2019 - CURRENT
FREELANCE MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

  • Senior Account Manager with Smarts, supporting the delivery of Scottish Government Health PR campaigns (including during Covid19 driving essential public health messaging), client account management and approvals, project planning, PR, influencer and experiential campaign activation.

  • Project Manager with Material:

    • The Macallan: Produced a year-long programme of online and in-person events and content for The Macallan Artisan Collective, a key initiative to preserve a legacy of traditional artisan skills. Responsibilities included client liaison and approvals, concept development, talent booking, content planning, event planning & execution, guest and audience communications and liaison, speaker briefing, budgeting.

    • COP26: Green Zone project manager responsible for producing commercial partner showreels for venue digital activation, role involved liaison with principal partners, UK Gov COP26 event team, and Cabinet Office.

    • Heineken: Project Management and sustainability content development of the design + build of a Virtual Reality ‘Pub for the Future’ trade customer experience.

    • Tennent’s Lager: Delivery of PR and social content during the Euro 2020 campaign for Scotland National Sides sponsor Tennent's Lager, led concept development and project management of the Martin Compston ‘Bedtime Story’ hero content activation piece.

    • SSE: Account Director for SSE’s headline sponsorship of the SSE Hydro and SSE Arena, Wembley, led the contract negotiation and event activation for SSE’s headline sponsorship of the Scottish Music Awards. Day-to-day client management, experiential and PR activation, stakeholder relationship building with rights owner and venue teams.

  • In-house onsite media team for the New York Times Climate Hub during COP26, reporting to the NYT Communications Director with responsibility for for media liaison, event partner liaison, interview scheduling.

  • PR & Red Carpet Team, BAFTA Scotland Awards

2016-2019
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, INNIS & GUNN
Responsible for strategic communications planning and execution across PR and digital channels for the UK’s No.2 craft brewer, building the brand profile and reputation for quality and innovation in the global craft beer market.

  • Managed a dynamic international press office and successful delivery of innovative brand PR and digital campaigns in key markets (UK, US, Canada, Sweden) for the core brand portfolio and NPD pipeline.

  • Initiated and delivered a revitalised digital strategy, leading the development of a new website, e-commerce service, and social media content strategy, responsible for ‘always on’ social content planning, creative development, execution, and evaluation across all digital platforms.

  • Led the creative development and production of all content, with a strategic focus on telling the brand story and positioning through its beers, bars, brewery and people, and tactical activation to promote key campaigns and new product launches.

  • Responsible for corporate communications and investor relations, included planning and executing an integrated PR and digital campaign for the brand’s first crowdfund (exceeding the £1M target to raise £2.4M), smooth onboarding and positive experience for shareholders joining the I&G investor community, overseeing the organisation of the company AGM for staff and shareholders.

  • Managed senior management and board level approvals, held an active role in senior management and board communications incl presentations, status reports, campaign evaluations.

2015
PROJECT DIRECTOR, MATERIAL MARKETING

  • Project and account management for SSE’s headline sponsorship of the SSE Hydro and SSE Arena, Wembley.  Led the launch of SSE’s headline sponsorship of the Scottish Music Awards, creating a platform for SSE to build its profile to a key entertainment industry audience and activate a CSR initiative in support of the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy charity.

  • Day-to-day client management, stakeholder relationship building with rights owner and venue teams, event planning and management to support delivery of creative activation ideas (such as SSE Live Awards) to drive customer acquisition and retention through awareness of and engagement with the SSE Reward loyalty programme.

2014
GAP YEAR

  • Gap year spent travelling and volunteering with the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) after deciding to take redundancy from C&C Group.

2006-2013
SENIOR SPONSORSHIP & PR MANAGER, C&C GROUP
Led planning and delivery of a high-profile music and sport sponsorship portfolio for Tennent’s Lager (putting the ‘T’ in T in the Park, T Break, T on the Fringe, Triptych, Tennent’s Mutual, Tennent’s Vital, Rangers & Celtic, Scottish Cup, Scotland National Sides), Gaymers Cider festival partnerships (Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Lovebox), and Caledonia Best’s Scottish Rugby sponsorship and Sam Torrance, Caledonia Best Brand Ambassador.

  • Responsible for leading internal cross-functional and external cross-agency teams to deliver outstanding brand experiences that engaged the target consumer, trade customer and internal audiences.  Overall responsibility for a £3M sponsorship budget encompassing event planning and delivery, integration with annual and long-term brand plans, media and PR activation, rights owner relationships, VIP customer experience, ticketing fulfilment, event branding, onsite experiential, pouring rights activation and logistics.

  • Supported brand planning and the delivery of brand ATL and integrated consumer campaigns, with specific responsibility for sponsorship, PR and digital activation.

  • Pro-actively built a trusted stakeholder relationship with rights owners (e.g., DF Concerts, Scottish Football Association, Scottish Rugby, Celtic and Rangers), day-to-day lead representing brand owners, managing contractual rights, and navigating approval processes.

1993--2006

  • Sponsorship Manager, Tennent’s Lager (ABInbev)

  • Assistant Sponsorship Manager, Tennent’s Lager (Inbev)

  • Tele-Account Manager, Tennent Caledonian Breweries (Interbrew)

  • HR & Training Assistant, Tennent Caledonian Breweries (Bass Brewers)

  • Sales Admin Assistant, Tennent Caledonian Breweries (Bass Brewers)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  • Cambridge University Institute for Sustainable Leadership, Business Sustainability Management Course (2023)

  • Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) Climate Change and the Environment, Green Claims Module (2023)

VOLUNTEER ROLES

  • 2019
    MCR Pathways Mentor

  • 2018
    Team 2018 Media Centre Operations, European Athletics Championships

  • 2013-2015
    Retail Assistant, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS)