The Value Engineers adds four professionals to UK team
Consulting firm The Value Engineers has appointed four professionals to its UK-based team. The firm welcomes Simon Stokes, Alex Beattie, Amber Williams and Issy McVey as it looks to bolster operations in its consulting offerings ahead of what is likely to be a busy 2019.
The Value Engineers was founded in 1986, becoming one of the world’s first established strategic brand consultancies in the process. At the time, it helped to launch the Quorn protein brand, and has since continued to work with clients across the business spectrum.
More than 30 years on, the firm rebranded in summer 2018, opting for a new visual identity and more strategic focus on four key sectors – consumer goods, health, technology & content, and travel & leisure – to deliver brand strategy, marketing strategy and innovation, all underpinned by consumer insight. As the firm looks to grow its client base and make the most of its new focus, it has appointed four new professionals to its UK team.
Simon Stokes is a consultant and former EA Games executive, who has been hired by The Value Engineers following new business success and organic growth from clients including Sony PlayStation and King Games and across the premium FMCG space. He will help lead its growing Tech & Content team as Director in the firm’s London office. Most recently, Stokes spent five years providing digital marketing and strategy for clients including Angry Birds, sofa.com, Ogilvy, Foxtons and Conran Design. Previously he was Client and Creative Services Director at creative agency Rockabox (now Scoota), and spent six years as Electronic Art’s European web and social director.
Alex Beattie has also been appointed as senior consultant from brand consultancy Butterfly, where he was a Senior Consultant and the strategic lead on global brand strategy and innovation projects. He has also spent time both client side at Metro newspaper and in planning and insight roles for agencies including BBH and BBDO, where he was a Senior Planner. In The Value Engineers’ London office, Beattie will also be a Senior Consultant.
Amber Williams has joined the firm having just completed a degree in Geography from Durham University. During her studies, she was a Marketing Intern with Jordans Dorset Ryvita, and will now work as a Marketing Analyst.
Issy McVey has similarly arrived at the firm as a Marketing Analyst. A fellow recent graduate, McVey previously completed a work experience placement with the firm in 2017, while completing her International Relations degree at the University of Birmingham. The two graduate hires represent the firm’s continuing commitment to recruiting and retaining two graduates a year from leading universities.
Paul Gaskell, UK Managing Director, said of the hiring spree, “We’d planned for success and expansion but hadn’t reckoned on it happening so quickly, especially over the summer when traditionally clients, agencies and projects generally go on holiday. As TVE has won new clients and new projects over the Summer, it was essential we bolstered our team with yet more senior experience, capable of leading and delivering complex international research and strategy projects.”
Commenting on his arrival at the firm, Simon Stokes said, “I have joined The Value Engineers after stalking them for over a decade. Initially we had the pleasure of working together on market and competitor analysis and organisational transformation within EA, which quickly evolved into projects on digital transformation, rich content creation and audience engagement.”
At the same time, the US team has made two new senior consultant hires in New York to help manage and drive its health and tech businesses. Charlie Rodman joins from Pernod Ricard where he was US consumer strategy and insights lead for premium whisky. Irina Ikonsky meanwhile joins from Sullivan, bringing a decade of experience in strategy, innovation and branding.
