Hilary Kelsh

With over 15 years experience in the creative and digital communications industries; the last 8 focused on business development through sales, marketing and pr; Hilary brings a wealth of both practical and strategic knowledge to businesses wishing to grow and consolidate.

In parallel to consultancy Hilary writes, arranges, facilitates and chairs a variety of business development courses and debate events for industry associations, publishers, networking and teaching bodies, such as:
NMK
Women In Media
SkillSet, SEEDA, SEMN and DTI
Enterprise Hub Reading
Enterprise Hub Hastings
01ZeroOne - Creative Learning Lab - at Westminster Kingsway College
The Research Centre
BIMA
e-consultancy - Hilary wrote and compiled the business development guide for e-consultancy published online in September 2003, up-dated in 2006.

Currently planning and developing the 2nd run of the highly successful, intensive 3 stage Nirvana business development course in September and a mobile debate in early October for NMK; she's also mentoring and training SME's for the SkillSet Business Development Scheme for Interactive Media and Computer Games Companies, through Wired Sussex.

Hilary recently completed a contract with View , strategic brand and digital communications agency, to raise their company profile and develop new business opportunities.

In another short-term contract in 2005, Hilary completed a business development overview for FRUKT , a music marketing specialist agency. Here she set up best practice new business process and qualification procedures, identified target prospects through research and analysis, target sector prioritisation and segmentation, pipeline generation and recommendations on which to build an integrated 12 Month Strategic Business Development & Integrated PR & Marketing Plan.

Prior to FRUKT Hilary was Business Development Director with AGENCY.COM an American full service creative web development agency totalling 350 people in 6 offices in North America and Europe, from June 2004 to March 2005. Responsible for leading all new business and sales activities for London office, Hilary created and implemented an integrated business development and sales strategy, lead qualification and pitch processes. In an ambassadorial role she represented agency.com's London office at several industry events among which were The Marketing Forum 2004, Forrester Conference, New Media Knowledge, 01ZeroOne - Creative Learning Lab at Westminster Kingsway College and BIMA.

For the 4 years prior to her appointment with AGENCY.COM Hilary was a business development consultant, working with companies in the digital communications arena, guiding and advising on a variety of issues including sales, relationship development, pr and marketing. Previous contracts have also been with n1media and Client Focus .

Before Hilary set up as a consultant she was Director of Marketing with Icon Medialab from August 1998 to April 2001, where she was responsible for overseeing all marketing and new business for the UK office of the Swedish based multi-national communications consultancy. Her role was also ambassadorial; she hosted and presented a number of industry events with New Media Knowledge, BIMA, The Institute of Directors and New Media Age. Prior to this, Hilary was Business Development Director at Modem Media Poppe Tyson, an American multi-national communications consultancy. There she set-up and co-ordinated a new business strategy and working methodology, whilst generating new business opportunities and relationships, again, she presented and hosted a number of industry events.

Hilary began her career in digital communications as an account executive with The Brilliant Agency, just as the internet industry started to get off the ground in London. Here Hilary raised company brand profile, via several high profile public relations initiatives and introduced new business opportunities whilst developing strong relationships with existing and new clients, partnerships and alliances.

Hilary obtained a BA(Hons) degree in Graphic Design at Central St.Martin's Collage of Art and Design, having gone back to study as a mature student. She then freelanced as a designer and animator for 6 years for a variety of film and production clients including BBC Children's Television and BBC Youth and Entertainments, under Janet Street-Porter, where she designed stings, programme identities, short films and corporate identities.

Hilary is married to Dino Burbidge (Creative Cirector at Digital Outlook), they have 2 children and live in East Finchley, North London.