Simple ideas for complicated businesses

After astonishing adventures such as traveling around the world nine times, flying solo in a homemade aircraft and working in a Victorian lunatic asylum, no challenge is too big for Ross. And when it comes to creative challenges, he’s been dealing with those brilliantly since 1992. Award-winning art director and creative director, if in a tight spot he can always rely on his fire-breathing skills to get some extra wows.

Copywriter by day, ukulele-armed-wannabe-comedian by night, Silvia’s life is quite different from her old days as a lawyer in Italy. Still, now as before, she loves to eat, sing, and talk a lot.

With her hands, of course.

Rowena has brought over twenty years’ experience in the industry to AML and is just as excited by putting in new processes as she is keeping the numbers in check: ‘There’s never been a dull moment’ she asserts. When not deep in forests of figures, Rowena loves nothing more than getting out to the theatre, the ballet, the opera or a gig – with ‘a spot of yoga or a gong bath’ thrown in to ensure that she maintains her equilibrium and keeps those pesky numbers thoroughly crunched.

Joanna has worked at a number of London’s leading agencies, many of them focused on the financial and professional services sectors. In her (very little) spare time she plays regular netball in one of the London Leagues and also confesses to a fascination with the world of traditional baking, taking particular delight in decorating celebratory cakes. She is at pains to point out that she never combines her passion for netball with her passion for baking, ‘as that might be messy’.

Sarah came to us straight from university where she graduated with a degree in psychology. Her thesis looked at how the way we think about the future affects our decision making – perfect preparation for her strategic role at AML. Sarah is also chief wrangler to Jellybean, her Toy Cavapoo, who’s just one of our canine staff members. Outside the office she is a devoted aficionado of Musical Theatre and dog walks.

Eleonora recently completed a languages degree, which she followed up with a year of valuable experience working in two in-house brand-marketing roles in Europe. Fluent in both French and Italian, her continentally acquired addiction to coffee sees her endlessly scouring London for that perfect cappuccino.

Christian heads up the AML strategy team and has over 35 years’ experience of working with clients from household automotive and FMCG brands such as P&G, Cadbury and Perrier – to financial, educational, charitable, chartered and legal organisations. Outside work, Christian intends to ski and sail as long as his knees and his bank manager support him – but is more often to be found watching rugby, ballet, film or theatre – or, indeed, the foam atop a hoppy IPA.

Always armed with hand sanitiser, Faye is AML’s resident germaphobe. But when it comes to account handling, she’s not afraid of getting her hands dirty. In her downtime, she enjoys collecting Kinder Egg toys.

Marc acts as the primary day to day contact for AML’s clients, assiduously representing their needs within the agency – and what gets him out of bed in the morning is delivering fast-paced, integrated campaigns. Give Marc half a chance and he’ll be glued to the tennis or rambling determinedly for miles around the capital. Either that or it’s ‘apron on’ for a spot of cordon bleu.

Having recently moved to London from Sydney, Annie brings her talent for building big brands to AML. She enjoys travelling, listening to podcasts and is a proper foodie and ‘drinkie’ (Aussie for ‘pub-crawler’?).

In his time before AML, Mat worked in high-end fashion and the publishing world – enhancing images for some of the world’s most prestigious brands. Outside work, Mat’s an F1 obsessive, though as he says, “I’ll watch anything if it’s on a race track”. The high-octane thrills aren’t confined to the trackside however; snowboarding season will find him performing ‘Canadian Bacons’, ‘Cross-rockets’, and ‘Super-Mindys’ wherever the powder is freshest.

Account man, semi-professional footballer and drummer, David’s interests are as diverse as the brands he’s worked on. With nearly two decades of agency experience, he’s seen it all in adland. Oh, and he’s also a DIY enthusiast with a tool shed that’s ‘equipped to handle anything’.

With over fifteen years’ agency experience, Merope heads up the account handling team at AML. When she’s not busy building brands, nurturing client relationships or listening to Radio 6, you’ll find her sprinting down the streets of Clerkenwell (she’s an active member of AML’s running club).

A highly experienced, cross-discipline project director, Dan is the man when it comes to making sure AML delivers. He enjoys 10k runs along the Brighton seafront, as well as pilgrimages up and down the country to watch his beloved Brighton and Hove Albion. Dan also likes to cook pig’s head with langostines. It is, he assures us, delicious.

Lucy has seen it all in client services and prides herself on being truly unflappable – an invaluable trait among AML’s account handlers. Two things she’s sure to lose her cool around though are her twin loves of food and dogs. Throw in a beach and she’s pretty much in heaven.

Inspired by colourful and vibrant things, Hollie brings fresh ideas and whizzy design skills to AML’s creative team. Outside of work, she loves travelling to exotic places, cooing over puppies and collecting recipes from Instagram.

Alex’s 14 years’ experience, both agency-side and in-house at an investment firm, means she can navigate financial jargon as well as she can her own studio. She’s also a dab hand at freehand writing techniques, an admirer of garden design and collecting leopard print clothing – if that’s a hobby.

Channeling his knack for coordinating campaigns, Jack has managed to corral creatives and account handlers into AML’s five-a-side team. When he’s not commanding the football pitch, he’s salivating over plans for his next culinary escapade.

Since being tricked into doing a presentation in a nurse’s uniform when he started working at Allison Mitchell back in 1993, Tim has moved from the role of trickee to master trickster. Outside of work (and that outfit) his preferred pastimes revolve around horse riding, flying and driving tractors.

Endlessly fascinated by business, brands and human behaviour, Ian brings extensive experience to his role as creative director, strategist, writer and agency head. His varied interests also include bikes and boats, but they’ve both proven tricky to enjoy inside the agency – so far.

Award-winning copywriter and author, Richard has also been a film critic for the BBC. Lately he’s swapped the silver screen for the great outdoors and an obsession for geocaching (part orienteering, part treasure-hunting). And as AML creative director, Richard loves nothing more than uncovering creative gems, helping to turn simple ideas into global, integrated and award-winning campaigns.

Award-winning Art Director and former UK Jitterbug Champion, Chris pairs a heavyweight creative mind with some seriously fancy footwork. Always has an ear out for live bluegrass too, should you know anywhere good.

Said not to have smiled since the summer of ’69, Matt is a regular winner of AML’s Mr Happy Award. But as he’d be the first to point out, who needs smiles when your video content is second to none?

Born in Tianjin, China, Xinna originally studied economics. She then went on to further her studies in the UK before joining AML at its incorporation. But her talents extend beyond just figures, she was once given the title of ‘Top 10 Singers’ at university and still enjoys a bit of karaoke today, but only in Chinese.

Laurence lives in Brighton, which is close to the sea. Has also learnt to love commuting…

Experienced counsellor and our second UK Jitterbug Champion, Hobie holds the agency together without even breaking a sweat. She enjoys running, dancing, tennis and watching athletics, as well as sneaking in the odd cinnamon bun from Gail’s bakery.

An award-winning, all-round creative type, Stephen once played for St. Mirren and now runs a website dedicated to vernacular typography. He is yet to launch a sister site celebrating his taste for bridies.