Designed and embedded an AI-enabled studio operating model to scale creative output across a multi-brand portfolio.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led creative operations, governance, and stakeholder alignment across Whitbread's brand, marketing, CRM, and digital teams.

Challenge
Growing demand across BAU, campaigns, and brand initiatives exposed a lack of structured briefing, workflow tracking, and resource prioritisation – limiting visibility, slowing turnaround times, and creating inconsistencies across a complex, multi-brand portfolio.

Approach
Designed and implemented an end-to-end Creative Operating Model, shifting the studio from a reactive service to a structured, repeatable system – with scalable frameworks for intake, resource planning, and cross-team alignment across both high-level campaigns and daily digital execution.

Delivery
• Introduced standardised briefing protocols and governance frameworks to define scope, establish ownership, and ensure brand consistency.
• Built centralised workflow systems and infrastructure, including a SharePoint knowledge hub, to improve pipeline visibility.
• Established dynamic resource planning to support multi-channel production across BAU and major campaigns.
• Embedded the operating model across marketing, CRM, and digital teams, equipping stakeholders to champion new ways of working.

Impact
• Increased creative output by 50%.
• Reduced time-to-market by 25%.
• Improved project visibility, prioritisation, and cross-functional alignment.
• Repositioned the creative team as a strategic business enabler.
• Laid the groundwork for AI-enabled workflows to accelerate speed, scale, and efficiency.

Championed Whitbread's organisation-wide rollout of Microsoft 365, driving the transition to cloud-based workflows across a 55,000+ employee business.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations & Change Advocate
As part of the broader Digital Transformation programme, I served as the change advocate for the Brand & Marketing function. My focus was to guide seven cross-functional teams away from traditional, desktop-heavy processes and towards collaborative, cloud-based workflows using Microsoft 365.

Challenge
Introducing Microsoft 365 across a massive, multi-brand organisation with vastly different levels of digital fluency presented as much of a cultural challenge as a technical one. The goal wasn't simply to implement new tools – it was to help employees genuinely understand, embrace, and confidently adopt entirely new ways of working.

Approach
Led engagement and communication efforts across the business to demystify the technology and build user confidence. Working directly with teams, I demonstrated the practical benefits of collaborative working across Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and the wider M365 ecosystem.

Delivery
• Orchestrated the M365 rollout and adoption programme tailored specifically for Brand & Marketing.
• Served as the primary Digital Champion across seven cross-functional teams.
• Facilitated hands-on workshops and regular check-ins to overcome resistance and maintain momentum.
• Embedded new file-sharing practices and cloud-based protocols into daily routines.
• Partnered with stakeholders to design and execute communication and engagement initiatives.

Impact
• Boosted daily usage of Microsoft 365 tools across the Brand & Marketing division.
• Streamlined cross-functional collaboration, eliminating silos and improving document sharing.
• Accelerated Whitbread's broader cultural shift toward an agile, digitally enabled workplace.

Designed and embedded the foundations of an AI-enabled studio operating model to scale creative delivery across a multi-brand portfolio.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led the introduction and structured integration of AI across studio workflows, embedding governance and enabling early adoption.

Challenge
Increasing demand placed pressure on speed, volume, and consistency, while unstructured AI adoption introduced risks around quality, brand alignment, and governance.

Approach
Integrated AI as an operating layer across the full creative lifecycle:
• Discovery & Alignment → AI-supported research and briefing
• Ideas & Concepts → accelerated ideation and development
• Concept Refinement → testing, iteration and adaptation
• Design & Production → scalable asset creation
• Delivery & Launch → workflow automation and production readiness
• Performance & Insights → feedback loops to inform future output

Supported by a studio integration layer spanning briefing, workflow orchestration, resource planning, governance, and continuous optimisation.

Delivery
• Prioritised high-impact AI opportunities across workflows
• Introduced AI through phased pilots and practical use cases
• Embedded AI into core studio systems and ways of working
• Established governance to ensure quality and consistency
• Scaled adoption through playbooks, training, and team enablement

Impact
Early-stage implementation delivered measurable improvements in speed, output, and scalability while maintaining brand integrity.

• Concept exploration time reduced by approximately 40%
• Storyboarding reduced from days to hours
• Copy exploration increased from 3-4 to 12+ routes

Established a scalable foundation for continued AI adoption, enabling the studio to evolve its delivery model beyond my tenure.

