A story buyers act on.
I turn things the market doesn’t yet understand into brands it wants.
From Stella Artois to deep tech.
I cut my teeth on the Stella Artois UK turnaround. Today I do the same for deep-tech founders, from Norwich.
Irish, at home in Norfolk. Mayo supporter. Keeper of a beehive.
Nearly 30 years, one brief.
1997 to 2008
Big brands
A first job in Dublin, then nine years at InBev and AB InBev, from Dublin to Prague, Brussels and Leuven.
1999 to 2002, InBev Ireland
National Category Manager On Trade
Launched Staropramen, Grolsch and Stella Artois into Ireland, and wrote its first draft-beer strategy.
2002 to 2005, Staropramen
Global Brand Manager
The brand’s first. It grew more than 300% outside its home market.
2005 to 2006, Beck’s
Business Marketing Manager
Launched Beck’s in Poland and in Nigeria.
2006 to 2008, Stella Artois
Launched the UK Chalice, as global lead on the UK turnaround team.
1997 to 1999
Vintage Foods Ltd
Marketing and Sales Manager. First job
2008
AB InBev
Senior Global Marketing Manager, Stella Artois. On the Stella Artois 4% launch team
2008 to 2018
Global leadership
Running marketing for an appliance group, a payments giant and the UK beer industry.
2008 to 2012, Electrolux Major Appliances EMEA
Director of Marketing
Led a team of 11 from product-led to consumer-led, and relaunched AEG in Germany.
2013 to 2015, Western Union
Global Director of Marketing and Customer Strategy
Before that, Global Product Marketing Director, 2013 to 2014
Built the This is WU platform, then the first global brand proposition, behind My WU.
2015 to 2018, Britain’s Beer Alliance
Marketing and Commercial Director
There’s a Beer for That replaced Let There Be Beer and took beer into the food aisles.
2010 to 2011
Electrolux Mobile Platform
Led the project team. Point-of-sale information on mobile
2012
The Cube by Electrolux
A restaurant on the roof of London’s Royal Festival Hall. £180 a ticket
2012
Cannes Film Festival
The opening-night gala dinner, presented by Electrolux
2018 to now
Founder, adviser, fractional
Founding, advising and fractional roles, now two or three mandates at a time, straight with founders.
2022 to 2024, TagMix
Marketing and Partnerships Director
Part-time, for an app that makes phone video sound as good as it looks.
- UrbanFox
- UniteVerse
Now, UniteVerse
Fractional mandate
Building the brand for a cultural intelligence platform.
2018 to 2026
Hop King
Shareholder, adviser and consultant. Beer and skateboarding, with a skate park and taproom in Bermondsey
2018 to 2022
Triple A
Co-Founder. Brand partnerships with film and documentary, to contribute to culture, not sponsor it
2019 to 2023
Bowimi
Non-executive director
2021 to 2022
E1 Brew Co.
Commercial and marketing consultant. Hired for three months, stayed more than nine
Awards
- 2007Silver Lion, Cannes Lionsstellaartois.com
- 2017Best Experiential, Beer and Cider Marketing Awards UKThere’s a Beer for That
- 2016Best Integrated Marketing Campaign, Beer Marketing Awards UKThere’s a Beer for That
- 2016Best Craft Beer On Trade promotion, S.I.B.A.There’s a Beer for That
- 2016Best Off Trade Craft beer promotion, S.I.B.A.There’s a Beer for That
BSc (Hons) Marketing and Management, Trinity College Dublin. Based in Norwich, UK.
What people say.
15 recommendations on LinkedIn, from people I’ve led, hired and worked beside.
Throw that list out the window and put Neil on top of that list! Now! He’s that good.
“He just made all of us BELIEVE in him, his brands and vision.”
Michael IskasNeil was his client at Electrolux, 2012 “His ability to understand strategic realities and to translate these into appropriate tactical recommendations is second to none.”
Anne JonesWorked with Neil from another company, in drinks, 2018 “They built our brand from the ground up and made Uniteverse a name people wanted to be part of, all while keeping commercial results front and center. A rare marketing leader who delivers both brand love and business growth.”
Adrian NormanCo-Founder and CEO, UniteVerse “Neil represents a new wave of senior marketing client: a business leader helping to transform his organisation into a consumer-focused business…”
Deborah WomackNeil was her client at Electrolux Europe, 2011 “…his award-winning work on the Stella Artois brand set a benchmark for creative and experiential use of new media.”
Patrick O’RiordanWorked with Neil on the same team at InBev, 2009 “…I’ve learnt a lot from Neil about what a good leader is. A joy to work with!”
Olivia KayeReported to Neil at Electrolux, 2012 “I learnt a lot from Neil when we worked together. He knows the drinks business inside out.”
Jack DanielWorked with Neil on the same team at Britain’s Beer Alliance, 2017
Recent thinking.
The BS of forecasting, on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Judgement over spreadsheet babysitting. “Know your numbers. Don’t worship them.”
Managing brands vs. loving one, on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
“Big brands taught me the craft. Building from nothing is where I feel it.”
75 years, on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Mayo, and what a brand is really building. “You don’t get that from a funnel.”
A brand turnaround is a culture turnaround first, on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
The Stella years: “The belief came first. The share came second.”
Your #1 Google ranking doesn’t mean what it did, on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
AI answers reward a distinctive, citable position. Seen first-hand at OhmIQ and UrbanFox.