A digital agency. With a human face.
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Hi there! My names Liam and I'm from Suffolk. I owned my own PHP development biz before moving to London and was at Plymouth University before that. My Mum still has all my milk teeth. I can do press ups on my thumbs.
more...about Liam
Liam
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I'm Daria and I work in accounts. I'm processing invoices, chasing clients (and Rupert) and learning how to become a certified accountant. I was once a tour guide to Italy so I'm the perfect person to take to your suitcase if you are heading to Rome or Venice.
more...about Daria
Daria
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I'm Matt Isaacs, Founding Partner of Essence. I primarily focus on how we grow the business, including overseeing all of our business development, pr and marketing efforts. But then I'll also pitch in on other areas that are close to my heart - like our graduate recruiting. I make sure we bring the best talent into the business at the bottom. At heart, though, I suppose you could say I'm a mix of strategist, marketer, analyst and consultant. Certainly that's where my background lies.
Before launching Essence I was CMO at Create Services. This was a subsidiary of Lloyds TSB Group that handled all of the bank's non LloydsTSB branded retail banking business including the Goldfish and the Create sub-brands. It was a serious organisation, managing income of £200m and marketing budgets of £25m per annum. Within Create, we also established and managed an internal agency serving the rest of LloydsTSB.
Prior to that I had a background in strategy consulting.
How have my experiences helped me run an agency like Essence? Well, on the one hand, they've given me the widest possible outlook in terms of the opportunities for using media and marketing to grow powerful brands. At the same time, having had P&L responsibility throughout my career, I also know how important it is for agencies never to lose sight of the client's bottom line. For me, that's fundamental.more...about Matt Isaacs
Matt Isaacs
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I'm Rupert. I joined Essence at its inception. Before that I cut my teeth in DM at Optimax, after a degree in Industrial design. What happened to my creative side?
more...about Rupert
Rupert
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Hi I'm Annick Naval, nice to meet you. I love cheese. Especially Reblochon. You can guess I'm French.
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Annick
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I’m Olly. I grew up with Essence. But before I did, I invented the Weather Predicting Clothes Peg at uni. It made the news but not money.
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Oliver
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Hi there, my name's Jane Cartwright. I started with Essence on their graduate programme. Before that I was at Uni. I like cocktails, karaoke and Come Dine With Me.
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Jane
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Hi there I'm Steve. I spent 3 years developing/consulting Oracle systems in Australia. Dame Nellie Melba used to get drunk at the Australian property I grew up at.
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Steve
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Hi I'm Joseph Leon. The official bit is that I'm a Partner and Head of Media at Essence. So essentially, I'm the media guy. Be it web, mobile, social media or digital outdoor, I'm responsible for ensuring that our clients have access to the most innovative, cutting-edge and commercially rewarding media solutions. Think media with a heavy dose of technology and a spoonful of creative.
Back in London, I joined up with Essence's founding partners at Create and earned my media credentials. I initially looked after the digital planning and buying, and ended up running the daily operations for Lloyds TSB Group's internal agency.
I'm proud that Essence is known for the strength of its media department and I'm genuinely spoilt to be working with clients as fantastic as ours. They keep me excited as well as on my toes (a good thing!).
Finally, I used to have long hair and play in a band but no one believes me.more...about Joseph Leon
Joseph Leon
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I'm Mark and I look after our creative service teams. It's my responsibility to keep our clients happy by ensuring our teams produce excellent, ground breaking campaigns on brief, on time and on budget. I've worked at some of the best-known agencies in town. I am training for my 3rd London Marathon.
more...about Mark
Mark
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Hi, I'm Sabrina. I started as a graduate in 2006. After a year of travel I came back to a very different Essence in a new and complementary role. I like work so much I live two streets away. I am the founder of the Essence running club. I have never eaten KFC.
more...about Sabrina
Sabrina
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Hi I'm Jency. Before I joined Essence I was studying and freelancing. I am the team's sweeties supplier. I can hula hoop non-stop and I'm also the one and only Jency Chong on Facebook!!
more...about Jency
Jency
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I'm Richard Mooney and I head up the Design & Build team. That means I'm responsible for the agency's output in this area - making sure we deliver creative, cutting-edge work that meets the brief, on time & on budget. I'm totally results driven, and the varied and complex challenges our clients set us each day keeps me keen.
more...about Richard
Richard
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Andrew Shebbeare here. As one of the Founding Partners at Essence I tend to hover above the Media and Design & Build departments. It's probably why I've been described as a 'Geek of all Trades'.
In many ways I've got a traditional marketing background. In a previous life as Head of Acquisition at Create I managed major full channel mix marketing programmes across 11 brands. The lessons I learned producing Direct Mail and Press campaigns are still hugely relevant running a digital agency today.
That said, once I got started in digital (in 2001) I was hooked. By 2003 the internal online agency I oversaw was in the top 3 in the UK. We established one of the first value-based digital marketing programmes across all of Lloyds TSB's consumer banking products. Before that, I worked in strategic, value-driven marketing of card and non-financial products at Capital One.
