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Marketing Capability Consultancy Brand Learning builds its team as it expands globally

Brand Learning, the leading international specialist consultancy in building marketing capabilities, has made a number of senior hires to work both in the UK and across Brand Learning’s global client base.

These appointments follow the 40 new people the company hired during 2010. Brand Learning continues to build its business despite the global recession and is growing 30% year on year on track for a turnover of £15 million. It has secured 25 new clients over the last year alone including Kellogg’s, Bacardi, Paypal and Snapfish. Over 50% of Brand Learning’s business is now sourced outside the UK and it operates in over 56 countries. Earlier in the year Brand Learning beat 1,000 companies to the accolade of ‘Best Company 2011’ in The Sunday Times Best Small Companies Awards.

Joining the business are:

Karen Licurse – an American joins from global management consultants A.T. Kearney. Earlier in her career she worked in the USA at Merrill Lynch as vice president, marketing and communications, global markets and investment banking and JPMorgan Chase Bank as vice president, marketing, retail financial services.

Allisyn James – previously held global commercial and innovation roles in GSK and Cadbury Schweppes, and buyer and product manager roles at Safeway. Most recently she has been specialising in brand strategy and innovation excellence consultancy.

Nilufar Scharipova – an Uzbekistan national joins from P&G where she worked across several categories including fabric care, home care, hair care, styling & grooming. Her most recent role was as associate marketing director/multi operations team leader for Caucasus and Central Asian Republics.

Emma Foulds – joins from P&G with experience across many of the UK’s largest beauty brands including Max Factor, Olay, Pantene, Head and Shoulders, Gillette and Clairol. Her most recent role was as brand manager for beauty and grooming, brand operations UK/Eire.

Jonathan Ganley – joins from Virgin Atlantic where he was senior product manager for Upper Class. His career includes marketing roles at The Walt Disney Company, Arcadia Group (Topman), British Airways and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Sarah Williamson – joins from GSK having held roles including group brand manager Ribena and senior brand manager Ribena and Group BM Horlicks. Earlier she worked at Cadbury Trebor Bassett.

Aruba Rafique – a Pakistani national who joins from Dabur (West Asia), an Indian home-grown FMCG manufacturer, India’s fourth largest, where she was Head of Marketing. Previous experience includes brand manager roles at Reckitt Benckiser (Pakistan) and Novartis (Pakistan) and project experience with Procter & Gamble and Citibank.

Sebastien Thomas– a French national who has strong drinks credentials built via brand manager roles for global brands belonging to Chivas Brothers and Pernod Ricard UK. He began his career with L’Oréal in the Luxury Product Division in France.

Adam Tomlinson – Joins from Zenithoptimedia Group where he was a senior communications and digital planner across the P&G and Whitbread (Costa Coffee and Premier Inn) businesses.

Andy Bird, co-founder and joint managing director of Brand Learning, comments: “Brand Learning has enjoyed an average annual growth of 25% since we set it up ten years ago. A key factor in our success has been the high calibre of the people who work at Brand Learning and who use their diverse talents and a shared passion for capability-building to such great effect."

“Our new team members bring with them a host of key skills in marketing and consultancy, both in national and international roles. As we grow our global footprint we will continue to look for outstanding individuals who can help us meet the needs of our global clients”.

Brand Learning’s passion is to transform the marketing capabilities and commercial performance of people, teams and organisations across the world.

Click here to download the press release.