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ABOUT ME
RESUME
MY STORY
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ABOUT ME
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ABOUT ME
I AM A NEW YORK-BASED INDEPENDENT STRATEGIST.MY THINGSharp and fearless thinking for messy business and marketing problems.BACKED BYA long track record of working independently with companies that are redefining what’s possible. A background in clear-eyed, evidence-based, no bullshit, British-trained strategic thinking.SPECIALTIESBig messes: muddled thinking, too much information, not enough insight.Tough cases: brands under attack, categories is turmoil.Low interest categories: any category can and should be interesting.Beyond communications: fixing upstream problems upstream.COMPANIES I’VE WORKED WITH
WHAT I’M GOOD ATDefining a brand's cause, fight, story with a sharp, provocative edge.Getting to ideas fast. I distrust insights that need six weeks of research to get uncovered.Using human language to get at human truths, not marketing jargon or business-speak.Uncovering interesting stories hiding in spreadsheets or stacks of folders.WHAT I SUCK ATLarge teams where everyone has a say. I go quiet in rooms with 20 people talking over each other. Maybe because I grew up in a large family?Standard brand templates with their endless tweaking of words. Trying to decide between 'refresh your life, every day' or 'refreshing vitality, daily' - shoot me. All-day meetings. Does anyone enjoy them?Working all the time. R&D is important, not just for corporations but for people. That’s why I only work eight months a year. The other four months are 'lab time' - time to make stuff, volunteer and learn new skills.things I doBrand positioning workBusiness + innovation strategyNew business pitchesCommunications strategy + creative briefs Audience deep divesCompetitive analysis
RESUME
RESUME
EDUCATIONSCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS (New York) - Master of Fine Arts in photography OXFORD UNIVERSITY (Oxford, UK) - BA/MA in philosophy, psychology and physiology  JOBSJWT (New York) - Group Strategy Director BERLIN CAMERON UNITED (New York) - Partner/Chief Strategy OfficerFALLON MCELLIGOTT BERLIN (New York) -  Senior StrategistBARTLE BOGLE HEGARTY (London) - Planner  AWARDSThree gold Effies, one silver and one bronze Effie, one silver Jay Chiat award, a bronze IPA Effectiveness award and a silver APG/UK award.
MY STORY
MY STORY
I grew up in a large family in a small village in the South of Germany. It’s lovely there, but I knew early on that I had to get out. I was punk, I was goth, I was shy, I was weird, I dropped out of high school. Working in a pants factory got old really fast, so I went on a German game show, made some money and ran away to London - note on pillow, early morning train, that kind of departure.With no qualifications, no connections and dodgy English my career prospects were limited. I worked in fast food places and cafeterias for a couple of years, then decided to step up my game by learning to type and do shorthand. Working as secretary for a few years gave me the confidence to