After starting life as a PA and working for companies including Touche Ross and ICI Fibres I decided in my mid 20s to re-consider my career and undertook a Business Studies A Level at night school to more fully understand all aspects of business. I immediately fell in love with the concept of marketing and consequently began the many years of self study whilst still working to secure a post grad diploma in Marketing from the CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing).

My first marketing role whilst studying was with a 3 year project raising awareness of and supporting Carers up in Harrogate financed by the Family Health Services Authority. This was a real challenge, very humbling, really good fun and very hands on at a time when carers were unknown and little supported. I then moved down to London to help my brother set up a publishing company and as it was a start up operation I was not only responsible for marketing, but also involved myself in sales, accounts, distribution, cleaning, etc! We were putting together discount guide books, initially ‘London for Less’ for the US market and it gave me the opportunity to work in the States a couple of times. We also won the contract for Euro ’96 with Mastercard to compile smaller versions for each of the cities hosting football, and the residents discount card for Westminster Council. It is very difficult working with family and after a couple of years of long hours for little reward I moved to a private gas company and was the Senior Account Manager for some of their largest clients.

I then moved to Marketing Manager for The Lord’s Taverners, a national charity with a membership of over 4,000, including many celebrities both from the acting and sporting worlds. Their charitable mission was initially just cricket related but an ever expanding focus was supporting disabled youngsters through providing minibuses and sporting related grants. Whilst working for them I took a gold bond place and ran the London marathon.

After moving up to Milton Keynes (an area I knew well as I lived in Aspley Guise throughout my child hood and my father had re-located his engineering business from London to MK back in the early days!) and suffering through the aftermath of the Hatfield Rail disaster (no trains / no timetables!) I decided to find a local job and took on Product and Marketing Manager for OU Worldwide, the commercial arm of the Open University.

In June 2006 I took up my latest role as Marketing Manager for the Theatre District. A constant and interesting challenge which I have far from conquered!!

Website: Theatre District