In their words
“Jan is without doubt the most organised and reliable person I have ever worked with. When you combine these characteristics with class-leading expertise in all matters relating to harnessing the strategic benefits of design, it becomes easy to appreciate what a remarkable asset she is to any marketing team. Brilliant project management skills, allied with quiet diplomacy, mean breakthrough work is delivered on time, on budget and to the specification required. Most importantly, she ensures that all key personalities have been consulted and made to feel their views are important and valued. A genuinely remarkable person positively dripping with excellence.”
Simon Gulliford
former Group Marketing Director, Barclays
In brief
Empathy and insight are important qualities in my work. When it comes to advising clients, I find it helps to have been there myself – facing the demands of a client-side role. With Barclays, I took on the full-time position of Acting Head of Brand Communications to oversee all product areas within the bank, but specifically to direct the launch of a new current account, savings and mortgage product.
Barclays is a FTSE 100 company and one of the UK’s top five banks, also operating in 50 other countries and employing 140,000 people. I reported directly to the Group Marketing Director and worked across areas of the bank including personal, premier and business banking, and wealth and investment management.
My main responsibility was to direct the introduction of a new current account, savings and mortgage product. This involved working alongside others on the creation of the brand identity, and coordinating its implementation across a range of above and below-the-line channels. I helped manage relationships with all internal departments, external stakeholders and marketing heads of strategic business units including Barclaycard, to ensure close involvement in all advertising and brand work.
There was a wide mix of creative agencies taking part in the new launch campaign, so I was involved in assessing their work, as well as taking responsibility for the overall brand budget. Throughout this time, I worked closely with the Head of Identity to manage the Barclays brand across all other business units.
I enjoyed the challenge of account directing the creation of the new identity and its implementation across such a wide range of communications. The experience gave me even more insight into the daily pressures that client-side brand managers face, which has added greater depth to the work I do.