Embedding a brand platform as an operational system across a national estate.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led delivery governance, rollout planning, and stakeholder alignment to operationalise the brand platform across digital and physical environments.

Challenge
"Rest Easy" was more than a campaign – it was a brand platform requiring full operational integration across a live business. The repositioning redefined Premier Inn's identity across a complex digital ecosystem and physical estate, demanding coordinated rollout while phasing out legacy assets without disrupting delivery.

Approach
Reframed the repositioning as a national delivery programme, translating the "Rest Easy" platform into a structured creative operations system. This covered:

• Rollout planning and sequencing across channels
• Asset migration and lifecycle management
• Brand governance to maintain consistency
• Stakeholder alignment across teams and agencies

Delivery
• Delivered rollout roadmaps across digital and estate environments
• Migrated 150+ digital assets and 240+ print/POS communications
• Implemented brand architecture frameworks and governed asset libraries
• Introduced prioritisation models to sequence rollout across channels
• Aligned 30+ stakeholders and agency partners through structured workflows
• Managed rollout across website, CRM, campaign, and physical environments

Impact
Successfully embedded "Rest Easy" as a national brand platform across digital and physical environments, enabling consistent brand delivery across all touchpoints, a controlled phase-out of legacy messaging, and scalable application across a complex estate.

Delivered an integrated brand platform connecting product, campaign and storytelling across digital, CRM and film to drive engagement, conversion and brand perception.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led cross-channel delivery, governance and stakeholder alignment to scale the platform across the organisation.

Challenge
Premier Inn's strong awareness was built on price, limiting emotional connection and long-term differentiation. Embedding a new brand platform required coordinated delivery across channels, teams, and agency partners to ensure consistency at scale.

Approach
Partnered with Lucky Generals to operationalise "A Great Place to Start" as a unifying platform, aligning:

Aligned:
• Cross-channel campaign planning across ATL, TTL, CRM and digital
• Stakeholder and agency collaboration to maintain platform integrity
• Timelines, approvals and workflows to support scalable delivery
• Consistent application of the platform across all touchpoints

Delivery
• Delivered end-to-end rollout across ATL, TTL, CRM and digital channels
• Coordinated internal teams and agency partners to maintain alignment
• Established structured timelines, approvals and delivery workflows
• Integrated campaign film, CRM and digital execution into a unified platform ecosystem
• Ensured consistent platform execution across all environments

Impact
Successfully repositioned Premier Inn from a price-led brand to an emotionally connected travel brand.

• Revenue increased by 21%
• CRM bookings increased by 35%
• Engagement increased by 15.5%

Delivered a website and integrated B2B campaign to strengthen proposition clarity and improve performance across key digital channels.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led campaign delivery, stakeholder alignment and creative direction across B2B marketing channels, shaping audience strategy, messaging and execution.

Challenge
B2B communications lacked cohesion and cut-through, with fragmented, product-led messaging limiting engagement with SME and corporate audiences. Low awareness of Business Booker and Business Account tools meant the value of the proposition wasn't landing clearly, impacting consideration and conversion.

Approach
Reframed the challenge as a communication and conversion problem, shifting from feature-led messaging to benefit-led, audience-focused storytelling. Defined approximately 18 multi-channel audience personas to reflect the breadth of SME and corporate users, informing messaging, tone of voice and creative direction. From this, a clear messaging framework was developed, ensuring consistency across campaign, website and digital touchpoints.

Delivery
• Delivered the "Back to Work" integrated campaign across LinkedIn, Meta, display and web landing pages
• Developed a structured B2B campaign toolkit and messaging framework
• Defined audience segments and tailored messaging to improve relevance and engagement
• Shaped tone of voice and messaging, simplifying language and sharpening clarity of value
• Delivered website updates and landing experiences aligned to campaign messaging to support conversion
• Ensured alignment between proposition, creative and digital execution across all touchpoints

Impact
Delivered significant performance uplift across B2B channels.
• LinkedIn performance increased by 1,443% vs budget
• Meta performance increased by 59%
• Display performance increased by 92%

Improved engagement and sign-ups while establishing a clearer, more scalable B2B proposition across website and campaign.

Live site:
https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/business.html

Defined and embedded a structured briefing framework to bring clarity, consistency, and scalable creative delivery across a multi-brand portfolio.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led briefing strategy, stakeholder alignment, and creative intake governance across Brand, Marketing, Commercial, and Studio teams.

