What colleagues say.

Al Young
Chief Creative Officer
FCB Inferno

Mark is a great art director.

More than that he is a great art director with a great attitude.

His ideas are always well thought through and combine both strong logic and counter intuitive leaps.

He has a passion that verges on the obsessive. And a work ethic that invariably sees him still in the office trying to push an idea further, long after the rest of the creative department has gone home for the night.

Shaun McIlrath
Chief Creative Officer
Iris London

It is by no means an overstatement to say that Mark is the best Art Director I’ve ever worked with.

He can take any brief no matter how unpromising and craft it into to something very special. He’s full of great ideas and his quiet, considered manner belies huge reserves of can-do energy.

I first met Mark at HHCL where he was Head of Art. When I came to Iris, he was one of my first hirings. He has worked on all kinds of briefs here, with equal enthusiasm and has mentored and tutored junior and senior creative alike. Mark brings out the best in everyone.

Owen Lee
Executive Creative Director
FCB Inferno

Mark breathes life into ideas.

He has the capacity to see things that many creatives do not.

He is a wonderful art directer, typographer and above all, someone who loves and understands great conceptual thinking.

He loves craft and concepts alike, which is rare, and he would be a huge asset to any creative business.

 

Bryn Attewell
Global Creative Lead
GSK

Good work becomes great work when people care about the detail. Mark is one of those people. A quality Senior Art Director and ideas guy, he’s got a fantastic eye and fresh approach that he can apply to any media. He’s also a grown up. Comfortable in front of the clients and more than able to hold his own when defending ideas. On top of that, he’s a thoroughly nice bloke.

Dave Dyer
Executive Creative Director
Digitas Health

Mark is one of a rare breed who ensures there’s art in art direction. I worked as Mark’s creative partner for several years and have never worked with anyone with more taste. Honestly. The man has an encyclopedia knowledge of art references in every form imaginable. And the moment you think your idea looks amazing, he’ll turn to the art of the words and he’ll have something wonderfully meaningful to say. Mark is as tasteful as art directors, creative directors and people come. His warmth, experience and determination make the smallest of details beautiful things. I have no doubt that Mark thinks this recommendation could be even more tasteful. It probably could be, but then he was always more tasteful than me and the work has always been the better for it..

Frederico Roberto
Executive Creative Director
Interweave agency

Mark has been a great inspiration to my work. He absolutely nails every idea with a reference, an example, a previous job to compare, improve and do better. Mark is undoubtedly the best Senior Art Director I’ve worked with. A great fellow, always available and always keen to discuss ideas!

Tom Kennedy
Creative Director
M&C Saatchi

Mark’s an incredibly considered and knowledgeable art director with some beautiful campaigns under his belt. He knows more than most about some of the best photographers and artists out there, and is always open to sharing that with his team.

Jason Bolton
Executive Creative Director
Seven Silent Partners

How can I recommend Mark? The guy is in competition with me and he’s bloody good at his job.

Mark and I met at Inferno then worked together as a pitch team for about 18 months. We left a trail of wins and created some important successes for quite a few ECDs.

Mark is an art director that never stops improving, polishing and crafting. A man after my own heart. It’s too easy to look at Mark’s great craft ability and automatically put him in a ‘traditional creative’ box - but that dramatically undersells his understanding of the wider, bigger idea.

Really good art directors search for truthful insights and think carefully about their audience, way before engaging their craft to impress them. In addition to possessing all the qualities of a great art director, Mark has a good sense of humour to boot. He certainly laughed very kindly at all my jokes - and you’ll find he can form good relationships with the rest of the agency very quickly.

If I was starting an agency tomorrow, I’d definitely be chatting to Mark.

Jo Tanner
Founder and Creative Director
Dog Cat and Mouse

I have worked with Mark for many years. First together as Creative Group heads on the Guardian, Mercedes Benz, Omega and Transport for London accounts.

He’s as knowledgeable and passionate about this business as anyone I have ever worked with. Actually more so. He loves his craft and brilliantly brings work to life. But he is not precious. And this is why you should work with him – he’s just the right combination of artistic and realistic.

He gets advertising totally; he understands strategy and positioning as well as many planners I have worked with and he is very client-facing – articulate and insightful on calls.

When we started Dog Cat and Mouse, he was the first creative I turned to, to help us bring new business on board and he’s done just that. If I have a pitch, he’s the person I call to bring it to life and make it look amazing.