Simon John

Managing Director, Digital Leader, Growth & AI Specialist - UK & EMEA

United Kingdom

About

Managing Director (UK & EMEA) | Client Leader | Growth Specialist | Founder | Trustee | Mentor Award winning progressive agency leader with 20 years’ experience in driving the growth agenda of agencies and (agency) groups across a wide range of integrated advertising and communications services and sectors. Proven ability to connect people and create partnerships to unlock revenue and deliver impactful outcomes. Strong business and people management skills having led cross-market functions, delivered change management programmes and turned around underperforming businesses and teams. A digital and data first approach to delivering effective and efficient connected activations through combining creative and media. Agency achievements: - 25% YOY organic growth - £5M of new revenue won - Responsibility and management of 40+ accounts (£50k – £1.75M) and 80 people - Key accounts won across retail, banking, electronics, automotive, FMCG and consumer tech - Profitable partnership collaborations: social platform and tech provider - Increased client NPS (after 6 months) - Planned and delivered acquired agency integration and growth plans - Product innovation/launch and cross-sell - Change management: process efficiencies, reduction in cost base and increase in net profit Client achievements (via agency outcomes): - Double digital revenue growth (banking) - Year on year Christmas sales uplift of 10% (retail) - DCO campaign delivering 2.5x engagement response (travel) - A 20+ swing in NPS (banking) - 2x business first, brand and performance collaborations (mobility and finance) - 20% increase in positive perception change (industry) - Launched various challenger brands in new market (consumer tech) - Biggest grossing product launch (beauty) through a retail partnership

Experience

  • Monks (Full-time · 3 yrs 2 mos)
    • UK&I MD
      Jun 2025 - Present · 1 yr 1 mo

    • EMEA Social MD
      Jul 2023 - Aug 2025 · 2 yrs 2 mos

    • Head of EMEA Growth
      May 2023 - Sep 2023 · 5 mos

  • Managing Director - UK | Head of Brand - EMEA at JIN
    Aug 2020 - Apr 2023 · 2 yrs 9 mos

    JIN is an awarding winning European digital communications agency (social, PR and corporate communications), with offices in Paris, London and Berlin and a presence in 25 other markets. Leading JIN’s UK growth and overseeing all EMEA multi-market digital clients and pitches. Collaborating with the founders on the agency’s strategy as part of the Executive Leadership Team. Clients: - Duolingo - Jollibee Foods - Collect+ - Getty Images - Mizkan Foods

  • Client Managing Partner at dentsu X
    2019 - Aug 2020 · 1 yr 8 mos

    dentsu X is a global flagship dentsu agency offering media and performance alongside creative and content. Member of the Executive Team leading the organisational change management of merging three agencies into dentsu X: Fetch, 360i and ICUC. Overseeing all creative and performance accounts across the business and leading the Client Leadership Team. Clients: - Sony - Honda - BBC - United Airlines - American Express

  • 360i (On-site)
    • Managing Partner | Client Services Director
      Jun 2017 - Jun 2019 · 2 yrs 1 mo

      A digital agency delivering data driven creativity through connecting insight, performance media and content. Promoted to Client Managing Partner as part of the ICUC/360i merger. Executive and Leadership Team member leading on agency communication, people and HR, new business and product strategy. Clients: - Enterprise rent-a-car - Lidl - IKEA - Burger King - TSB Awarded: - DADI Awards: Best Retail Campaign - Lovie Awards: Social Promotion - APG Awards: Transformational Strategy Team - European Search Awards: Best SEO Campaign

    • Head of Content
      Jul 2015 - Jun 2017 · 2 yrs

  • Director of Digital Influence at Cirkle
    May 2014 - Jul 2015 · 1 yr 3 mos

    An independent consumer and trade PR agency. Clients: - GSK (Lucozade, Ribena, Horlicks), - PepsiCo (Walkers, Tropicana, Quaker), - Premier Foods (Ambrosia, Branston, Lloyds Grossman Sauces)