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Areas of Expertise: Business strategy & processes, Financial planning, Leadership, People, Sales & Marketing

Adrian Day

Consultant and Non-Exec Director
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Adrian can help your business perform better by acting as your experienced, objective and supportive ‘critical friend’.

Areas of expertise

Financial planning: Performance & efficiency
People: Mentoring • Organisational structuring
Business processes: Business strategy & planning • Business diagnostics
Marketing: Marketing strategy & planning • Client retention & development

Experience in the design industry

Design industry experience: 35+ years

A qualified Non-Executive Director with the Financial Times’ Post-Graduate Diploma , Adrian has over 30 years’ experience as a Director/Leader in creative firms including Landor, Siegel & Gale, Further, Ziggurat and Uffindell. Adrian has been advising creative sector firms for over ten years, helping founders and owners realise their ambitions. He holds an MBA from Middlesex University and the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Diploma.

 

Professional affiliations

Royal Society of Arts (RSA)

Adrian can offer:

  • Better quality decisions and business planning. As an independent ‘critical friend’, he provides challenge and encouragement at senior level, advocating the right thing, not the most expedient.
  • Big picture thinking. He actively contributes to strategy development, working with leadership teams to develop a shared vision for growth.
  • Understanding of company finances in the design sector.
  • Improved governance. A firm grasp of Director’s and Board responsibilities.
  • As an ambassador for your company Adrian can leverage a network of nearly 3000 client-side and design industry LinkedIn contacts. 

Testimonials

Some kind comments from people I have helped in creative businesses:

"Adrian started working with us early in 2023 - a time when we felt we needed an experienced adviser as we re-set as an Employee -Owned Trust. Adrian provides practical, helpful and valuable advice - helping set the right course strategically and financially whilst playing a key role in the ongoing development of Nixon. We'd have no hesitation in recommending him for similar roles. "

Diggory Gordon-Ashworth, Creative Director, Nixon Design

"Adrian was a business adviser to TDC for four years. He provided senior counsel and advice to myself and the leadership. I valued his objective view experience and sound advice - in particular his experience of running growing creative businesses. He continues to mentor some of our senior team to help them perform to their best. "

Tim Duncan, Founder and CEO, TDC

"Adrian’s wealth of experience and immense knowledge in business and branding has been invaluable to me over the years. Not just as a colleague working on projects together, but also as a mentor, guiding me through the undulating terrain of agency life. Adrian is a pleasure to work with and I look forward to doing so regularly in the near future. "

Adam Arnold, Founder and owner, Brandality

"Having Adrian’s advice on hand has been invaluable. He’s extremely knowledgeable (as you’d expect from someone with his wealth of experience). He’s also made me realise just how good my team is. I’d highly recommend him as a business mentor or Non-Exec Director for growing creative businesses. "

Anthony Sims – Owner & Managing Director, Sims Creative

"We engaged with Adrian to help with defining our vision, positioning and personality, his ability to crystallise the sometimes conflicting thoughts of the Directors and define them into a very clear simple and unified message has been invaluable. We are looking forward Adrian’s continued input in guiding us on our journey to deliver our vision. "

Dan Brooks – Founder & Managing Director, Integration

"Adrian is a star. He is not only a great listener but does his own research and homework, and brings new ideas into the fold. When he challenges, it is always in a constructive and very positive way – despite any impending time-ticking pressures! Adrian brings organisation and focus to our buzzing creative team and corral’s everyone’s ideas into a structured framework. We love him and we highly recommend him. "

Jules James, MD, Voyage

Contact expert

Use the form below to send an email to Adrian Day.

Resources

brennan-burling-xn602ft9hjq-unsplashOur Experts regularly contribute their insight to the wealth of resources available at the DBA, from c-suite design foresight and financial planning to strategic design management, new business, leadership and beyond.

 

Tap into their expertise in our Resources area.

 

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