Hello, I'm David Longden, CEO at Golley Slater. A creative full-service communication agency based in the UK, delivering work globally.

Half agency and half client-side man, I have a unique client-focused perspective on marketing. A big belief of mine is the adoption of a simple philosophy “if it were my money …how would I spend it?”

My initiation into marketing began at Brann Worldwide, now part of Havas, diverging from my laboratory roots (an unconventional journey into marketing with a Ph.D in Genetic Engineering).

Soon, I transitioned to the corporate world, joining insurance giant Zurich as a sales and marketing executive. Here, I played a crucial role in the inception of Direct Insurance, pioneering its transition from phone-based services to an online platform. I spearheaded brand advertising campaigns and drove customer acquisition, retention, and recommendation programs.

Venturing further, I found my stride in the telecom industry at Vodafone, where I launched the UK CRM programme. Leading a team, we changed the game for customer propositions across various segments - corporate, small and medium enterprises. As well as consumers by introducing concepts like Vodafone live. As a global core brand executive, I circulated this innovative approach across 22 European markets.

In 2006, my journey led me to Golley Slater, where I eventually assumed the role of CEO in 2013. Here, my focus has always been on infusing the client's perspective and strong commercial understanding into our agency's DNA. Golley Slater has evolved into an agency group deeply invested in our clients' businesses. My pride lies in creating an agency that drives immediate sales and long-term brand growth and our agency's collaborative culture of Betterness, fostering teamwork to tackle challenges and achieve more.

I also proudly serve as the Europe Regional Director - International Operations on the ICOM board, contributing to the advancement of our industry.