Chris K: Interactive Marketer and Entrepreneurial Leader

Chris K, a graduate from the University of Lancaster, is a highly experienced and talented marketeer and entrepreneurial business development manager whose skills have shaped award-winning businesses and created brand and customer value and business growth for established blue chip organisations and fast growth start up ventures.

His background encompasses a variety of markets including pet foods, drinks, digital media and healthcare products with companies including Automobile Association, Amazon, Dalgety Spillers Foods, Goodman-Fielder-Wattie-Heinz and Grand Metropolitan Brewing & Courage.

• Founded and Developed Zenith Interactive Solutions from start up into a top ranking UK interactive media and marketing communications agency in under three years achieving £1.2million revenue from £12million billings.
• In 2001 it won an international industry award and was a finalist for two nominations in the Revolution Magazine Awards. In 2002 it was ranked Number 3 in the Top UK Digital Agencies (by Campaign Magazine) and was voted “the most respected digital media agency for best work” by 100 interactive peer agencies (New Media Age Magazine – Sept 2002).
• For Automobile Association, led the marketing strategy, campaign development and customer member management programme of the highly successful 4th Emergency Service membership re-positioning, growing personal membership by +25% and reversing a previous long-term decline.
• Managed a team of 55 and a £40 million marketing budget.
• Led the turnaround of the AA’s European Five Star Business from a £900k loss in 1996 into a £1.5m profit by 1998 and the eventual outsourcing of AA Motoring Holidays and Consumer Goods.
• Led the brand transformation of John Smiths Bitter, which established it as the UK’s leading bitter brand.
• Prior to the merger oversaw an aggressive programme of new marketing initiatives across trade sectors for a number of Grand Met brands. This resulted in Webster Yorkshire Bitter becoming the leading bitter brand in the South and establishing Ruddles as National premium ale.
• Identified and implemented the pet food market segmentation strategy for Goodman-Fielder-Wattie-Heinz: New Zealand contributing to rapid sector growth in the NZ market and a +26% year on year increase in company pet food sales.
• Founded Active Wellbeing Group, a world-first, profession accredited self-help DVD programme for patient rehabilitation, complimenting chiropractic care.