Carol Smith, Director of Brand Engagement at WRG

Carol has a proven track record in delivering business growth and creating effective brand communications. She spent many years at TBWA working across key accounts including PZ Cussons, Henkel, AG Barr and Brother. She then moved to McCanns, introducing and leading accounts such as Vision Express, Cross Country Trains and Welcome to Yorkshire.

A wealth of leadership and communications experience gained across a wide range of sectors led her to become Head of Brand Communications at Cirrus where she led many brand engagement programmes for organisations such as HSBC, Shop Direct, Warburton’s and National Nuclear Labs.

As Director of Brand Engagement at WRG her passion is employee engagement and her role involves supporting the client teams, to work with their clients to develop programmes that help increase engagement.

Tim Leonard, Brand Provocator at Elmwood 

An Elmwood veteran and insight addict, my mission is to provoke clients and colleagues to think differently and help define creative solutions that drive commercial success. I support the wider Elmwood team to develop and define brand strategy and uncover the latest and hottest trends. I contribute to and participate in pitches, workshops, research and thrashes – all with a healthy dose of enthusiasm, energy and curiosity.

I have worked on some very effective jobs for clients such as P&G, Argos and Morrisons. Outside work I get my creative fix with technological gadgetry – current favourite is my connected home lightbulbs and my PS4. I’m a proud father of two boys.

Dan Monteith, Global Provocation Director – Brand at Elmwood

Dan discovered the creative industry by accident, while studying for a law degree and writing copy for a friend’s agency in his spare time. His first accounts were Jaguar and Vauxhall Opel, followed by a move to pioneering London agency St Luke’s (vie Lowe) where he ran a multi-brand account for Interbrew.

After four years as a consultant on accounts such as P&G and Bosch, Dan moved to Scandinavia where he became the CSD of an independent ad agency, running the global Husqvarana account. He returned to the UK in 2011 and rejoined the automotive business for a short while, before joining Elmwood in the summer of 2012.

Nicola Carey, Head of Strategy & Planning at Jaywing

Nicola spearheads Strategy and Planning at Jaywing, working to drive customer understanding and develop effective brand and marketing strategies for Jaywing’s clients. A true strategist for the data driven age, Nicola has a real talent and love of translating data into insight for clients to inform both strategic and creative direction.

In addition to a wealth of brand, consultancy, planning and innovation experience gained with leading brands including first direct, E.ON, EE and Diageo, Nicola’s international experience spans consumer engagement and market research everywhere from America to Africa and Afghanistan. She was also recognised as one of The Drum’s Top 50 Under 30 in digital in 2014, which celebrates women who are trailblazing their way in the digital industry.

Tim Sinclair, Managing Director at Wolfstar

Formerly a Captain in the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, Tim has more than 25 years’ experience in public relations including consumer, B2B, CSR, crisis and issues management, stakeholder relations and brand story telling.

He established multiple award-winning integrated communications agency Sinclair Mason in 1986, working with clients including BT, Reebok, Dunlop, NHS, Hermes, Cadbury, Harvey Nichols, Silentnight, France Telecom and Visa, before selling the business to Huntsworth plc in 2005.

He established WOM UK, the UK’s Word of Mouth Marketing Association, acting as its chief executive for the first year of its operations, before leaving to found Wolfstar, the UK’s first specialist social media and public relations consultancy.

Since 2007 he has retained an advisory role with clients, including Unilever, Sony Mobile, Smith & Nephew, GSK, Discovery Channel, Givaudan and first direct. He currently retains a part-time role with Stashmetrics dedicated to giving a real understanding of social media data.

Caroline Skipsey, Managing Partner at Igniyte

Caroline is Managing Partner of Igniyte, playing a key role in establishing the company as a specialist in online reputation management. Caroline has 20 years of business, legal and financial experience within the media and digital marketing industries. Working with clients and their legal advisors to give support when they’re facing issues; Caroline helps companies deal with inappropriate, defamatory and unsubstantiated content online.

Caroline’s knowledge is sought by legal partners, brands and companies and as such, is a key industry spokesperson, regularly asked to speak at legal, marketing and PR conferences and events. Caroline is the author of A Guide to Managing Your Personal Information Online, and regularly features on leading publications and TV and radio stations across the country.