Mike Phillipson

Reported to the Board of Directors, orchestrated all bottom-line factors, including company vision, long-range strategic planning and corporate direction for this established, independent, full-service UK top 30 marketing communications agency group, encompassing a multi-channel offer, with 150 plus employees and based across three UK offices. Provided oversight on all aspects of sales management, service management and talent development. Drove the consistent articulation of the corporate message. Key contributor to the achievement of challenging business targets, oversaw P&L, cost management and budgeted plans. Built and led the senior to team, developed and nurtured talent and mentored individuals to achieve at the highest possible level.

Selected Contributions:
♦ Created a more responsive and market-driven organisation resulting in increased sales by £1 million p.a.
♦ Substantially improved productivity to secure 19% compound annual growth in core income.
♦ Established strategic alliances with multi-channel customers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Club Med, Kwik Fit, Aga, Steinhoff (Bensons for Beds etc), Café Direct, Halfords, Yorkshire Water, Red Spotted Hanky, The Mailbox, Triumph Motorcycles, Arriva, and Vauxhall.
♦ Developed, introduced, and launched new income streams including e-CRM, Data Analysis, Film Production, Strategic Services, PR, Blended Content, CGI, DM, Social and Search, Agency inside and Retail Hub offers.
♦ Analysed and interpreted financial data to make critical business decisions and drive operational efficiency.
♦ Negotiated numerous profitable contracts with customers and suppliers.
♦ Achieved ‘likely to recommend’ and employee ‘satisfaction’ scores above 90%.
♦ Won numerous awards across differing business disciplines including Creative, PR and CRM.
♦ Successfully launched a customer-centric Cogent Way of working and best practice, to differentiate the Agency service offer, monitored through customer and employee surveys.

Envisioned and implemented strategic marketing campaigns, while simultaneously running this top regional, full-service creative agency. Devised and presented business plans for agreement at Board Level. Led, motivated and developed a high-performing management team. Spearheaded vision, strategy, and execution of global business operations. Oversaw staffing, strategic directives, and training of marketing teams. Developed and implemented marketing plans, established marketing and sales objectives, and prepared company-wide sales forecasts. Forged robust and profitable relationships with clients including WKD, Domino’s Pizza, Holland & Barrett, Samsung, Princes Foods, Fruit of the Loom, Merlin Entertainments Group and Tesco Mobile. Took overall P&L responsibility. Ensured the business had future capacity to meet its growth targets.

Took responsibility for organisational operations in this prestigious and fashionable Westminster-based based business with 3 venues - Altitude 360, The Millbank Media Centre (which has a 300-seat cinema and was used as the Conservative Party HQ during the General Election) and The River Room. Combined turnover of £9 million. Continually offered business support to ensure the group’s overall success, improved efficiency and implemented cost savings against financial budgets. Managed and developed a team of personnel, prioritised and shared tasks between a multi-disciplined group of workers, agreed and monitored performance and KPI targets. Championed and directed numerous concurrent projects and contracts, identified and resolved issues. Set and oversaw P&L budgets.

Directed the management buyout of a full service and creative communications agency. Worked alongside high-profile clients including Habitat, ghd, Greggs, Fox’s Biscuits, Ben & Jerrys, and Sharwoods. Ran offices in London and Leeds with a workforce of 100. Examined and overhauled the strategy and direction of the business.
Selected Contributions:
♦ Selected for a secondment with Habitat for 10 months as the European Marketing Director, in the lead up to their sale to Hilco.
♦ Successfully managed the acquisition and running of Revolver PR (London).
♦ Increased profit per employee by 50%.
♦ Conceptualised and introduced best practice sales and marketing tools, particularly networking with agency intermediaries, strategic brand planning, brand essence and proposition development, as well as research techniques including launching an Ideas Lab facility.
♦ Designed an Interactive Division and Corporate PR Division; delivered a six-figure profit in year one.
♦ Named MCA 'Consultancy of the year 2009’.

Established and ran a UK top 30 advertising agency with £56 million billings. Defined the strategy and direction of the business. Undertook extensive market and competitor analysis to identify potential for new customers. Dealt with all aspects of client relations and personnel management, together with detailed financial control and reporting. Developed reputation building strategies, managed issues and built relationships with key stakeholders, acted as the key interface for all project development activities. Worked with clients including DFS, Fox’s Biscuits, BSkyB, Alliance & Leicester, and Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Selected Contributions:
♦ Steered successful sales strategy, won clients worth £56 million billings in a three-year period.
♦ Won 2005 IPA Advertising Effectiveness Award for the work completed with Fox's Biscuits.
♦ Named UK 'Marketing Agency Head of the Year' in 2004.

• A Board level role, I was responsible for the marketing of Co-operative Bank’s internet bank, Smile.co.uk, reporting to the CEO. Working closely with a marketing team of 12 inc Product and Pricing, Web and Marketing comms and 250 staff, I helped turnaround a debt laden start-up into becoming a profitable business, whilst maintaining a robust ethical stance. Responsibility for £3m sales and marketing budget third party relationships and NPD.
• Development and implementation of major new brand and product initiatives, all delivering or exceeding forecast sales eg Smile More, Smile Share Dealing, Smile Insurance, Smile Holidays.
• Launched new, easier to use Smile website, following in depth research, working closely with the IT team.
• Directed award winning DM, digital, affiliate, social media, search, advertising and PR.
• Smile crowned Best Buy current account by Which Money Magazine and voted top for banking customer satisfaction (ahead of First Direct).
• Effective marketing strategy and ROI drove Smile to a profit position within a year and doubled their customer base to 500k.

Reporting to the Commercial Director I helped drive stakeholder value and double customer base to 1m over a five-year period. I was responsible for directing and monitoring internal and external marketing communications strategy and plans. I overlooked and directed TV, Digital, press, PR, DM, CRM, Affiliates, market research activity inc agency liaison eg WCRS, PHD etc. I managed a marketing budget of £8m, sat on the First Direct Management Team and liaised with the global management team at HSBC Group. Full responsibility for acquisition strategy, reputation management, corporate communications, brand development implementation and measurement, working closely with the Customer Services team.
Selected Contributions:
• Doubled customer base to 1m, increased lifetime value per customer and maintained CPC.
• Directed the external and internal marketing launch of the First Direct internet banking offer.
• Won Gold IPA Effectiveness Award and Gold British Television Advertising Award.

Accounts included: P&G (Ariel, Old Spice, Vicks), Barclays, Nestle, Philips (Worldwide), Seiko, Typhoo, V05, Universal and Paramount Pictures, Whitbread (Ales), Shelter