About me.
I grew up in Newcastle, North East England, early ’90s.
A city in flux. Industry fading. Culture mutating. The old rules breaking down. Change was everywhere. New ideas moved in. Old certainties moved out. Communities got reshuffled. Connections frayed. But something new was trying to take root.
That environment taught me fast: resilience isn’t optional.
Community isn’t just nice to have, it’s a survival strategy.
And if you want to build anything that lasts, you build it with people, not at them.
Audience isn’t something you capture. It’s something you earn, together.
Defined by culture.
I’ve always been a bit obsessed with brands, it started young with brands like Stussy, Nike, Pony and MTV.
Growing up in the ’90s, there was this massive cultural wave coming in from the US, music, sport, streetwear, and I was totally hooked.
My first proper job was at Bacardi Brown-Forman, working across brands like Bacardi, Jack Daniel’s, Bombay Sapphire, and Grey Goose. It was a certainly a ride, seeing music and fashion shifting from underground scenes into the mainstream, and brands were right there riding the wave. I loved seeing how they positioned themselves in that cultural chaos.
I’ve always been drawn to the stuff bubbling under the surface, those early signals before something goes big. Spotting those trends and turning them into something meaningful for a brand? That’s my sweet spot.
The Edge of Shadows Reveals Hidden Opportunities
I’ve always believed in the power of spotting what’s coming before it’s fully here, kind of like seeing around corners. The way scientists use shadows and reflections to figure out what’s hidden? That’s how I think about culture and trends.
It’s about reading between the lines, picking up on the small signals others miss, and using them to get a jump on what’s next.
That’s what makes branding exciting for me. It’s not just about keeping up, it’s about looking ahead and connecting what’s happening now to what could happen next.
When you can see around corners, you don’t follow trends, you help shape them. That’s how I build strategies that lead, not chase.
Always one step ahead.
