About Derek
- Promoted 4 times in 10 years
- Selected as 1 of 13 Future Leaders at Dye & Durham — a company of ~1,300 employees (2023)
- Built functions from zero: Created the UK marketing and communications function for a global tech company and later built the marketing engine for a fee-share law firm, establishing inbound lead generation, brand strategy, and scalable communications processes
- Led transformation and integration: Unified acquired brands into a single identity at Dye & Durham post-acquisition, partnered with the C-suite on AI positioning, and managed a £500K budget to strengthen the firm’s market presence
- Designed business development programs: Conceived and launched firm-wide BD training for consultant lawyers, boosting confidence and client acquisition in a competitive market
English
Native or bilingual
Experience
- Mezzle Ltd.,CHIEF MARKETING OFFICERLEGALOctober 2024 - Today (1 year and 8 months)London, UK
- Leading firm-wide strategy as incoming MD, covering operations, finance, BD, and community-building.
- Built and scaled first marketing function, creating inbound engine and supporting lawyer recruitment.
- Designed and launched business development training program for consultant lawyers — the firm's first USP.
- Spearheaded brand identity refresh and new go-to-market strategy resulting in 20% growth in client acquisition.
- Dye & Durham UK Ltd.,DIRECTOR, GLOBAL BRAND & COMMUNICATIONSTECHJune 2022 - October 2024 (2 years and 4 months)London, UK
- Built UK comms/marketing function post-acquisition, unifying multiple brands.
- Partnered with C-suite on strategic positioning, especially around AI.
- Managed £500K budget and led external partnerships to strengthen commercial positioning.
- Consolidated multiple acquired brands under the Dye & Durham banner, streamlining operations and creating a unified brand identity.
- Oversaw brand-building campaigns and partnerships to project the Dye & Durham brand while withdrawing acquired brands from the market.
- Oversaw product marketing support with go-to-market activity, asset production and sales enablement.
- Lead a team of marketing professionals, fostering collaboration and innovation to achieve strategic objectives and drive business growth.
- Provident Communications,SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERTECHJanuary 2021 - June 2022 (1 year and 5 months)Toronto, ON, Canada
- Directed media relations for Monex Europe, Amazon Web Services Canada, and Neuron Mobility; consistently surpassing Tier 1 media coverage targets.
- Specialized in tech and finance sectors, working directly with client executives to build their corporate reputations.
- Delivered comprehensive training sessions for financial analysts, regulators, and sales executives, equipping them with essential media and presentation skills.
- Developed and maintained strong relationships with key media contacts, resulting in increased media coverage and positive brand exposure across my client portfolio.
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Education
- Bachelor of ArtsUNIVERSITY OF TORONTOBachelor of Arts
- Post-Graduate CertificateLOYALIST COLLEGEPost-Graduate Certificate