Nifty Fox Creative, a Barnsley-based research and data visualisation communications agency, has made two senior appointments as it targets £1.2 million turnover in 2025.
Lindsay Mallia joins as lead designer and Dan Kavanagh as lead animator & motion designer. Both will form part of Nifty Fox’s senior leadership team as the business scales.
The appointments come as Nifty Fox achieves 54% growth over the last five years and a 110% increase in its training offering, driven by growing demand for visual storytelling that bridges the gap between academic research and real-world impact.
Mallia brings 14 years’ experience in graphic design and five years as a teacher, a unique combination that enables her to translate complex academic concepts into compelling visual narratives. Before joining Nifty Fox, she ran her own design business working with clients including Doncaster Council, Yorkshire Wildlife Park and the YMCA. At Nifty Fox, she will lead the design team, implement creative processes and mentor designers, as well as working directly with clients to design, illustrate and scribe their research.
Kavanagh has more than 12 years’ experience in 2D and 3D motion graphics, illustration, graphic design and videography. Having worked in various design and communications agencies, he most recently worked in-house for Manchester United as part of the club’s video team. At Nifty Fox, Kavanagh will lead the animation team and projects that bring research to life, working closely with clients to present and pitch new creative concepts.
Established in 2017 by social researcher Laura Evans-Hill, Nifty Fox specialises in visual storytelling to drive real-world impact from research and evidence. The agency has worked with 50+ universities internationally, 3,000+ researchers and 80 public sector organisations including NATO, the UN, international parliaments, the Ministry of Justice, the UK Government and the NHS.
Laura Evans-Hill, founder and director of Nifty Fox, said: “Researchers were producing groundbreaking findings on healthcare, climate change, social inequality and public policy, yet their 80-page reports sat unread. It’s that challenge which drove me to establish Nifty Fox, to translate insights into impact through visual storytelling. We’re a cause-led business built by researchers who became visual storytellers. We uniquely combine academic rigour with creative expertise to ensure evidence drives real change.
“Dan and Lindsay are integral appointments for Nifty Fox. They both bring a wealth of experience and will help us increase our capacity to support more clients globally. These appointments position us perfectly to reach our ambitious growth targets, while maintaining the quality and impact our clients expect.”
Nifty Fox’s work has influenced parliament, redesigned healthcare services and engaged policymakers to understand evidence and act on recommendations.
