A rundown of my experience…
Content curator/blogger, Jessops (River)
July 2018 – July 2019
I had a great year writing weekly blogs for Jessops on how to improve your photography skills, interspersed with news on new camera technology, from the latest mirrorless cameras to drones. At the same time I was responsible for providing content for their core social media channels. I also edited a print mag covering a wide range of photographic techniques, which went out to all their stores.
Freelance Editor, Passport for Monarch Airlines (River)
July 2012 – January 2018
Monarch loved our pitch right from the off and it was the easiest win I’ve ever been involved in. I went on to launch and edit Passport, Monarch’s inflight magazine, and in later issues began to use my own photography. On several occasions the client requested my shots for use on the cover. I continued to work on the magazine for another couple of issues when River lost the account. Soon after, Monarch went bust.
Freelance Editor, The Post (for Staysure Insurance)
May 2011 – July 2012
Initially, for about a year, I wrote weekly blogs for insurance giant, Staysure. These covered travel and insurance subjects, aimed mainly at the over-50s. In early 2012, the company decided they wanted to launch a topical print magazine for that demographic. I jointly headed up the editorial team to create the first issue of The Post. Ultimately costs proved too high for Staysure and they changed their minds about the venture before issue two was launched.
Freelance Managing Editor, BlackRock
May 2010- September 2011
Responsible for uploading content to WordPress, and managing the company’s online presence.
Freelance Editor, Rock & Roam (River)
October 2008-May 2012
I pitched for, and we won the contract to produce Virgin Holidays’ Rock & Roam magazine, which I launched in 2008. In the four years it was with River, it was shortlisted for every one of the APA’s Best Travel Magazine awards, winning the award in 2010. I went on to create a digital edition of the magazine to build a more immediate dialogue with customers.
Around this time, I also edited editions of Traveller (Europe) and Sailaway (a cruise title), both for Co-Op.
Freelance Editor, Managing editor
Nov 2006-Oct 2008
During this time I worked freelance on a number of projects. I worked for Redwood where I launch edited their pitch for the official Sony licence. Late 2007 I did some work for River, initially performing managing editor duties on The Address Book (for Hamptons Estate Agents). The project involved pulling together a design team in India with UK writers and co-ordinating up to five editions of the magazine and played to my strengths as an organiser. I then went on to edit Hotline, a magazine for Virgin Trains and later, Co-Op Traveller.
Freelance Editor-in-Chief, Highbury;
June 2005 – Jan 2006
After spending a year travelling around Australia and Thailand I returned to the UK and was brought in to launch Adobe’s Advanced Photoshop magazine, targeting professional creatives, I was then tasked with refocusing and relaunching many of the problem titles in Highbury’s portfolio. I repositioned two of their internet titles (Web Designer and Practical Web Projects) and was involved in steering the direction of iCreate and ebuyer. Working for a cash-strapped company with big ambitions and low staff morale presented problems but by inspiring teams with creative ideas for their magazines and building individuals’ self-confidence, I achieved considerable success before the company collapsed due to refinancing problems.
Editor-in-Chief, T3, Home Entertainment, Hi-Fi Choice
Future Publishing; Sept 2001 – Feb 2003
I relaunched T3, Future’s biggest consumer technology magazine, and moved the magazine from Bath to London, employing a whole new team and taking the title to the next level. By focusing on maximising the inherent strengths of the brand, the relaunch was a success and T3beat its closest rival, Stuff, for the first time. After this, I was made Editor-in-Chief over Future’s entire technology portfolio, managing three editorial teams and taking ultimate responsibility for three montly newsstand publications and brand extensions targeting affluent ABC1 males in the gadget and hi-fi sectors. I quickly established strong links with the industry in the US and UK, attending frequent US shows and networking events to build the profile of the magazine. While Editor-in-Chief and with continued day-to-day responsibilities for T3, I identified the need for a relaunch of Home Entertainment and worked closely with the editorial team and its editor to implement it. I was also involved in refreshing the T3 site to reflect a new perspective on the magazine and helped bring print articles online that would increase visitors and build brand loyalty. I eventually left T3 to go travelling.
Editor-in-Chief, Create magazine; Future Publishing;
May 2000- Sept 2001
I launched Create as an original concept. A high-end design magazine targeting Web creatives, it was highly respected immediately from launch and scooped many awards, including PPA Business Editor of Year 2001, PPA Design of the Year 2001, Total Publishing Art Editor of the Year 2000, Total Publishing Magazine of the Year 2000, BSME Business Editor of the Year 2001 (Highly Commended). Every issue of Create was treated as a big event. Cover treatments, features and interviews were designed to get to the heart of big issues and controversies in the industry. By building strong links with Web designers and innovators in the US and Europe, I was able to arrange round-table discussions and seminars on a monthly basis, quickly putting Create at the heart of its industry. Working with my Web editor, I planned the website that ran alongside the magazine, coming up with imaginative ways to keep Web designers returning to the site and building a community online that could feed back into the print magazine.
Editor-in-Chief, Sega Dreamcast (official magazine);
Sega / Dennis Publishing;
Oct 1999-Feb 2000
I was drafted in on a project to pitch for the official Sega Dreamcast license. We competed against five other publishing companies but by tapping into Sega’s brand values I produced a unique games magazine oozing with passion and a strong sense of community. We ultimately won the contract and I went on to launch and edit the first three issues.
Editor, various magazines;
Future / Dennis; June 1992 – Oct 1999
My career started at Future Publishing where I quickly rose up through the ranks to the position of Editor. As well as the titles listed above, I have also edited and launched a variety of publications including games magazines, an internet publication and computing titles including PC Format. In 1994 I was sent by Future to the US to edit the country’s second biggest games magazine (GamePlayers, with over 750k readers) and steer it through a relaunch and a move from East to West Coast. In 1996 I launched Computer Arts, a digital arts publication that still runs today. I also launched Escape (a male interest internet-focused title) for Dennis Publishing and PC Guide for Future Publishing. In 1997 I worked with Dennis Publishing on a magazine launch for clubbing brand, Ministry of Sound. And in 1998, I relaunched the company’s premier PC games magazine, achieving the title’s biggest-ever sales figures.