Media's young talent: where are they now?

Most of the competition's previous winners have gone on to bigger and better things, with many citing their inclusion in Media Week's 30 under 30 list as a contributing factor.

For example, although she no longer strictly works in media, Adele Gritten believes her nomination in the final 30 in 2004 "definitely accelerated" her career and helped her attain her dream job in research.

Gritten is now research director at global business intelligence company Marcus Evans, where she is setting up a new research team, with the media industry scheduled to be the company's first area of expertise.

"When I was listed in Media Week's article, I was group research manager at Clear Channel UK, and the recognition definitely helped me get where I am today," she says.

"People remember names and faces in media. My advice would be to get out there, contribute articles, and have something to say that you believe in. There's a big gap for industry luminaries in media, particularly those in their 30s."

Previous winner Karen Wall, who is now assistant managing director at Associated Newspapers' free newspapers division, agrees that raising your profile as a young person scaling the ranks opens up many opportunities, not just for the individual, but also for the company he or she works for.

Walls' tip for profile-raising is to "look out for every opportunity to communicate your successes". She recommends volunteering to be interviewed for profile pieces, speaking at conferences, and taking time to enter awards.

If you want to emulate the success of those such as Wall, who was head of marketing at Metro when she made the final 30 in 2004, pick up your pen, read our rules for how to enter (see below), and start scribbling. Good luck.

Ollie Bishop
2004: senior agency sales manager, Espotting Media
2008: chief executive, Steak Media
"When I was in the 30 under 30 list, I was in an agency sales role at Espotting Media and, after the company was sold, I set up Steak Media in February 2005. Our agency has already won numerous awards, such as the Best High Growth Business at the Daily Mail/Make Your Mark Enterprising Young Brits Award.

My advice to ambitious young media professionals is to get a good grounding in the area of your interest, then plan how you're going to start up your own business. Profile-raising is important, so comment on industry topics when you can. Clients like thought leaders too, but obviously you've got to have substance as well as style.

So far, I'm most proud of the fact that the company I set up is now in the top five agencies in search, and has already opened offices in New York and Melbourne."


Richard Dunmall
2004: sales director, AdLink Internet Media
2008: senior vice-president and managing director EMEA, Microsoft Advertiser & Publisher Solutions
"I remember the article being published and being abused by friends in the industry. My picture made me look like a fat, angry bouncer at a low-budget night club, but I was very proud to be recognised among my peers. And winning the contest certainly helped raise the profile of my sales team and created a little extra momentum.

I've had some cracking opportunities since the article appeared. I ran a digital media agency, MindShare Interaction, for two years. Then I moved to run Atlas and DRIVEpm across EMEA as senior vice-president and managing director.

Our firm was acquired last year by Microsoft, which will no doubt prove even more interesting. Key to my success has been luck, the ability to laugh at myself, and plenty of humility. After all, none of us advertising types are saving lives."



Alistair Ballantyne
2004: group account manager, IPC Media
2008: global sales director, Metro International
"The inclusion in Media Week's 30 under 30 list helped to raise my profile with my employer at the time - when I was nominated, I was group account manager at IPC Media. Shortly afterwards, I was promoted so perhaps the recognition helped - although no one in my organisation could believe I was under 30 when the article came out.

I would advise young, ambitious media professionals to try to raise their profile, but to remember that the best way of doing this is to let your work speak for itself. Also recommended is learning from those around you and learning from your mistakes. There's no magic formula: success in media is all about sheer hard work and determination.

I definitely plan to stay in media and to keep driving the team forward at Metro International - the aim is to make it into your 40 under 40 piece."

Amy Lennox
2004: head of online, Manning Gottlieb OMD
2008: co-founder, Trinity Communications
"When Media Week's 30 under 30 article came out, I was head of online at Manning Gottlieb OMD. After it was published, I was promoted to the board at Manning Gottlieb, then to head of OMD Digital. I then started my own business, Trinity Communications, last July.

I had always read articles such as Media Week's 30 under 30 with interest, and had seen them as aspirational. The fact that I was recognised on the way up really helped setting up a new business and was great for establishing credibility. My agency, which specialises in digital and direct marketing, is going really well so far. Our clients include New Look, Alton Towers, WWF and The Carphone Warehouse.

To anybody keen to get on in media, I'd say that the best thing you can do is take responsibility for yourself, as nobody else is going to make it happen unless you do. Stop making excuses that somebody else is to blame."

