THE WILD CARD TEAM

KATE WILD Managing Director

With almost 20 years' experience in consumer and business to business public relations, Kate Wild started her career at Hill & Knowlton, having graduated from Exeter University. She spent six years in the consumer marketing division at H&K working on accounts such as Kellogg's, St Ivel Gold, The Post Office, The National Dairy Council and Baxter's of Speyside.

Kate left Hill & Knowlton to help set up a small consumer and corporate PR consultancy, Wearne Associates. There she directed accounts such as RHM Foods (encompassing, amongst others, the Bisto, McDougalls and Robertson's brands), Marlow Foods (the launch of the meat alternative, Quorn), John West and Tupperware. Directing the work across all aspects of these accounts, she had particular input on strategic consultancy and brand development. Kate was also responsible for issue consultancy and management across all clients and worked with the company principal, Alison Wearne, on the development and execution of crisis management contingency plans.

In 1994, Kate left Wearne Associates to start working as an independent PR consultant from her home. Early clients included Merchant Gourment, KitchenAid and John Cullen Lighting (still clients of Wild Card today). Wild Card was established in May 1997 and incorporated in April 2000.

LINDSAY STEWART Director

Lindsay's served her PR apprenticeship in the Consumer Department of The Communications Group.  In 1986, aged 25, she set up Conal Walsh & Stewart Limited 
with one of her colleagues and successfully specialised in food and drink PR for the next ten years.  In 1996 she was appointed first to the board of Richmond Towers and the following year to the board with Grayling Group.  Here Lindsay headed up accounts including deliaonline.com, Glenfiddich Food & Drink Awards, Le Creuset cast iron cookware and Screwpull wine and champagne accessories.  Lindsay joined Wild Card in September 2003; her focus is on food and drink accounts and developing new business.

ANNABEL ELLIOTT Group Account Director

With 15 years' experience in public relations, marketing and sales, Annabel began her career with The Savoy Group of hotels and restaurants having graduated from Durham University. After three years with The Berkeley Hotel, Annabel joined Judy Farquharson Ltd as a marketing recruitment consultant.

Annabel spent time working as a chef, a fishmonger and on Channel 4's 'Light Lunch' where she gained invaluable experience in a cross section of the food industry before joining The Sainsbury's Magazine where she worked for three years as assistant food editor.

Annabel has a certificate in wine and attended Leith's School of Food and Wine.

Annabel is Group Account Director and oversees food and drink accounts.

NISHITA ASSOMULL Account Director

With just three years' experience in the PR world, Nishita Assomull joined Wild Card in 2000 and was promoted to Account Director in January 2004. Having gained a 2:1 in Psychology at Goldsmiths College, she realised her previous dreams of becoming a clinical psychologist were not to be and set about finding an alternative career. Voluntary work as an events co-ordinator at the Children's Charity coupled with PR work for the Capital Radio Extravaganza gave her a taste for events organisation.

This was followed by a job as the Public Affairs Assistant at the National Farmers Union, where she worked in the PR and press office. Projects she worked on included the launch of The Little Red Tractor and the World Rural Women's Day.

CELIA CLARK Account Director/Operations Manager

Celia Clark joined Wild Card in November 2000 from Laurent-Perrier Champagne - a Wild Card client since 1998 - where she was Marketing Manager.

Celia started her working life at Louis Latour Ltd, the UK subsidiary of Burgundy house Maison Louis Latour, having graduated with a music degree from Oxford University in 1993. She went on to join Osprey Park advertising agency as an account handler before deciding to concentrate on marketing.

While at Laurent-Perrier, Celia worked closely with Wild Card on the press and PR side and covered everything from the production of printed material to the organisation of events, promotions and sponsorship (such as the garden at the Chelsea Flower Show) and new initiatives such as the Laurent-Perrier Design Challenge.

Since the birth of Holly in 2004, Celia works part-time for Wild Card, focusing on the homes, luxury and lifestyle sectors, as well as new business.

 

JENNIFER EVELEIGH Senior Account Manager

After time spent living in Surrey, Dorset and Yorkshire, Jen settled in the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne to take a degree in English Language and Literature, with Film Studies. Whilst working for the student newspaper there, Jen became interested in PR. Before embarking on the 'real world' Jen took the opportunity to travel round the world. Highlights of her trip included working in the Australian rainforest and touring the South Pacific. On her return Jen decided to fulfil one more ambition and spent winter 2000-01 working in the French Alps, learning to snowboard and refreshing her French.

Back in England, Jen settled in London and joined Wild Card in July 2001 as receptionist and account assistant. She was promoted to Senior Account Manager in January 2006 and works on luxury and lifestyle clients.

GEORGIE UPTON Senior Account Manager

Georgie is a graduate of Brunel University where she achieved a 2:1 in Psychology and Sociology. 

She began her working life at the Oxford Research Group, a small charity focusing on economic and environmental issues. Here she gained valuable experience in press liaison, research and writing and organised national and international conferences. 

