMO and Global Partnerships of Instreamatic
Simon Dunlop is the Co-founder at Instreamatic.
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About Bookmate, Instreamatic: Voice Marketing Platform
Michael Sugden
CEO, VCCP Partnership of VCCP Group
Michael joined VCCP on its first day of business in 2002, becoming Managing Director in 2006 and CEO in 2012. In recent years VCCP has built itself a reputation for business transformation as evidenced by the likes of O2, comparethemarket.com and easyJet. VCCP has been Marketing or Marketing Week’s Agency of the Year for three out of the last four years and has also topped the new business league for the past three years. Michael started his career at Claydon Heeley before moving to HHCL. During his career he’s been privileged to work on brands such as O2, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Telefonica and British Gas amongst others. The proudest part of his career is being part of the team that has built VCCP to a 500 strong agency in 13 short years.
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About VCCP Group: VCCP Group provides directory for top marketers, agencies, media companies.
Adrian Pearmund
Founding Partner & CEO of Cablato
Adrian has been working in programmatic marketing since 2010. Founded Intelligent Futures independent trading desk in 2013 and subsequently Cablato in 2015. Strong media and business background (LBi, KPMG, WPP) proven success at building innovative businesses.
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About Cablato, Conviva: Cablato develops and deploys broadcast quality video personalisation technology for OTT & addressable TV industries.
Xavier Llerena
Senior Director DSP Partnerships of FreeWheel
Xavier Llerena is Sr Director DSP Partnerships at [FreeWheel](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/freewheel#/entity), a provider of comprehensive ad platforms for publishers, advertisers, and media buyers. Powered by premium video content, robust data, and advanced technology, the company is revolutionizing the way publishers and marketers transact across all screens, data types, and sales channels. Xavier holds a master’s degree a from Imperial College London as well as a master’s degree from Universität Mozarteum Salzburg.
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About FreeWheel: FreeWheel provides enterprise level solutions to enable the premium video industry to thrive in an increasingly complex ecosystem.
Steve Butterworth
Partner & Chief Operating Officer of Kameleon
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About Kameleon: Kameleon is an award-winning Content Marketing agency
Paul Smith
New Business Director Partnerships of JustPremium
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About JustPremium: The World’s most innovative Rich Media Marketplace – We bring creativity to digital advertising
Matthew Treagus
Partner – Baringa of rtobjects
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About : “World Streaming” — delivering rich interactive visuals to everyone everywhere.
Jim Cridlin
Global Head of Innovation and Partnership of MindShare
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About MindShare: Mindshare is a global media agency network and the home of adaptive marketing.
Lucia Mastromauro
Vice President, Global Head of Client Partnerships of Adform
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About Adform: Making display advertising simple, relevant, rewarding for advertisers, agencies and publishers
David Davenport-Firth
Managing Partner, Brain Sciences Centre of Ogilvy Health
David Davenport-Firth leads health behaviour strategy and intervention, driving and supporting Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide’s position as the health behaviour specialists of Ogilvy. He is a self-confessed ‘quantified selfer’ and is passionate about health data visualisation and wearable technology. He is particularly interested in clinical decision making behaviour and how the psychosocial dimensions of health and illness can be better managed through visualisation and digital engagement. As such, he relishes collaborations with Central Saint Martins, Imperial College London, the University of Oxford Health Experiences Research Group, Warwick Business School the University of Westminster and is an active member of the #ogilvychange community. After working in innovation management and marketing, including two years in the United States, David returned to England to join Coley Porter Bell, becoming Chairman in 2001. He later moved into Ogilvy’s health network and after establishing a consulting offer and re-engineering the digital health practice in London, he switched his focus to behavioural medicine.
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About Ogilvy Health: Ogilvy Health is a marketing and advertising agency that specializes in the health care industry.
Malcolm Peters
Partner & Global Operations Officer of CHI & Partners
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About CHI & Partners: CHI & Partners was created 10 years ago by three partners, Simon Clemmow & Johnny Hornby & Charles Inge.
Richard Armstrong
Partner of MSQ Partners
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About MSQ Partners: MSQ Partners is a joined-up community of agencies, helping businesses build High EQ brands.
Rachael Scott
Partner & Director of FutureBrand
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About FutureBrand: FutureBrand seamlessly combines expertise in brand strategy, identity, digital, retail, environmental, product and service design.
Nicole Whitelaw
Head of Partnerships of Flux Outdoor
Nicole Whitelaw currently serves Flux Outdoor as head of partnerships. Prior to joining with Flux Outdoor, Nicole spent one year with the NOI Club as marketing and communications manager. She also worked with Curious Fu as marketing manager.
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About Flux Outdoor: Flux is the platform for data triggered billboard advertising. We help marketers use data to buy billboard space the right moment.
Matthew Breen
Managing Partner – OMD EMEA of OMD
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About OMD: OMD is a media communications agency committed to delivering sharper insights, smarter ideas and stronger results.
Martin Beauchamp
Head of Data Strategy, Managing Partner of Wavemaker
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About Wavemaker: Wavemaker provides next-generation media, content, technology solutions, and advertisement services to reinvent the media agency.
