IAN JESNICK, CEO

Ian began his career in the marketing and communication departments of Cable and Wireless (international telecommunications) and the Wellcome Foundation  (ethical pharmaceuticals) before moving into PR consultancy work, first at Daniel J Edelman and then at the Shandwick group as a director of the company, controlling principally the Bacardi, TSB (sponsorships and special events) and Evian Mineral Water accounts.

At Richmond Towers, Ian has worked with a wide range of leading food and drink brands, driving a wide variety of both national and international campaigns. These include British Meat, Tilda Rice, Baxters Foods, Jacob’s Creek, Martell cognac, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Havana Club rum, Sacla, BBC Good Food magazine, UK Food TV, British Soft Drinks Association and the Pasta Information Centre.

 

ROB METCALFE, MD

A former newspaper journalist and trade press editor, Rob’s first job was in the Fleet Street office of The Sunday Post where he gained extensive reporting and feature writing experience.  He also began freelance reporting for BBC News and script writing for BBC Light Entertainment, roles which continued until the early 1990s.

After newspapers, he joined the business to business press, working on a number of publications (including The Grocer) before becoming editor of the drinks trade weekly The Publican.

Rob’s association with Richmond Towers first began in 1989, following which he worked with a wide variety of clients, including Mitsubishi, Grand Metropolitan and Allied Distillers. An expert in crisis management, Rob particularly gained valuable experience while working for the Meat and Livestock Commission during the BSE crisis and he continues to drive that side of Richmond Towers Communications’ offer.

Joining The Rowland Company in 1997, Rob became managing director a year later and subsequently European managing director of Saatchi & Saatchi Rowland, continuing to advise clients such as Procter & Gamble, DuPont and Cadbury.

Rob established his own successful company, Chrome Consulting, in the spring of 2000 before re-joining forces with Richmond Towers in August 2005 to form Richmond Towers Communications.

NIKKI THOMSON, DIRECTOR

Nikki is one of Richmond Towers Communications’ most experienced directors and    began her career on the graduate trainee scheme at top 10 PR agency Paragon Communications where she worked across a wide range of business sectors from food and equipment to travel, beauty and retail.

Moving to the Quentin Bell Organisation, Nikki worked on a range of high profile consumer and B2B clients including Elida Gibbs (Lynx, Hero and Sure), where she publicised the male grooming phenomenon.

At Richmond Towers Communications, Nikki has worked across a wide variety of food and drink clients, including for British Meat, Tilda Rice, Baxters Foods, Ballantine’s and Alpro soya.

Nikki has developed a special interest in consumer media partnerships and the development of PR Platforms that are mutually beneficial to both the brand and media partners.

JO DALLEY, DIRECTOR

Jo is a specialist in the area of food and drink, having worked across trade, consumer, national and international campaigns for many of Richmond Towers Communications’ leading clients, including British Meat, South African Avocados and Golden Delicious Apples, Martell Cognac (including its high profile sponsorship of the Grand National), Jameson Irish Whiskey, Wyborowa vodka and Havana Club rum.

During five years working with Jacob’s Creek wine, Jo led the brand’s sponsorship of The Championships Wimbledon, which resulted in widespread coverage across national and regional consumer media.

Jo also has extensive experience in consumer shows and exhibitions, from the design of stands to sampling activities and experiential marketing.

ASHLEIGH FLEMING, DIRECTOR

During a decade in PR, Ashleigh has gained extensive consumer lifestyle experience while working for independent and global PR consultancies including Shilland Communications and PR21

Her national and international experience includes working on Levis Strauss, Smirnoff Red and the International Fashion Awards, Impulse Body Spray, The Spice Girls and Brylcreem’s David Beckham sponsorship.

Her food and drink experience includes work on Cadbury Trebor Bassett and juice drink phenomenon Pomegreat where her imaginative PR skills have helped create a 200-fold sales growth in less than two years.

Ashleigh has been responsible for Richmond Towers Communications’ introduction of an electronic media communications management system that delivers state-of-the-art campaign evaluation.

TANYA SCHREUDER, DIRECTOR

Tanya started her career in public relations at one of South Africa’s leading PR agencies where her clients included Nando’s, Luxottica (the world’s leading luxury optical and sunglasses distributor, whose brands include Yves Saint Laurent, Bulgari, Giorgio Armani and Chanel) and Pick n Pay, South Africa’s leading retailer.

At Richmond Towers Communications, Tanya has worked on a number of food and drink clients including Baxters Foods, Alpro soya, the South African Avocados Association, Billington’s Unrefined Sugar, Martell cognac and UK Food TV.

Tanya has been involved in issues management on the Alpro soya account and she also worked on the compilation and launch of a dedicated cookbook for Billington’s.

Tanya is also championing Richmond Towers Communications’ drive to ensure our clients are able to exploit all opportunities within New Media.

SIMON MOWBRAY, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Simon first cut his teeth in the world of media as a journalist, spending more than a decade gaining excellent experience of both consumer and trade media.

Starting his career at the Birmingham Post & Mail group of newspapers, Simon moved to London to take up the position of Consumer Affairs Correspondent at the Press Association where he regularly set the national consumer news and features agenda.

Most recently he was Marketing Editor and then News Editor at food and drink industry ‘bible’ The Grocer, during which time he was a regular contributor to radio and television and commented on a number of key food and drink industry issues, including the Sudan 1 contamination scare and the obesity debate.

Simon currently advises Richmond Towers Communications’ team of dedicated PR professionals across a portfolio of market-leading food and drink clients, as well as running specific accounts, including a corporate PR programme for General Mills and international trade press relations for Ballantine’s Scotch whisky.

Simon is also a key member of Richmond Towers Communications’ media training team, sharing his expertise with clients on how to deal with the media.