Challenge
Inconsistent briefing quality was impacting delivery efficiency and creative effectiveness. Briefs often lacked clear objectives, audience insight, and strategic context, leading to rework, extended feedback cycles, and misalignment between business intent and creative execution.

Approach
Repositioned briefing as the foundation for delivery, introducing a standardised framework to align objectives, insight, and stakeholders upfront before work entered production.

Delivery
• Standardised briefing structure across teams
• Introduced approval checkpoints to reduce rework
• Embedded consistent briefing standards through workshops
• Established structured intake to improve visibility and prioritisation

Impact
• Reduced rework and feedback cycles
• Improved alignment between business intent and creative output
• Increased delivery efficiency and stakeholder confidence
• Established a scalable model to support growing studio demand

Scaling the Model | AI-Enabled Intake
Structured briefing evolved into a systemised intake model, enabling consistent data capture, prioritisation, and the foundation for AI-assisted triage and workflow routing.

Designed and implemented a unified CRM delivery model to scale campaign execution across a multi-brand portfolio.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led CRM delivery operations, workflow design, and stakeholder alignment across Whitbread's CRM programme.

Challenge
Increasing CRM demand and complexity exposed fragmented workflows between Studio and CRM teams, limiting visibility, coordination, and delivery reliability in a revenue-critical channel.

Approach
Designed a unified operating model connecting Studio and CRM teams through:
• End-to-end workflow visibility
• Clear ownership and accountability
• Standardised processes and governance
• Scalable delivery across BAU and peak trading

Delivery
• Built a centralised workflow system to manage the CRM delivery lifecycle
• Introduced structured intake, prioritisation and tracking frameworks
• Established governance checkpoints to improve consistency and control
• Integrated tools to align workflow, communication and resourcing
• Embedded adoption across 30+ stakeholders

Impact
• Reduced rework and increased delivery confidence
• Enabled full visibility across campaign activity
• Established a repeatable, scalable delivery model supporting BAU and peak trading

Delivered a modular CRM delivery system to scale high-frequency, revenue-driving digital campaigns.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led CRM delivery operations, governance, and stakeholder alignment across Brand, CRM, Studio, and agency teams.

Challenge
As email became a core commercial channel, increased personalisation and trading cadence created pressure on production. Multiple stakeholders were causing bottlenecks in a revenue-critical environment, slowing delivery and limiting scale.

Approach
Designed a modular CRM delivery model aligning teams through:
• Component-based production
• Workflow and approval standardisation
• Stakeholder governance
• Scalable campaign assembly

Delivery
• Built a brand-approved component library enabling rapid campaign assembly
• Introduced governance checkpoints and clear ownership across teams and agency
• Centralised planning and collaboration to improve visibility and coordination
• Integrated CRM workflows with wider digital campaign delivery and scheduling

Impact
• Increased campaign output 10x
• Reduced production timelines and approval cycles
• Established a scalable model with improved governance and delivery confidence

Delivered a scalable social and digital content model integrated into the wider customer journey.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led social delivery operations, governance, and stakeholder alignment across internal teams and agency partners

Challenge
Social delivery was fragmented, lacking a structured in-house model, resulting in inconsistent output and limited scalability as platform demand increased.

Approach
Established a centralised social delivery model aligned to the studio, focusing on:
• Content planning and scheduling
• Workflow and approval governance
• Stakeholder and agency alignment
• Scalable production across platforms

Delivery
• Implemented HeyOrca as a central workflow and approval platform
• Introduced structured content calendars and approval checkpoints
• Defined roles and ownership across teams and agency partner
• Integrated TikTok into the delivery model within brand guardrails
• Improved visibility, coordination and delivery consistency
• Integrated social content into website and CRM journeys to support conversion

Impact
• Reduced turnaround times and approval friction
• Increased stakeholder visibility and alignment
• Grew TikTok to 15,000+ followers in six months, including viral content
• Strengthened Instagram engagement and integration into the customer journey

Delivered a scalable product platform connecting room propositions, innovation, and brand storytelling across the digital experience.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led end-to-end content strategy, production and delivery across the platform.

Challenge
Premier Inn's product ecosystem had grown complex, spanning multiple room types and innovations. The challenge was simplifying this into a clear, customer-focused digital experience without losing the depth of the proposition.

Approach
Established "Our Rooms" as the central product hub, built on a modular structure to support navigation, engagement, and conversion across the full room portfolio.

