Prolific North is delighted that Martin Jackson, CFO of McCann WorldGroup in the UK, Neil McKay, CEO of Lakestar McCann and Phil Dean, MD of Turn Key London, will be speaking at our Top 50 Integrated Agencies event on Thursday 3 July.
As with our other industry gatherings complementing our definitive rankings of Northern marketing services agencies, the event on 3 July will be hosted by Barclays TMT (Technology Media Telecoms) unit in central Manchester.
The informal event at Barclays’ offices in Spinningfields starts at 4pm and closes at 6pm. Drinks and refreshments will be served. Attendees at the event will be able to take some time out of their busy schedules to mix with fellow leading practitioners, chew the fat, share insights and hear some pearls of wisdom dispensed by our three outstanding speakers: Martin Jackson, Neil McKay and Phil Dean.
A previous event for the Top PR Agencies was held last autumn and the first industry gathering for the Top 50 Digital Agencies is being held on Thursday 26 June in association with MLP Solicitors and Click Consult.
The Integrated Agencies event on 3 July is open to owners and senior managers of Integrated Agencies from across the North and our partner in this initiative, Better Placed Recruitment, will be emailing the 100 plus agencies who submitted information for the earlier publication of the Top 50 Integrated Agencies ranking last Nov.
Space is limited at the event and for those who are interested in attending, please email AngelaEvans@betterplaced.com to register your interest – but please remember, this event is likely to booked up quickly.
Our three guest speakers have been chosen for their varied experiences in establishing and building agencies in the marketing services sector, selling them and buying them. Between them, they will share their collective and individual thoughts on what makes successful agencies and in due course what makes them attractive to potential suitors
Martin Jackson/McCann UK CFO
Martin attended Liverpool University where he received a First Class degree in Accountancy & Finance. After gaining his Chartered Accountancy qualification with KPMG, Martin worked for several blue chip companies in a variety of roles, including Courtaulds and AstraZeneca before joining McCann Erickson Manchester as Financial Controller and being promoted to Financial Director shortly thereafter. After being appointed CFO for McCann WorldGroup in the UK in 2011, Martin’s focus now is on overseeing McCann UK and as a Director of McCann EMEA limited, a variety of M&A/special projects across the EMEA region.
The last 3 years have seen a wave of M&A activity in which Martin has played a key role, acquiring core marketing communication skillsets whilst disposing of non-core businesses. This has included the acquisition of Lakestar, an online marketing agency specialising in search marketing; AllofUs, an interactive design and user experience agency and also Meteorite; a relationship marketing agency. At the same time, Martin has overseen the disposal of non-core agencies in the UK and also in Ireland and Belgium to help drive a more focused McCann WorldGroup in EMEA.
Neil McKay/CEO Lakestar McCann
Neil has over 15 years of ‘digital marketing’ agency experience and he has held the position of CEO at Lakestar McCann since 2008.
Before Lakestar McCann, Neil was the Group Commercial Officer for Europe’s largest search marketing agency; Bigmouthmedia (now DigitasLBi) and prior to that he was the UK MD for one of Europe’s leading digital agencies Global Media GmbH.
Neil’s business loves are ‘helping clients achieve sustainable growth through digital marketing’ and ‘mergers and acquisitions’ of which he has three successful deals to his name (2 sales and 1 acquisition) which included the creation of Europe’s largest Search Marketing agency.
Neil led the sale of Lakestar Media to McCann Worldgroup in 2012.
Outside of work Neil’s passions are his family and windsurfing.
Phil Dean/Managing Director, Turn Key
Phil trained as a graphic designer in his hometown of Leeds, building his early career with local design agency PFB. His role grew with the agency culminating in running the creative team as Creative Director.
Building on his design-led ethos, Phil moved into senior management with global agency ATTIK where his creative background and senior management skills were instrumental in the success of the London and Huddersfield offices, eventually running both offices as MD. In the UK and Europe, his director-level experience working with international brands was extensive.
As MD, Phil was involved in the whole marketing process, from research to full blown implementation with blue chip clients including Nike, Virgin, Guinness UDV, Baileys, BBC, Formula 1, Toyota, First Direct, Jaguar and Manchester United.
Phil joined specialist brand consultancy Thompson Brand Partners as Managing Director in 2003, working extensively with cultural, public and private sector clients at the highest level. As MD, Phil was been responsible for the development and growth of TBP from a niche creative business to a brand communications agency working with key clients such as London 2012, Harvey Nichols, Directgov, NHS Direct and Paul Smith.
In 2010, Phil joined Communisis as Managing Director Creative Services to build an integrated agency offering for the plc Group.
Phil was responsible for creating and building the successful Ingenious Rapport agency business and oversaw the growth of creative and digital within the Group, directly responsible for digital production business Kieon and social media agency Yomego,. Phil also sat on the Communisis Group Operating Board, helping to shape Group strategy and digital acquisition activity.
With a wide knowledge of the creative sector, Phil’s extensive skills and experience in integrated marketing and digital were instrumental in Communisis’ strategic growth and ambition in the digital arena.
Phil joined Turn Key in 2014 as Managing Director London to launch the London office for the Leeds agency group.