Georgie then moved to London and worked for two years at Carpe Diem, a PR consultancy specialising in food and drink. Whilst there she gained her WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Higher Certificate. She joined Wild Card in September 2002 as a Senior Account Executive. She continues to focus on accounts involving food and wine.

LOUISE SANSOM Senior Account Manager

Louise's passion for PR began when she worked as marketing and promotions coordinator for her family business. This involved store launches, devising and implementing promotions and managing local news stories. 

After graduating from Canterbury University, Louise began her PR career at Grayling where she managed a variety of food, drink and healthcare accounts including Le Creuset, Screwpull, Dickinson & Morris, Mrs Beeton's, Canard-Duchene, Tyrrell's wines, Alka-Seltzer and Germolene. 

She continues to focus on housewares and event accounts.

LAURA POPE Senior Account Manager

Laura spent four years working in the PR division of integrated marketing agency Haygarth on a variety of food, drink and lifestyle clients, before joining Wild Card as an Account Manager in October 2005.

In 2000 she completed a Masters degree in Modern European Languages & Literature at Edinburgh, which incorporated time spent living in Paris and Madrid, working for Elle, Slaughter & May and Freshfields.  This was followed by a year as a model booker for Select, which regularly took her from London to New York and Paris.  However, a keen interest in marketing and the media led her from the world of fashion into PR.

Fuelled by a passion for food and drink, Laura has undertaken a Wine & Spirits Education Trust certificate and unleashes her creative side in the kitchen whenever possible.  Laura was attracted to Wild Card by its outstanding reputation within the industry and works on a number of food, drink and event accounts.

NINA PLOWMAN Account Manager

Nina joined Wild Card in June 2005 and focuses on luxury brands including Laurent-Perrier, Gü Chocolate Puds and R. M. Williams.

Nina read English Literature at University of London, and trained as a journalist following graduation. She has worked on numerous publications including The Times, Sunday Telegraph Magazine, Good Housekeeping and Press Gazette.

Nina started her PR career in 2002 at Harrison Cowley. She has since gained a broad range of experience across PR campaigns within the arts, travel, retail, motoring and luxury lifestyle sectors. Brand experience includes retail giant Waterstone's, covering the launch party for the fifth Harry Potter book, the Man Booker Awards and author tours. Other campaigns she has managed include Piaggio, Vespa and Gilera, First Choice Retail, Land Rover, five-star Royal Garden Hotel and the UK and International campaign for Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fair. 

ALISON WATERS Senior Account Executive

Alison graduated in July 2001 from the University of Manchester where she gained a 2:1 in Geography. Her interest in PR started when she was the leader of the Expedition Society, fundraising throughout the year and culminating in a project in the rainforest in Belize.

After she graduated, she went to teach English in Japan on the JET programme. She arrived back in the UK in 2003 after a long trip home through South East Asia, China and Russia. 

Since arriving home, she gained experience at Headway, the brain injury association and Companycare Communications. Alison joined Wild Card in June 2004 and was promoted to Senior Account Executive in January 2006; her focus is on food and drink accounts.

EMILY THOUBBORON Senior Account Executive

EMMA FRENCH Account Executive

Emma graduated from the University of Leeds in 2002 and after gaining a CELTA qualification, returned to Hong Kong (where she grew up) to teach English.

In 2003 she moved to London and started her PR career at Barclay Stratton, where she worked on food and lifestyle accounts. She joined Wild Card in March 2005 as an Account Executive as part of the food and drink team.

LOUISE BUTLER Account Executive

Louise  graduated from Winchester  School of Art in 2003, with a BA Hons degree in Fine Art Printmaking.  Back in London, Louise completed a Marketing & Communications course at St. James & Lucie Clayton College gaining a CIM qualification.

Louise started off her career in public relations at Intelligent PR, working on a variety of art and entertainment accounts.  She joined Wild Card in June 2005 and works across a number of food, drink and luxury brand accounts.

SUZE MASKELL Junior Account Executive

Suze Maskell joined Wild Card in July 2004 from Sussex University where she gained a 2:1 in Philosophy and English. Whilst at uni, Suze secured PR work experience with Midnight Communications. She is an Associate Member of the CIPR having successfully completed the Advanced Certificate in Public Relations.

Prior to moving to Brighton, Suze spent six months teaching English in Budapest and travelled around the world stopping off at the Sydney Olympic Games.
Suze works on food, drink and event accounts.

KIRSTIE DUKE Account Administrator

Kirstie graduated with a 2:1 degree in English and Sociology from the University of Northumbria in 2005.  A passion for chocolate led her to start working for Gü Puds, where her interest was sparked in Gü's PR company.  Kirstie joined Wild Card in November 2005.

JENNA PEYTO Receptionist and Account Assistant

The Wild Card Accounts Department is run by Sharon Mills and Margaret Davies, assisted by Kathy Jones. All work part time and are based in Wild Card's Northamptonshire office.
Telephone: 01788 824300
Email: accounts.wildcard@fastnet.co.uk