Adrian Firth
Founding Partner of Rattle Technology
Adrian is a tech focused creative with a natural ability to combine advanced technologies with everyday life. His foremost skill is bringing together teams from various disciplines: designers, carpenters, technologists, builders, musicians, writers and guiding them to collaborate on technologically led creative projects.
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About Rattle Technology: Rattle enables brands and their agencies to access the power of augmented reality experiences through our unique plug and play platform.
Matt Whelan
Managing Partner of The Specialist Works
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About The Specialist Works: The Specialist Works operates as an independent international brand performance media agency.
Allison Wightman
Client Partner of Brilliant Noise
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About Brilliant Noise: Brilliant Noise is a digital strategy and innovation agency.
Maddy Wood
Founding Partner & CCO of Brilliant Noise
She was formerly chief client officer at iCrossing UK, joining the firm in (then called Spannerworks) in 2001, overseeing the growth of its client base during a critical period in the company’s history. Maddy has a BA in Psychology from the University of Sussex, an MBA from the University of Brighton and is Net Promoter Certified. She sits on the board of the Friends of Amani UK, a charity that cares for street children in Tanzania.
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About Brilliant Noise: Brilliant Noise is a digital strategy and innovation agency.
Andy Snuggs
Managing Partner of Future Kings
Having run his own creative agency Geronimo for 14 years, Andy brings a wealth of experience in creating value for clients. He has successfully launched new products and services for many blue chip businesses including Vodafone, Direct Line Group, SEAT (UK), Co-op and AGE UK . But he is also passionate about helping ambitious start ups develop into Future Kings.
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About Future Kings: Future Kings is a marketing and advertising firm.
Phil Budd
Partner of Luv4 Marketing
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About Luv4 Marketing: Luv4 Marketing is an online marketing franchise company.
Maya Bogle
Founder and Head of Agency Partnerships of Talenthouse
Maya Bogle is one of the Founders of Talenthouse, a platform dedicated to developing creative talent around the World with the technology to become the largest source of creative solutions for brands. Talenthouse meets the rapidly growing demand amongst brand owners to deliver these solutions at speed, at scale, with cultural relevance and at competitive cost. Maya is championing this cause and has over 25 years experience in media. She speaks regularly at conferences including Cannes Lions, Social Media Week New York, AdWeek Europe, Crowdsourcing Week Singapore, the London F.ounders Conference, Tech City Insider, the Media Summit Manchester, Ibiza Music Video Festival, Silicon Beach EU, NOAH and numerous educational establishments.
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About Talenthouse: 14.6 million strong global creative community power leading brands globally
Silke Zetzsche
Head of Commercial Partnerships of A Million Ads
What draws me to A Million Ads is the company’s ethos – we’re all about pioneering change in the digital marketplace. I love striving for the next cool, innovative and challenging thing in digital media advertising. Outside of work I love hanging out with my cool little daughter Alexandra.
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About A Million Ads: We are the dynamic audio experts. We create data-driven audio ads with thousands of ad variants that are more contextually relevant for consumers and drive better engagement for brands..
Matt Dyke
Founding Partner of AnalogFolk
A lateral thinker with over 15 years’ experience in digital, consumer, brand and communications planning. Matt dislikes the ‘ivory tower’ stereotype of strategic thinking and prefers that his team work collaboratively with our clients to develop breakthrough ideas. With a passionate interest in technology and digital culture, Matt has also become a pioneering voice on how the digital and physical worlds are fusing together to create opportunities for brands. Previous to AnalogFolk, Matt was Head of Planning at DDB London and a Campaign ‘Face to Watch’ as Worldwide Strategy Director for Tribal DDB. He was one of the first digital planners in the industry and won creative effectiveness awards for Philips, Volkswagen, British Gas, The Guardian and Hasbro. He’s also judged numerous creative awards including D&AD and Campaign. He likes to think of himself as a multi-talented rockstar. Truth be told, he’s a poorly self-taught guitarist, only half-decent saxophonist but can certainly hold a note with a mic in his hand. When he’s not making sweet music, Matt screams and shouts at men. As an Arsenal season ticket holder, his mood on any given morning is totally dependent on what happened at The Emirates the night before.
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About AnalogFolk: AnalogFolk are an innovative creative agency that makes and markets valued interactive experiences in an analog world.
Nick Thompson
Partner of Solder Creative
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About Solder Creative: Solder Creative is a creative technology studio creating products and services using new and emerging technologies.
Nicola Hayes
Managing Partner of Andrasta Consulting Ltd
Nicola has been involved in the data centre market since 1998, prior to which she was involved in telecoms network rollout following European de-regulation. As Managing Partner of the London based Philips Group, Nicola was responsible for the formation of the companies Data Centre Consultancy Practice and was the author of the first ever industry report into the fledgling colocation market as well as speaking at the first conferences in both Europe and the US on the subject. With experience advising colocation providers, government agencies, financial institutions and vendors on data centre strategy, rollout and investment, Nicola has an unrivalled knowledge on the sector. Following a role as Vice President of BroadGroup, a UK based company specialising in data centre conferences and consultancy, Nicola then joined DatacenterDynamics where she was responsible for establishing a data centre research practice, DCD Intelligence, which is now one of the leading sources of global data, research and consultancy on data centre trends. She has recently established her own consultancy, Andrasta Consulting providing strategic business advice to companies involved in the sector.
