ANALYSIS: How to sell to Guy Blackden - The seafaring director of Carat Business enjoys the quiet life

by CLAIRE SAMES, Media Business 12-Feb-01

Carat Business director Guy Blackden has a passion for riding the waves. 'I could fill my whole day with windsurfing,' he says.

Carat Business director Guy Blackden has a passion for riding the waves. 'I could fill my whole day with windsurfing,' he says.

When he's not visiting the south coast of England for the excellent breezy conditions, he's roaming the east Sussex countryside on a mountain bike, near to his home village of Ticehurst.

Blackden used to be a professional sailor before he embarked on a career in media. 'All the people I used to compete with went on to the Olympics,' he reflects, with a hint of regret in his voice.

Fond of a scotch or two in the peaceful surroundings of his home, Blackden admits he doesn't get out much. 'Now I've got a baby, I do less,' he says.

'I'm not big on jollies either. However, I did enjoy a day of go-karting and off-roading with Reed Business Information's retail group last year.'

When he's not changing nappies, Blackden occasionally meets up with a couple of ex-Carat Business colleagues - Mark Ashley, who works for financial company Citygate, and Nick Adams, who works for Mediapassage.

His brother Damien Blackden also works in media and spent ten years at Zenith, before moving to Universal Interactive.

And it was Damien who lured Guy into media. However, it could all have been different had Guy stuck to his original career plans. 'I spent three years studying chartered surveying at Leicester but, by the time I graduated, I knew I didn't want to be a surveyor.'

After travelling around Europe, Blackden sealed his first job as a sales executive at the Builder Group's Property Week.

He then stumbled into PR, with an agency called Publicity Portfolio - owned by Jonathon Ross and Elton John - which specialised in travel clients and folded in 1994.

While waiting to land his first agency job with Carat Business, Blackden took a job at Harrods in the jeans department.

He has now been with Carat Business for six years and has moved up the agency ladder from media planner/buyer level to senior group head, before becoming director in January 2000.

Under Blackden's supervision, a team of nine specialises in targeting business people across all media. They look after 150 non-technology clients, including Alamo and Pfizer. The team also caters for Carat and BBJ clients, such as Royal Mail, Renault, Abbey National and NTL.

LIKES

Clued-up sales people

Windsurfing Good service

DISLIKES

Rudeness[QQ]] Unoriginal b2b websites

Cold seas and windless days.