Adam Thorndike
Creative Protege

Adam Thorndike graduated from the University of Hull with a degree in Management, continuing his education at Leeds Metropolitan University where he studied for an MA. To compliment his chosen career path he recently completed an NCTJ in journalism at Norton College.

Interspersing his learning he worked at various organisations, including a large marketing agency and a regional newspaper, where he quickly developed a passion for PR.

Creative Protege, the innovative virtual agency and sister company to Gloss Creative Recruitment, was introduced to him through its Managing Director, Ian Rigby. He was offered the experience necessary to ensure a future in PR, working to promote Creative Protege.

As a result of his involvement with the Creative Protege programme he has recently set up Cookie PR, his own digital PR agency. Adam has also been able to work in partnership to establish Nugenko, an all encompassing multidisciplinary design agency, allowing him and graduate friends to work in a highly competitive industry whilst demonstrating fresh and exciting talent.

Tim Leigh
FPP Digital

Tim Leigh heads up FPP Digital and consults on all things interactive. In particular he seeks to find the most effective technology channels to deliver great creative. His daily challenges are almost entirely focused on coming up with new marketing ideas for execution across a wide range of digital channels.

Tim's background is in software development and began his career with ICI before moving agency side. He has an MSc in Computing and an MBA from Durham University. Tim works on some of the world's biggest brands including Coca Cola and Pringles. His natural affinity for crisps and fizzy drinks means he spends much of his spare time running and biking to make sure his buttons don't pop off.

Di Gates
Stick Theory

Di Gates founded Stick Theory in October 2009, following nine years as co-owner and creative director of bgroup creative agency which, together with her business partner, she grew from a small strategic consultancy in 2001 to full service agency with 25 staff and £1.4mil turnover by the time she left.

Stick Theory has been created to build on Di's experience, passion and extensive collaborative networks, to develop ideas, tools and tactics to help companies connect better with customers. This means creative thinking, insight-driven innovation, clear communication and effective customer experience design. Di is also chair of regional women's networking group, WIN Ltd, a visiting fellow at Newcastle University and sits on the advisory board for Codeworks Connect.

Laura Sharpe
SHARPE RECRUITMENT

Sharpe Recruitment was set up in April 2010 and is run by Julie and Laura Sharpe who are an innovative mother and daughter team breathing fresh air into the world of job hunting and recruiting! Coming together from a digital creative agency and marketing background with over 20 years of sales and business experience they are ‘Turning Recruitment On its Head’.

Laura’s bubbly personality along with her professional manner is backed with years of experience in recruitment in Yorkshire and the North East, as well as several years within a London advertising agency handling web design and web build projects with a team of creative designers and developers. Throughout her career she has gained invaluable skills in recruitment, digital business development and client care, and her work adopts a mainly consultative approach.

We are passionate about finding candidates the best jobs and dealing with clients and candidates in a positive and professional way to build and maintain relationships within the creative and IT industries here in the North East

Darren Jobling
Eutechnyx

Darren Jobling is the Owner and Director of Business Development at Eutechnyx, the world's leading independent driving game developer with studios in the UK, China and the USA. Darren has successfully concluded development deals with some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Activision Blizzard, Namco Bandai, Electronic Arts and Take 2, creating games based on the world's leading IP, such as Ferrari, The Fast and the Furious, MTV's Pimp My Ride, Formula 1 and James Bond 007.

With over 20 years experience in the industry, Darren has been specially commended by the Duke of York for outstanding export achievement, concluding deals with the biggest publishers and IP holders in the world. According to Develop magazine, Darren is number 8 in the listing of top deal makers in the UK games industry.

Martin Eriya-Mremu
Fusebox Design

With over 20 years technical experience in the digital industry Martin has worked with global brands designing and developing their online business solutions including pioneering work for financial institutions and projects on behalf of the United Nations worldwide and the NHS in the UK.

A micro-electronic engineer by background, Martin uses his critical and analytical skills on a daily basis, working with both technical staff and non-technical clients to achieve comprehensive solutions to their needs, irrespective of starting specifications.

Having been a slight workaholic for the last 24 months, Martin is currently looking forward to spending weekends getting back to life as a photographer and watercolour artist, along with sprint cycling for exercise and archery (Compound bow, Target Archery).

Mike Parker
Technical Director - Orange Bus

Mike Parker is Technical Director at Orange Bus. A creative digital strategy and full service web agency working out of a windmill in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Passionate about the web, and creating better tools to allow teams to communicate and work more effectively. Mike is responsible for Orange Bus' love affair with Drupal - the tool Orange Bus employ to build their beautifully simple, useable web sites and applications.

An advisory community member of the SuperMondays technology networking group, Mike can often be found attending the various local technology events, and is just as likely to be a presenter/speaker as he is to be a member of the audience.

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is author of The Complete Career Makeover, which was published in January by Guardian Books and Random House. He has been an award-winning journalist for the past 19 years, writing predominantly on business, employment, education, money and health. As well as working for many national newspapers, professional publications and websites, he has contributed to previous Guardian reference guides, including The Guardian Postgraduate Guide (2009). He lives in Barnstaple in north Devon and, away from the day job, is currently studying for an MA at Exeter University.