The Value Engineers has appointed consultant and former EA Games executive Simon Stokes to help lead its growing Tech & Content team as Director.
He joins the strategic brand consultancy’s London office as one of a number of key hires in both the UK and US following new business success and organic growth from clients including Sony PlayStation and King Games and across the premium FMCG space.
Most recently, Stokes has spent five years as a consultant, 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 (EA) European web and social director.
TVE has also appointed Alex Beattie as senior consultant from brand consultancy Butterfly, where he held the same position. He has spent time both client side at Metro newspaper and in planning and insight roles for agencies including BBH and BBDO.
Paul Gaskell, UK MD, says: “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.
“It’s a real delight to welcome both Simon and Alex to the team. As a freelance consultant Simon helped us build our expertise in the digital space with our tech and content clients, and Alex, who joins as a very experienced senior consultant, will bring extra mettle to our offering.”
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. Rodman, a former hedge fund analyst, has also worked as a strategist for Kantar Vemeer across clients including Diageo, PayPal, Shell, Snapchat and Smule.
Irina Ikonsky joins from Sullivan NY City, bringing a decade of experience in strategy, innovation and branding, having worked across clients including Coppertone Suncare, Bayer Aspirin and engagement strategy for Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Also in the UK, the consultancy has hired Amber Williams and Issy McVey, continuing its commitment to recruiting and retaining two graduates a year from leading universities.
The Value Engineers, founded in 1986, was one of the world’s first established strategic brand consultancies helping launch the Quorn protein brand. It rebranded in summer 2018 with 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.