Craig Inglis, the marketer who masterminded John Lewis’s famous Christmas adverts, is joining Newcastle-headquartered Sage.
Inglis is joining the software giant as Executive Vice President, Global Brand & Integrated Marketing next week, reporting to Sage chief marketing officer Cath Keers.
Inglis left John Lewis in March 2020 after a 12-year run at the retailer, during which he introduced its epic festive ads alongside London agency Adam & Eve, including The Bear and the Hare and Monty the Penguin.
He’s since been working as a consultant and is also non-executive chair of The Marketing Society.
Writing on LinkedIn about the move to Sage, Inglis said: “It’s a business with huge heart that was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, and still has its HQ there, but quietly become one of Britain’s biggest tech businesses and a global player in its market.
“That aside, I’ve been totally seduced by their mission to knock down barriers so everyone can thrive and to be the champion of small & medium sized businesses, the lifeblood of economies across the world.”
Revenue at the FTSE 100 firm grew 8% to £866m in the six months to the end of March 2022.
It has 11,000 staff and is one of the North East’s largest employers. In April it revealed a new-look brand.