Today I’m lucky to work with hugely exciting clients across really varied projects. One day I may be writing their marketing strategy or media plan. On another I can be helping figure out how this translates into Design & Build.
I'm a closet nerd so I love playing with technology. There's usually a Linux shell or two hiding behind my Powerpoint window, and I'm almost always hacking something together pleading that it makes me a better digital marketer. I'm passionate about tracking and optimization. It's where my two Worlds come together. On the tech side I get fired up about virtualisation, web hosting, open source, cloud computing and keyword stuffing ;-).
Like I said, a Geek of All Trades.more...about Andrew Shebbeare
Andrew Shebbeare
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Mark here. Prior to Essence, I was Financial Controller at a Live Nation company that produced touring theatre shows. I was also the Finance manager for sports management agency SFX at a time that they represented 8 England players. I've supported Spurs for over 30 years.
more...about Mark
Mark
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My name is Alan from Scotland. In November 2008 I went to Everest Base Camp. I attended the same school as Scottish patriot William Wallace. A few years after him though.
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Alan
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Hi there, I'm Andy Bonsall, one of the Founding Partners at Essence. Like many of our most experienced people I wear at least two hats, so as well as working closely with clients, I’m also Essence’ F.D., ensuring everything we do makes commercial sense. After all, before our clients are willing to take advice from us about running their businesses, they want to make sure we're capable of running our own.
Though, I hope you don’t get the impression I'm just about numbers, there’s more to it than that! I'd describe myself as a creatively passionate (and slightly grumpy) results-focused perfectionist. As excited working on creative strategy as statistical analysis, it’s variety that makes the world go around – as well as generating properly rounded, commercially-driven insight for clients.
Before Essence I was Head of Customer Management at Create, looking after targeted income generation from our several million credit-card holders. I've also spent time at Capital One where I helped launch their UK Card Operations, managed risk for a telecoms business and enjoyed a diversion in financial analysis...
And I think that is the nub of it: broad, commercial, results-driven variety. Understanding clients’ challenges, understanding their customers' needs. Oh, and how to keep an agency on the straight and narrow!more...about Andy Bonsall
Andy Bonsall
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Hi I'm Pablo. Did you know that TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters from one row of the keyboard? You do now.
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Pablo
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The name's David. Before Essence, I worked for a cable TV and telecoms company. Then for a video games company and then for digital agencies.
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David
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Hi I'm Tiphaine from Paris. At college I was a student party organiser. Now what I love is travelling with a backpack and catching up online with my friends all over the world.
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Tiphaine
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Hi I'm Andy. I joined Accucard in 2001 which later became Create Services and then left to join Essence in 2004. I was a bouncy castle tester during my summer holidays from Uni. And I' ve circumnavigated Australia on L plates in a 1979 Volvo estate.
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Andy
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Hello Klaus here. Prior to Essence, I had a lot of experience in b2b and b2c marketing throughout Europe. I love Salsa dancing. And I want to discover more about Kayaking.
more...about Klaus
Klaus
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My name's Martín Blinder. I'm Argentine by birth, educated in New York, lived in Madrid and now I'm a Partner and Head of Creative at Essence. Given the strategic and creative nature of my job, it's easiest to think of me as a Strategic Planner. I help identify a client's needs. Then, working with the Creative Director, I help midwife the big ideas that are going to satisfy them.
My background is pretty varied. I started out as a Business Analyst at strategy consultancy, Mitchell Madison Group in New York. I then moved to Spain to launch an online Financial Services company during the first Internet boom.
I was a Founding Partner and Strategy Director of Bloom Consulting, developing major brand strategy initiatives for multinational corporations and governments across diverse geographies. Everything from Telecoms to Country Branding, I've directly advised Prime Ministers and other government officials on brand and communications related issues.
Prior to Bloom, I was a Senior Consultant at Futurebrand, working closely in Brand and Product development with Telefónica, Diageo and Coca-Cola.more...about Martín Blinder
Martín Blinder
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Hello, Kirsty here. I graduated in Marketing from Bournemouth Uni and completed my placement year with the media agency Vizeum.
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Kirsty
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Hi, I am Dipesh. The team's growing day by day which is exciting and a challenge. Before Essence, I'd worked at agencies throughout London. I am cricket mad. I also have a cricket blog which I regularly update.
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Dipesh
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Hello! I'm Natalie. Before Essence I studied Psychology and Philosophy at Uni. I' m half German and Myers Briggs type: ESFJ.
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Natalie
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I'm Fotis. Before Essence, I worked as a Business Intelligence Consultant for a well known IT Consulting Company. Unlike everyone else at Essence I celebrate both my birthday and name day!
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Fotis
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Lauren here. Went to Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design and more importantly...I have hyperextensive elbows.