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About Andrasta Consulting Ltd: Andrasta Consulting provides strategic business and marketing consultancy services.
Lucian Trestler
Partner of MYTH London
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About MYTH London: MYTH London is a provider of marketing and advertising services.
Sean Ward
VP / Partner of NXFX Studios
Before founding Synthace, Sean was a Research Associate in Bioinformatics at University College London, where he conducted research into protein folding, protein structure prediction, and gene coding. Prior to his work in bioinformatics, Sean was the Co-Founder and CTO of Relatable, a leading US based acoustic fingerprinting company, who’s customers included major peer to peer companies such as Napster, as well as consumer electronics manufacturers, royalty collection agencies, and major labels. Sean has a BSc in Computer Science from UCL.
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About NXFX Studios: NXFX Studios is a Boston-based web design and online marketing agency that offers web-related services and marketing advice.
Mubarak Basha
Managing Partner of VipeHype
Mubarak Basha is Managing Partner at VipeHype.
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About VipeHype: VipeHype is a one-stop shop that advises entrepreneurs with developing, online marketing, legal, and investment strategies.
Ashleigh Bishop
co-CEO & Founding Partner of Bagboard
Ashleigh Bishop is the co-CEO & Founding Partner at Bagboard.
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About Bagboard: Bagboard is an advertising platform that creates premium, eco-friendly, and reusable bags to replace single-use plastic ones.
Jamie Kenny
Founding Partner of Byte
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About Byte: Byte is an independent marketing technology agency that has expertise in data, technology, creative content and paid media.
Alex Miller
Founding Partner of Byte
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About Byte: Byte is an independent marketing technology agency that has expertise in data, technology, creative content and paid media.
Dave Bedwood
Creative Partner of The&Partnership London
Dave Bedwood started his career in 1998; working at several of the large ad agencies in London. In 2004, alongside three Tribal DDB colleagues he set up ‘Lean Mean Fighting Machine’ with the mission to be the best digital agency in the world. Dave has picked up numerous industry awards including: Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, Andy’s, ADC, Creative Circle, BIMA and the Webbies. In 2008 Lean Mean Fighting Machine become the first, and only, UK agency to win ‘ Cannes Interactive Agency of the Year’ Award. In 2013 Lean Mean Fighting Machine was sold to M&C Saatchi where Dave became Creative Director. He ran the Transport for London, Virgin and Land Rover accounts, across all media. Today he is Creative Partner at The & Partnership London, where he runs the Lexus Europe and Lexus International accounts.
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About The&Partnership London: The&Partnership London is a future-focused creative agency is to bring together creativity, technology and data in new ways.
Julian Hirst
Managing Partner of Tribal DDB Worldwide
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About Tribal DDB Worldwide: Tribal DDB Worldwide is an Advertising Age A-List Agency.
David Anthony Kennedy
Silent Partner of Brands on Digital
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About Brands on Digital: Brands on Digital is a digital marketing agency for brands.
Jon Cronin
Partner and Head of Lansons Broadcast & Content of Lansons
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About Lansons: Lansons is a full service strategic consultancy, specialising in corporate, media and political communications.
Jon Cronin
Partner and Head of Lansons Broadcast & Content of Lansons
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About Lansons: Lansons is a full service strategic consultancy, specialising in corporate, media and political communications.
Tim Ellis
Partner of First Partners
Tim Ellis is a Partner at FirstPartner, specialising in technology market and commercial strategies. He has lead a number of projects in Automotive, IoT and Wearables sectors along with advising on Sales & Marketing Effectiveness programmes. Tim Ells has extensive previous experience in the start up and growth of EMEA divisions of US Technology companies. Tim also served as MD for Active Voice Ltd, a division of Active Voice Corp (Seattle WA), a developer of Enterprise mobility software applications and an early entrant into Enterprise VoIP and Unified Messaging systems market, which was purchased by Cisco Systems in 2001. Previously, Tim Ellis was involved in the ASIC sector of the semiconductor industry, working both in Europe and USA for a variety of major companies, providing experience in both technology production ramp ups and Intellectual Property based ventures. Tim is qualified with both BSc Engineering and MSc Microelectronics degrees, and is a Member of the Institute of Directors.
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About First Partners: FirstPartner is structured as a partnership, working hand-in-hand with clients to solve their new product development and marketing.
Anna Hyde
Media Partnership Director of Interscroller
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About Interscroller: A video advertising network designed specifically for mobile, with 100% fill, delivering improved performance for publishers & advertisers.
Sarah Lewthwaite
Strategic Partnerships Director – EMEA of Movio
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About Movio: Movio is the global leader in marketing data analytics and campaign management software.
