ADVERTISING // DIGITAL // PRODUCTION // CONTENT // SOCIAL // MEDIA PLANNING //
PEOPLE IN ADVERTISING, NOT ADVERTISING PEOPLE.
Paul Houlding
Managing Partner
Paul Houlding
When he’s not breathless after running up and down the pitch for ten minutes, Paul, aka Steven Gerrard, is our Managing Partner. Before founding isobel in 2003, he’d been Board Account Director at Saatchi & Saatchi and a partner at Banks Hoggins O’Shea.
After a spell in New York’s film production industry, Jamie, or Noel, cut his teeth at JWT, before spells at DLKW and M&C Saatchi. He joined isobel in 2012 and put on the big boots as our Account Partner. If you need a deal made, he’s the guy to make it.
After beginning his career as an Art Director at Gold Greenlees Trott at the tender age of 18, Rob has been a regular winner of national and international advertising awards and has judged many as well. He’s also the spitting image of Barbra Streisand.
Bear with, bear with! Sarah, aka Miranda Hart, joined isobel in 2014 after moving across the pond from Toronto. In Canada she worked at both Grey and john st. on a wide range of clients including War Child, Heinz, and Mitsubishi Motors, for which she won a silver Cannes Lion.
You’ll have seen Lucy anchoring the BBC News at 10 as her journo alias Fiona Bruce. But when she’s not keeping us entertained between weather forecasts, she makes for a good Account Partner. She comes with a wealth of experience having worked on all sorts from TUI and Sony Playstation, to Carphone Warehouse and Sky. And, who could forget, Antiques Roadshow.
Christi, aka nerdy Winnie Cooper, hails all the way from New York City. She’s worked at Grey and Goodby Silverstein & Partners and has experience with brands like Procter & Gamble, Comcast, heading up the No7 digital account at M&C Saatchi in London. She’s Marketing Director here at isobel – and you can kiss her math.
Steve lost 38lbs to play his role as Planning Director for isobel. He’s a regular speaker on the conference circuit and has won two coveted IPA effectiveness awards for Waitrose and Bluewater. His doppelgänger is Matthew McConaughey. The Dallas Buyer’s Club one.
Sue, our very own Victoria Wood, is a Price Waterhouse-trained chartered accountant, and has mentored companies in sectors from interior design to horticulture and beyond. She has been Finance Director since isobel’s inception in 2003.
Sarah, aka Sia, started out in management consultancy before going into advertising in 2008. At M&C Saatchi she led the award-winning Olympic Delivery Authority campaign before moving to Leo Burnett to work on McDonald’s. She has experience across retail, finance, FMCG and behaviour change campaigns. Has been known to swing from the odd chandelier at parties.
Chan, or if you look very hard, Michael McIntyre, is the agency’s wizard. Art working, motion graphic design, animation, video editing – the lot. After years and years of freelancing he’s finally found a home at isobel. He’s not half as funny as he looks.
Zoltar, often misspelt as Zoheb, has spent the last decade producing award winning social strategies for Harley-Davidson, Quorn Foods, Ella’s Kitchen, Chupa-Chups and Sky. If you’ve got a quarter, he’ll read your future too.
You’ve probably seen Katherine on the telly. She was in The Good Life and To the Manor Born – or was that Penelope Keith? She graduated from Leeds in 2012 and has since worked across a number of sectors, including FMCG and retail, and has fully integrated experience working through the line.
Charlotte left Norfolk for a big advertising job in the city, and we’ve picked her up because she’s top of her account running game. You might know her better as Carey Mulligan from An Education. You know, Spike Mulligan’s daughter.
Before isobel, Dan/Sir Ken Dodd worked primarily in design agencies for 15 years. His past clients cover a wide range of sectors, from film and entertainment to FMCG products and charities. Watch out for his tickling sticks…
“When will I be famous?” singer, Matt Goss, aka Ben has worked with Simon since 2006. Before joining isobel the pair worked at CHI & Partners where they launched a TV service for TalkTalk, helped rebrand Argos and produced several striking and effective campaigns for Lexus, Big Yellow and British Gas.
Simon, or as he’s known on weekends: Ludacris, worked with Ben at CHI & Partners. Over the last ten years, he’s created numerous striking and effective campaigns for clients such as British Gas, Visit Wales, TalkTalk, Lexus and Argos. He’s had a few hit singles too – B***H!
Alex, aka Sheldon, is a published novelist and award winning short story writer. He got into advertising in 2014 and has since worked on countless projects – from isobel’s new and existing campaigns to these extremely well-crafted profile descriptions. He’s so great.
Rebecca has a broad background in art galleries, book publishing and illustration. In the ad world, she’s produced global campaigns for brands like Mars, VW and Lipton Ice Tea. We try to keep her out of the kitchen however, because being the domestic Goddess Nigella, she has a disgusting habit of sucking cake mixture off her fingers.
Bola has worked for a variety of agencies and has experience within the PR, Design, Marketing, Media and Advertising environment. Prior to working at isobel, Bola worked for PR specialist Four bgb for 12 years. And in 2012, she was listed by TIME magazine as one of the most influential people in the world… or was that Viola Davis?
Can you paint with all the colours of the wind? Vithijah, aka Pocahontas can. She graduated from King's College London in 2012 and has since worked in research and media industries before joining isobel in 2015.
Georgia, aka the Iron Lady, the Claw, or known by some as the Milk Snatcher, graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2015 with her creative partner Dan. The pair have done stints at BBH and VCCP. Where they worked on brands such as Uniqlo, Hiscox and Compare the Market, before finding a home at isobel.
Dan, aka Ace Ventura, studied at Central Saint Martins, graduating in 2015 with his creative partner Georgia. Before making isobel their home, the pair worked in a variety of London agencies on brands such as Uniqlo, Hiscox, Compare the Market and Grolsch. He’s also a part time pet detective.
Rhona works behind the scenes making everything go smoothly. Phone calls, meetings, coffee runs, foot massages – you name it. And she looks a bit like whatsherface off that BBC Three children’s show.
Kate, aka Iron Man's favourite PA Pepper Potts, aka Gwyneth Paltrow, started at isobel as a runner in the summer of 2014 and we haven't been able to get rid of her since. She called it a conscious coupling... what ever that means.
Having spent a number of years client side for renowned global brands, Rob returned to his agency roots joining isobel in early 2016. He specialises in both print and digital collateral and looks just like Pob… you know? Pob?
Emily, AKA Leela, captain of Futurama's Planet Express, used to run a pretty tight ship in the Financial Services agency Teamspirit, but now brings her "no rain or sleet" attitude and "kick-your-ass" grace to the team at isobel.
Max started his career in copywriting before moving into new business at his previous agency, specialising in brand positioning. He has since joined the isobel team as the shiny new Account Executive. And he uh… looks a bit like Nosferatu.
Alice joins the team fresh out of Cambridge University. It’s her first proper job, so everyone’s being really, really nice to her. When she’s not researching and helping run the show, you’ll find her in your messaging app, being the moon face emoji.
Tom has produced art work and motion design for brands like Budweiser, Bank of Scotland and Lego. But when he’s not in the studio, he’s in the booth mixing tunes for Kurupt FM as his not so secret alias DJ Beats.
Amy, aka the island chief’s daughter Moana, is the agency’s favourite kiwi. She started out in film and TV and went on to produce amazing work for McDonald’s, Volkswagen, Coca Cola and more. Then she built a raft and sailed across the world to isobel.
