JAN 2021 - CURRENT | PRODUCT & AI LEADERSHIP

Following 10 years of leading teams and driving product innovation at AKQA, I have been deepening my client-side product leadership experience - and leaning deeply into generative AI.
In the last three years, I built and led an early-stage B2B2C product team, led a product and cultural transformation in an eCommerce company, and now I’m leading and growing an international team in an AI-first SaaS start-up.

Digital Product & AI Director, 55BirchStreet. June 2023 - Current

55BirchStreet is a change management consultancy focused on organisational transformation. I joined the team to create LevelX - a scalable, AI-first digital consulting product.

LevelX (working name) makes organisational transformation faster, easier and more effective, which enables our customers to become - and stay - fit for the future.

Essentially we are building a cutting-edge AI product, with a small innovative team, by highly leveraging generative AI ourselves as new capabilities unfold in real-time.

  • Leading the vision, strategy, MVP, problem/solution fit, product/market fit, test users and first customers.

  • Creating a cutting-edge AI product with a unique LLM-powered UI that takes business transformation to the next level.

  • Shaping a highly collaborative, open and innovative culture, with a remote-first European team.

Head of Product, myToys Group. Oct 2022 - May 2023 (position finished early as entire company closed down)

I joined myToys to reboot and rebuild the product community, and to help navigate the organisation through a period of immense change while it re-platformed.

I brought a much stronger focus on value and impact, established an ambitious new mindset amongst the Product Owner and Product Design community, and championed a more collaborative relationship between IT and the rest of the organisation.

Sadly, despite making a significant impact in a very short time, it was decided in March 2023 that the business would be closed down. I supported the C-suite and business leads in identifying the best possible ROI for the final months - and the best possible next steps for the product team.

  • Revitalised the 18 person Product community, improving morale and setting a new ambition level

  • Helped to drive a Group-wide re-platforming project, developing and overseeing the migration plan for a successful business transition.

  • Improved product methodologies, bringing more emphasis to Product Discovery, with a focus on measurable value

  • Set up a new product team for Retail Media, and supported the Product Owner in redefining the competitive strategy (potential 3x revenue increase, based on Discovery research)

  • Helping to optimise and lead the run-down of the myToys business after closure announced in March 2023

Chief Product Officer, VREEDA GmbH. Jan 2021 - Sept 2022

I was part of the leadership team alongside the co-founders in a B2B2C IoT start-up, building the product organisation and working hands-on to drive product success.

  • Led an 8 person product design/technology team, running user testing, smoke tests, MVP and product releases.

  • Developed the product strategy, and supported go-to-market partnerships with insurers, football clubs and a major German DIY retailer.

  • Defined and led the product roadmap in alignment with business goals and series A metrics.

  • Led the development of a new brand identity system to upgrade all touchpoints.

  • Collaborated on business strategy and ecosystem expansion with the founding team.

2010 - 2020 | STRATEGIC PRODUCT LEADERSHIP | AKQA BERLIN

I played a major role in growing AKQA Berlin from 20 employees to nearly 100, creating new product and venture methodologies, and shipping many new products and experiences.

I grew my team from 3 people to 11 people in Berlin, covering product strategy, experience design, brand and communication strategy. Also responsible for an additional 20+ product and communication strategists across AKQA’s European offices.

 

Executive Director, Product & Marketing Strategy, Europe. 2017 - 2020

  • I led a high-performing team of 30+ Product & Marketing Strategists across Europe, and worked with European Managing Directors to drive major new business wins.

  • Developed 10 week incubation programme and methodology for product/service development, together with AKQA's European lead for Business Strategy.

  • Driver of business growth including a multi-million euro global account win, led from the Berlin office with AKQA as lead strategic and creative partner, including service design.

  • Led team in creating a global strategy network for GORE-TEX, integrating AKQA's international offices along with third party partners, working across three time zones.

 

Head of Strategic Services. 2014 - 2017

  • Led all strategic disciplines in AKQA Berlin, encompassing strategic planning, product strategy and UX. Part of the Berlin leadership team, helped to drive AKQA's growth and strengthen its offering through innovative products, platforms and ecosystems.

  • Leadership role in winning and delivering outstanding work for IWC, innogy, Zalando - including .com relaunches, social commerce and product incubation.

  • Lead role in establishing product incubation unit for HRS, including product concept to reinvent the consumer journey for hotel booking.

 

Product Strategy Director. 2010 - 2014

  • As AKQA's first Product Strategy Director, brought a new focus and skillset to the development of digital products and services. Won new clients with project budgets in excess of €1m.

  • Lead role in conceiving, delivering and launching MTV ‘Under The Thumb’ entertainment platform – a world first in social TV with multiple awards including Cannes and Eurobest.

  • Helped to lead, win and deliver a hugely successful pitch for Deutsche Telekom's innovation lab, including the application of semantic search, contextual interfaces and machine learning.

1998 - 2010 | STRATEGIC CONSULTANCY & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

I led international and global projects, both as an independent consultant, and as a Co-Founder and Director of a boutique consultancy helping companies to make sustainability part of their brands and products.

Co-Founder & Director, Better thinking ltd. 2005 – 2010

  • Better thinking was a strategic consultancy working at the intersection of product, brand and sustainability. Clients included global telecommunications, international property, retail, financial services, fashion and third sector organisations.

  • Built the concept, product specification and supply chain for ‘the perfect t-shirt' - the world's most sustainable garment (featured in a London Science Museum exhibition and launched in Selfridges and Tokyo).

  • Built the consultancy to a six person team and won numerous new client pitches, including £100k+ projects.

 

Brand Design Consultant, Nokia. 2003 – 2005

  • Led design strategy through a two year global brand harmonisation & revitalisation project.

  • Worked with Nokia executives and directors, and led a team to roll out the project to Nokia managers and global agencies on 5 continents.

 

Strategy & Project Director, North Design. 2001 – 2003

  • Worked as a consultant alongside the company directors, providing strategic planning and senior client management on a range of design and identity projects.

  • Helped to scope, cost, win and deliver major (£1m+) corporate identity programmes, including HM Land Registry and Telewest Broadband.

 

Founder & Principal Consultant, Juice Communication ltd. 1998 – 2001

  • Internal brand and communications projects for several financial services companies, including Egg, Liverpool Victoria and Royal Sun Alliance.

1988 - 1998 | MARKETING & CUSTOMER SERVICES | RAC

I ascended rapidly, and during my last 2 years was a key member of the team shaping and delivering RAC’s brand repositioning and new corporate identity.

Helped to plan, price and win several multi-million pound contracts with automotive manufacturers including Toyota and Volkswagen Audi. Up to 10 direct reports in various roles.

-       Head of Internal Brand (2 years)

-       Market Manager, B2B (18 months)

-       Senior Brand Manager, B2B (18 months)

-       Brand Manager, B2B (1 year)

-       Assistant Brand Manager, B2B (1 year)

-       Marketing Assistant, B2C (1 year)

-       Customer Service Team Lead, B2B (15 months)

-       Customer Service Senior Representative B2B (6 months)

-       Customer Service Representative, B2C (3 months)

EDUCATION

Core qualifications

  • MA Marketing (part-time), University of the West of England. 1994 – 1995

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing (part-time), University of the West of England. 1991 – 1993

Additional courses

  • Professional Scrum Product Owner, (PSPO), Scrum.org. September 2022

  • Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming, AD International. August 1997

  • Project Management, Cranfield Business School. April 1995