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Hugh Salmon

Contact details

hugh@hughsalmon4battersea.co.uk
020 7967 7967
96 Thurleigh Road, London SW12 8TT

Experience and education

55 years old (born 06/11/1956)
Hong Kong
Co-founder and Director Lovereading Ltd 2005 to date
Innovative promotional tools for book publishers and authors
• Lovereading.co.uk incubated with former client of The Salmon Agency, Hodder Headline. Extended to Lovereading4kids.co.uk, Lovereading4schools.co.uk and Lovewriting.co.uk.
• Successfully raised VC and HNW funding (later declined) to strengthen and develop Lovereading sites which, with no marketing budget, doubled visits 2008 over 2007.
Founder and MD The Salmon Agency 1999 to date
‘Upstream’ strategic marketing and communications consultancy.
• Re-positioned The Salmon Agency from a full-service agency to a strategic consultancy specialising in working with clients, and their agencies, to identify and develop innovative, cost-effective and multi-disciplinary 'routes to market' in today's multi-media environment.
• Commissioned by NHS to help develop communications plan to modernise Primary Care across London. Recommendations presented to the Prime Minister’s Office of Public Service Reform (inc Cabinet Office personnel) adopted nationally by Department of Health.
• Worked with Bahamas Tourist Office for 10+ years, including driving new media initiatives.
• Worked with Financial News to develop strategy and communicate profitable online model eFinancialNews and then define positioning and launch highly successful eFinancialCareers.
• For over three years, worked with FTSE Top 100 and major multinational B2B manufacturing company to help develop unique and innovative consumer fmcg proposition.
• Helped AIM listed B2B manufacturing company rationalise product portfolio, thereby increasing profits and market cap to enable consumer brand developments into new markets
• Developed business model, defined routes to market and forged vital trade relationships for trans-European chip and PIN terminal technology company.
• Worked with VC investors to define routes to market for mobile phone technology company.
• For Top 10 multinational advertising agency, helped to refine subsidiary brand and client offering in preparation for new business drive.
• For another Top 10 multinational advertising agency, stepped in to successfully overcome short-term ‘crisis management’ issue for important FTSE Top 100 client.
• With same agency, reviewed client relationship, advertising strategy and executions and developed new media recommendations for a FTSE Top 100 client.
Managing Director SWK 1997 - 1999
VC owned UK independent company formed by MBI of privately owned agency.
• Consolidated clients, rationalised/restructured staff, moved offices, improved cash flow and refinanced business leading to eventual sale to 10 Group plc. Clients included Goodyear, Gresham Trust, National Boat Shows and Kettle Chips.
• At time of the merger of Price Waterhouse and Coopers, and with Ernst & Young and KPMG threatening to merge too, Deloitte & Touche urgently needed to protect its market position and reassure clients and staff of the strength and stability of the firm. This entailed working with this client at the highest levels on sensitive matters of the greatest importance.
• Invited by VC investor to make extensive Board changes and become major shareholder.
Managing Director CM: Lintas International 1992
Vibrant, 35 staff UK subsidiary of major multinational agency group
• Appointed on recommendation of Unilever. Handled 50% UK accounts e.g. Sterling Health, Columbia Tristar, Domino's; and 50% international e.g. Unilever and Mastercard. Won Johnson’s UK Baby Care range (£5M).
• Within 6 months, had succeeded in the brief given by Corporate HQ in New York and was preparing for appointment as MD of the entire Lintas UK operation. However, discovery of serious financial irregularities by incumbent management led to prolonged litigation (1993-7). Successful outcome fully justified bringing this action.
Ogilvy and Mather 1988 – 1992
Board Director Designate (London) [1991 – 1992]
• Transferred from O&M Thailand to work exclusively on Unilever’s UK account. Helped Unilever establish new Middle East operation and transfer of agency role to local O&M affiliate. Offered opportunity to manage O&M Middle East region out of Bahrein.
General Manager (O&M Thailand) [1988 – 1991]
• Invited back by O&M to run third biggest office worldwide - over 300 staff, 55 clients and multi million dollar annual turnover
• Focussed on O&M international clients e.g. Unilever, Pepsi, Shell, Phillips, Seagram, Boots, American Express, Kimberly-Clark and Bristol-Myers
• Prepared annual financial plans for O&M New York HQ and smoothed in new financial systems on WPP takeover
• Instigated new management structure, O&M Worldwide staff appraisals & modular local training programme; and relaunched creative briefing system
• Raised agency profile by publishing pioneering report on Vietnam market potential
• Retained all current clients, attracted new business, became No.1 agency in Thailand (from no.2) and doubled profits in three years
Board Director Deighton & Mullen 1986- 1988
Independently owned London creative hot shop
• Invited by Robert Deighton (ex MD of FCB) to join Board of Kirkwoods, stayed with company following management buy-out from Lopex Group and rebranding as Deighton & Mullen. Managed British Coal account which accounted for 50% of Kirkwoods’ income
Account Director Foote, Cone & Belding 1983- 1985
Major multi national advertising agency with numerous blue chip clients
• Complex London Transport advertising account in danger of being lost for creative reasons. Identified core issue as multi layered client approval system at GLC. Introduced simplified approval system and improved creativity, as recognised by GLC Chief Executive
• Recommended milk floats as an innovative new product distribution channel to Kraft Foods, thereby establishing successful trial of new Golden Churn spread and national roll-out
• Recognised as the agency trouble shooter on vulnerable accounts including, Colman's of Norwich, Cinzano, Pizza Hut, Johnson Wax, Shulton and the Bermuda Tourist Board
• Selected to attend the company’s Advanced Management Course (Chicago 1985)
Managing Director SFX (‘Sound Effects’) 1981 - 1983
Small VC backed publishing company launched with 3i investment finance and full support of O&M
• A bold and innovative new media business model that was enthusiastically received by the music industry (including Paul McCartney and other important artists)
Account Executive Ogilvy and Mather 1979 - 1981
• Recruited as a Graduate Trainee, and passed through various departments prior to gaining promotion to Account Executive within six months. Handled a wide variety of accounts including HP Foods, Players No 6, ICI, Palitoy and JVC
Post A levels (4 years) University of Life 1975 - 1979
Carefully considered decision to spend this time working, travelling and studying as widely as possible. This included selling advertising space, dealing in cars, teaching water skiing and early stage accountancy training with Smith & Williamson.
EDUCATION AND PERSONAL
Graduate trainee at Ogilvy & Mather 1979 (see above). S Level in English.
5 A Levels in Politics & Economics, History, English, Art, History of Art; (Wellington College 1974)
Born 6 November 1956 (Hong Kong). Married. Three children. Trustee, REGAIN (charity for sports tetraplegics) 1997–2007. Wrote children’s book ‘Do As You Would Be Done By’.
University of Life
Wellington College