Clare Chamberlain (née Dempster)
2004: acting commercial director, Hachette Filipacchi UK
2008: group ad director for food, youth, children and Top Gear, BBC Magazines

"I'm sure Media Week's article raised my profile - even though I was made redundant from Hachette Filipacchi a few months after the feature was published. I obtained a job soon afterwards as group ad director for BBC Magazines, looking after food, homes, youth and children. I'm in basically the same role at the BBC now, but the position has developed a lot.

The job is definitely busier, as BBC Magazines is much tighter and more commercial. And we have launched www.Goodfood.com and brought online advertising in-house, which has made a huge impact on the way we sell.

I love media and I'd definitely want to keep working in the industry, ideally here at the BBC. You have to be an ambitious and sociable person who enjoys the pressure of deadlines. I hope to be around for quite some time yet - in a 60 over 60 list, perhaps."

Ben Sutherland
2005: head of buying, Tri-Direct
2008: associate director, WWAV Rapp Collins Media
"I received a few calls from people in the industry and recruitment agencies when I was nominated for 30 under 30, but I've never really pushed it on my CV. At the time, I was head of buying at Tri-Direct. About a year later, I moved to be associate director at WWAV Rapp Collins Media. Then last year, I was promoted to the board, making me one of the youngest board members at 32.

I believe what got me onto the board of WWAV Rapp Collins was sheer hard slog and an understanding of commercial reality. In fact, I'd advise anybody young and ambitious in this industry to never underestimate the power of hard work.

I was pleasantly surprised when I was listed in 30 under 30, and having your name out there is definitely a good thing to do. In the future, I'd love to work for myself at some stage."

Nicola Ponting
2005: senior sales manager, IPC Ignite
2008: digital director, sport, technology and lifestyle, IPC Inspire
"I'm still at the same company as I was seven years ago and, if I was writing my CV again, I would definitely include my 30 under 30 nomination. It's helpful to do things that raise your profile within a big corporate organisation.

After the article was published, I was made manager of Web User, which was a struggling product that we helped turn into profit. I then took on the other specialist websites at Inspire, which span sport, technology and leisure, and developed digital revenue, which is up more than 100% year on year. I was made digital director in April 2007.

My advice to others is to find a company you enjoy working for and then take opportunities to work with as many people as possible in that business, so you get different experiences. Moving internally is a good way to see how different businesses work."

Karen Wall
2004:head of marketing, Metro
2008: assistant managing director, Associated Newspapers' free newspapers division
"After being featured in Media Week's 30 under 30 in 2004, I was promoted from head of marketing to marketing director later in the year. Today, I am one of the assistant managing directors for Associated Newspapers' free division, and my responsibilities span Metro, London Lite, 7Days (Dubai) and Metro Ireland.

Our business has grown dramatically since 2004, and I've played a part in that growth. One of our five business goals is dedicated to people development, and I've had plenty of support and training during my time at Metro, which has helped develop my career.

At the moment, I'm very happy working in media and am enjoying my challenging role working on both Metro and London Lite. For the past couple of years, I have said that some day I will move back to my home town of Dublin. However, I keep delaying that decision, as there is just too much going on here."


The hunt for media's brightest young professionals, through Media Week's 30 under 30 competition, is now on - here's how you can get involved.

As a bonus, the final 30 will automatically form the shortlist for the Rising Star category at this year's Media Week Awards in October.

Our esteemed panel of judges is looking for the media industry's chief executives of the future: the sharpest, most ambitious and hard-working young media professionals from media agencies, media owners and clients.

Entrants can either nominate themselves - as encouraged by the previous winners featured here - or they can be nominated by colleagues.

There is one condition for entry: that contestants have not reached their 30th birthday by 22 July, 2008.

To enter, all you have to do is fill in an application form and return it to Media Week features editor Harriet Dennys by Tuesday, 8 July.

Application forms can be requested from harriet.dennys@haymarket.com

Clare Chamberlain, ad director at BBC Magazines and previous 30 under 30 winner, says: "Being featured in Media Week's 30 under 30 was really good for my career, and I always include the nomination on my CV, as I see it as akin to winning an industry award.

"I'd encourage other young ambitious media professionals to take every opportunity for recognition, and I'll certainly be encouraging the under-30s in my team to enter."