My skills
And how they can work for you
Before going freelance, I started my career in PR, became a marketing manager for major newsstand magazines and then became a magazine publisher.
Working with clients
A large part of my career has been involved in working with clients, initially within a PR agency and latterly when I was publishing magazines for clients including Waitrose, John Lewis and Virgin at marketing content agency John Brown.
Marketing expertise
I have been a marketing manager and worked with, and for, some very able marketing professionals, so one strand of my freelance career is providing strategic marketing advice for my roster of small business clients.
Effective communication
Above all I am passionate about effective communication, understanding the needs of your customers and getting your message across concisely and effectively.
In a busy world where people are being bombarded with communication, you want to:
a) be heard
b) be understood and
c) not waste people’s time.
I now spend my life making sure that the work I do for all my clients meets all these requirements.
MAGAZINE PUBLISHING
HAYMARKET PUBLISHING
I began my magazine career at Haymarket Publishing as Promotions Manager for its medical titles.
IPC
I moved to IPC as Promotions Manager for Woman and became Marketing Manager for Woman, Woman’s Own and Woman’s Realm. From there I moved to IPC’s monthly division Southbank as Head of Sales for Promotions across 19 magazines – running a sales team of nine and a creative group of designers and copywriters.
JOHN BROWN
At John Brown I became publisher of the loss-making, Waitrose Food Illustrated, and turned it into a profitable success. Over ten years, I produced magazines for clients including Waitrose, John Lewis, English Heritage, The AA, The Dorchester Group, Hello magazine, The Oldie, Swarovski Crystal and Virgin. I joined the Board at John Brown and became MD of its PR division.
THE CHELSEA MAGAZINE COMPANY
After John Brown I became Publishing Director of Chelsea Magazines, where I was involved in the acquisition and turnaround of two IPC titles and oversaw re-designs of three of its magazines.
EVENT MANAGEMENT
HAYMARKET PUBLISHING
At Haymarket I organised events ranging from conferences for pharmaceutical company chief executives, to nationwide roadshows for Government ministers to address GPs, to even a competition culminating in a live treasure hunt across the Essex countryside in which the winning contestant won a car.
IPC
At IPC I organised numerous award ceremonies including Children of Courage for Woman’s Own. This included a special service at Westminster Abbey, a reception at the House of Lords and a visit to 10 Downing St for the winners, additionally it involved liaison with many celebrities and their agents.
JOHN BROWN
At John Brown I was responsible for a regular series of reader events at Britain’s top restaurants – including an overseas champagne tasting lunch at the Alain Ducasse restaurant at the Plaza Athenée in Paris. Other events included a party at the Chelsea Physic Garden with catering by Tom Aikens amongst others.
THE CHELSEA MAGAZINE COMPANY
At the Chelsea Magazine company I was responsible for the major awards for the Cruise Industry. Work involved venue finding, hospitality coordination, budget management, script writing, AV production, press, PR, Twitter and social network promotion.
FREELANCE
I am one of the organisers of the Barnes Food Fair a major event attracting thousands of visitors, and some amazing chefs. My responsibility is running the Cookery Theatre, organising ticket sales and coordinating PR & publicity.
MARKETING MANAGEMENT
IPC
At IPC I was responsible for coordinating TV advertising campaigns and media strategy for Woman, Woman’s Own and Woman’s Realm, as well as handling cover promotions and in store promotions for the same magazines.
THE CHELSEA MAGAZINE COMPANY
At Chelsea I introduced their first ever contacts database and set up the marketing of their data to third parties as well as overseeing the strategy for exploitation of their reader contact data.
FREELANCE
Current freelance work includes responsibility for the marketing of the Barnes Food Fair and the Barnes Town Team.
PR
HENDERSON GROUP ONE
My first job after leaving university with a degree in Physiology was running the PR for the Aspirin Foundation – a cross industry body promoting research into the non-painkilling benefits of aspirin.
SHANDWICK COMMUNICATIONS
At Shandwick my clients included Nestlé, The Health Education Council and Durex condoms. I was responsible for health education materials and press relations.
JOHN BROWN
At John Brown I managed a team of 13 PR specialists working in the Motorsport sector looking after clients including the Honda Formula 1 team, and Philips sponsorship of the Williams F1 team.
FREELANCE
As a freelance I have been responsible for PR on behalf of the Barnes Food Fair and the Barnes Town Team.