Delivery
• Led delivery of the Our Rooms hero page and connected ecosystem
• Managed content across key pages: Our Rooms, CleanProtect™, Our Innovation Story, Premier Plus and Family Rooms
• Led production of the Our Rooms film, extending the platform into motion and campaign storytelling
• Established a consistent visual and content system across shoots, features and messaging
• Integrated product, partnership and campaign narratives across key room propositions

Impact
• Simplified a complex product offer into a clear, customer-first journey
• Strengthened conversion through structured content and navigation
• Improved clarity and consistency across digital and in-hotel touchpoints

Live site:
https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/sleep/our-rooms.html

Delivered a scalable product and brand architecture across digital, retail and marketing channels.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led product and brand delivery, governance and stakeholder alignment.

Challenge
The launch of a next-generation Premier Inn bed introduced complexity across brand, operational, and customer experience environments. With multiple bed types co-existing during rollout, a scalable naming and communication framework was required to:
• Differentiate product generations without undermining the existing experience
• Balance Premier Inn and Silentnight partnership positioning
• Ensure consistency across digital, in-hotel, and marketing channels
• Remain legally compliant and future-proofed

Approach
Positioned the bed as a masterbrand asset, developing a structured product architecture and end-to-end customer journey to support clear, consistent communication across every touchpoint.

Delivery
• Developed a modular naming framework to support product evolution
• Established partnership and usage guidelines across channels
• Delivered end-to-end website experience and product pages, supporting conversion and retail integration
• Defined and implemented in-room POS journey and messaging, including a "try before you buy" mechanic
• Supported product photography shoot with Silentnight, aligning output to brand and retail positioning
• Managed rollout across CRM, marketing, and physical touchpoints

Impact
• Increased mattress sales by 500%
• Enabled expansion of the hotel-to-home retail range
• Reinforced Premier Inn’s core comfort proposition

Live site:
https://www.premierinnathome.com/premier-inn-mattress.html

Translated the "Rest Easy" brand platform into a comprehensive identity system to enable consistent application across the business.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led development and rollout of brand identity frameworks, guidelines, and adoption across teams and partners.

Challenge
The launch of "Rest Easy" required a complete evolution of Premier Inn's visual identity and tone of voice. With no unified system in place, consistent application across channels and teams was impossible to achieve at scale.

Approach
Developed a structured brand identity framework to define and standardise how the brand is expressed, covering:
• Visual identity principles and design systems
• Tone of voice and messaging architecture
• Typography, colour and photographic direction
• Guidance for multi-channel application

Delivery
• Created a comprehensive brand guidelines system aligned to the new platform
• Defined core identity components including typography, colour, imagery and tone of voice
• Developed practical guidance for use across campaigns, digital and operational environments
• Enabled teams and agencies to apply the brand consistently across touchpoints

Impact
• Established a clear and unified brand identity following the repositioning
• Improved consistency and clarity across all brand communications
• Enabled scalable application across campaigns and environments
• Strengthened understanding of brand purpose, personality and expression across the business

Delivered the rollout of a new brand identity across digital, campaigns and estate environments.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led brand rollout, governance and stakeholder alignment across the ZIP launch.

Challenge
ZIP launched as a new brand requiring a distinct identity that could scale consistently across digital, campaigns, and physical environments during a period of rapid rollout.

Approach
Positioned the identity as a governed brand system to enable scalable delivery, focusing on:
• Structured guidelines and application frameworks
• Consistency across channels and environments
• Stakeholder alignment across teams
• Scalable rollout across locations

Delivery
• Developed structured guidelines covering typography, tone of voice and visual principles
• Translated identity into practical implementation frameworks
• Enabled consistent application across marketing, digital and on-site environments
• Supported rollout across a growing estate and campaign ecosystem

Impact
• Reduced interpretation risk across teams and locations
• Enabled scalable rollout across channels and environments
• Supported consistent delivery across a growing portfolio

Delivered the rollout of a digitally led brand identity across urban hotel environments.

Role
Studio Manager | Creative Operations Lead
Led brand rollout, governance and stakeholder alignment.

Challenge
hub required a distinct identity that could scale across digital platforms, app experiences, and physical environments during a period of rapid urban expansion.

Approach
Positioned the identity as a governed brand system to enable consistent, scalable delivery across digital and physical touchpoints.

Delivery
• Developed structured guidelines across digital, app and estate environments
• Translated identity into practical implementation frameworks
• Enabled consistent application across marketing, digital and on-site communications

Impact
• Reduced interpretation risk across teams and locations
• Enabled consistent, scalable delivery across urban hotel sites