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Lauren
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Most days I go by the name Glenn. Before I came to Essence I graduated from Brunel Uni. I like food. I write, take pictures and of course, design in my spare time. I have more trainers than I could ever possibly need. My paternal ancestor was first president of the Philippines.
more...about Glenn
Glenn
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Hey there! I'm Paul. I'm an Apple fanboy, I love everything Apple. I could probably sell an iPhone to a Camel. I often talk complete and utter rubbish and am the one people point and laugh at in the office.
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Paul
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Hello, Sumit here. I love developing and printing b/w photos in my own dark room. I can roll-up my left ear.
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Sumit
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Knee-cow-las Merry-hot here. When I'm not beating Sean at the futsball table, I try to be creative. I used to be a creative at Isobar France, but the coffee and food weren't good enough so I came to London. I tell a joke to my colleagues and nobody laughs.
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Nicolas
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I'm Jonathan. After graduating my first job was for IBM on their IT consultancy graduate scheme which also took me into KPMG and BP. My favorite place in the world is Cape Town. I used to play cricket for Surrey.
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Jonathan
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My name's Shane. Prior to Essence worked at News Digital Media in Sydney and EyeCorp also in Sydney. I'm a rugby nut, I can't get enough of it! And I have a tattoo.
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Shane
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Hi I'm Jason. Previous to joining Essence I worked at Mediacom Direct on IG Financial, Dell, and Cisco. I've planted around a third of a million trees in the Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. And I've cycled around Central London completely starkers!
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Jason
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Hi I'm Ben from North London. I joined Essence as a graduate in April 2010. Prior to working at Essence, I was at Oxford University studying Economics and Management. My Initials are BMW (expensive personalised number plate?). I've got God's (Arsene Wenger) autograph. My favourite film is Happy Gilmore.
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Ben
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I'm Marina and I'm Brazilian. Just offer me a cake, a chocolate, a pie and we'll be friends forever. Despite years of piano lessons, ballet, and acting classes, I'm not good at any of these activities! I hate rainy days but I love living in London. Go figure...
more...about Marina
Marina
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Sergio from Spain. I was born in Getafe (Madrid), well known for the football team. In Spain I worked in Carat and MPG. Later I got digitalized and worked in Mediacontacts and Ymedia. I'm a tireless singer.
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Sergio
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Hi, Jan. In the past I’ve interned at Credit Suisse and was previously running a Retail & Trading business. My name is in fact Dutch (Pronounced Yan) but my Chinese middle name - "Loong" - means Dragon.
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Jan
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Hi, Zanete here. I write code and advise others on code writing. I've always written code [for POD1, ZedCommerce and some friends]. I work from home because I live in the south of France. I can knit a jumper in a day.
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Zanete
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Hi, I'm Phil, I study Industrial Design and Technology at Brunel University but am currently on my placement year with Essence in the Creative team. I am 6ft 5, half Dutch, and am known as the "hip hip" guy in the office.
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Philip
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Hello! My name's Alex. Not so long ago, I was working as a translator for WPP in Madrid (read: getting a tan and over-indulging on tapas. Sometimes I wonder why I left). I like: goat's cheese, Tarantino films, and the immaculate deployment of punctuation (!) I dislike: shellfish, Jeremy Kyle, and Abercrombie & Fitch.
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Alex
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I'm Chris. I have performed in front of 500 people on 4 turntables and you could hear the crowd through the needles at the end. I am illegitimately related to Christopher Columbus.
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Chris
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I'm Jesse. I study Industrial Design and Technology at Brunel University and am part of the Essence creative team as my placement year. I'm the only girl I know who enjoys playing FIFA and I got my first football injury when I was four years old.
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Jesse
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Hi! My name is Rose and I graduated from Loughborough in Politics and International Relations. I am a Politics fanatic and was fortunate enough to work on a very successful campaign during this year's general election. I got to meet some pretty exciting political figures and I loved everyone minute of it...sad huh?!
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Rose
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Hi, I'm Harry. Internet technologies are at the heart of what I do, and my dirty passion. I'd like to say I'm open minded, prior to becoming digitized I managed a go-kart track, taught windsurfing and organised a flash mob by mistake. Outside of work you find me at my happiest in kitchen, the dojo or the sea.
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Harry
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Hi everyone! I'm Emilie, and I come from Corsica that is the south of France, for those who don't know. Right after my Master's degree in Management, I came to London where I worked in International Trade. I am now at Essence to help them deal with the office organisation. I secretly dream of being a Rock-star.
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Emilie
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Hi! I'm Jason. Before Essence, I studied Maths at the University Of Bristol, and have previously worked for Total UK (the oil company) in IT and Engineering Services. I used to play for several counties at Cricket, and have won a National Club Championship at junior level. I went to the same school as Roger Moore; I love all Will Farrell films - especially Semi-Pro.
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Jason
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Hi, Im Tuesday. I am named after an actress and not the day although I was conveniently born on a Tuesday! Before essence I worked in benefit fraud and for the National lottery! Unfortunately I wasn't given any tips on the winning numbers!
more...about Tuesday
Tuesday
Partners:
* Founding Partner