About me
I’m an experienced product lead with a deep knowledge of the cultural sector and the startup world.
I understand the unique problems of cultural organisations, while also knowing how to shift mindsets towards user-centric and agile.
I trained as a theatre director at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama where I worked with companies like Punchdrunk, Blast Theory and others. At Central, I co-founded the theatre company Parrot in the Tank and started producing. Over the years, we have created 15+ shows and experiences.
Producing and a Master’s in Enterprise & Business from the London College of Communication led me to offer my marketing skills outside of theatre. I became fascinated with startups.
As a marketeer, I worked with many startups across San Francisco, London and Berlin, but one of them shaped me the most.
When I joined Knotch in 2014, now a content marketing intelligence platform, the company began to pivot. My focus changed from marketing to product management – and my job was to find a product-market fit and bring its first product to market.
In a startup, everyone’s job is to bring value to customers and investors fast, and I truly learned what it means to build products in a lean and agile way. I also realised I loved leading design and development teams – it was similar to bringing a show to audiences.
In 2016 I joined the V&A, where I worked as a product manager in the in-house digital team. My job was delivering a large scale digital transformation project under the brilliant leadership of Kati Price.
Knotch is now a company with a valuation of over $100 million and the V&A an industry leader in digital in the cultural sector. I’m honoured to have worked with such inspiring and smart teams.
In 2020, I went freelance to help more cultural organisation define, develop and deliver great digital products and services – and never looked back.
Focus and interests
I have worked on many product-related challenges in finance, advertising and fashion, but my passion is creating industry-leading excellence in the cultural sector.
I care about the sector because I'm inspired by the work of organisations that tell stories and bridge communities.
I especially love the V&A, Battersea Arts Centre and New York Public Library, and companies like Pixar, LEGO and Airbnb.
Other experiences that have shaped me include:
Working with Design Against Crime Research Lab, where I learned how to prototype and design products that matter
Co-creating the Master’s programme in Creative Producing at Central to develop the next generation of producers
Co-founding a premium spirits company Animal Spirits in lockdown, and bringing a new craft gin to market
Training and credits
As an experienced speaker, lecturer and coach, I can upskill and train your teams to become more product-focussed and user-centred.
Speaker credits include Creative Mornings, Global Service Design Conference, MuseumNext, CultureGeek, We Are Museums, JAM conference and more.
I have led workshops and given lectures at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, Central and Hyper Island amongst others.
As a coach, I have helped project managers, creative producers and others become more effective and confident product leaders.
I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and Artistic Advisor of Projekt Europa, a migrant-led theatre company and community.