Led by founder David Meikle, we offer deep insights into client-agency dynamics, delivering high-value solutions. HTBAG’s specialist consultants have extensive, senior-level, hands-on experience in their respective fields, offering practical insights and expertise tailored to client needs.
David Meikle
Founder
Recognised as a leading thinker and innovator in advertising and marketing operations, David Meikle founded his marketing consultancy in 2009. In 2017, he published How to Buy a Gorilla, a book which offered a transformative model for marketing-agency relationships, and quickly became a best-seller. Hailed by Gerry Preece, former Global Marketing CPO for Procter & Gamble, as “the ultimate book for how to strategically source agency services”, it earned wide acclaim from both advertisers and agencies.
Prior to launching his consultancy, David held senior positions at Grey Worldwide, and Ogilvy & Mather in London, as well as Head of Country for Ogilvy Russia during the BRIC boom of the 2000s, where he grew their business more than 500% in revenue in less than four years.
David’s latest book, Tuning Up, was published in 2023. It presents a new approach to managing working relationships to reduce stress and friction while increasing productivity and value. The book has garnered praise and interest from industry professionals and academics alike.
Jonathan Stirling
Consultant Media
Jonathan has over 30 years of experience in media, spanning TV, digital and performance marketing, CRM, and content creation, working with agencies, media owners, and clients. At WCRS, he led innovative media solutions for brands like BMW, and at Banks Hoggins O’Shea, he built the media function, winning business from major clients. As EMEA Media Director for FCB, he secured accounts like Janus Capital and Fujitsu. Jonathan also drove growth as Development Director at Metro and Marketing Director at the Evening Standard and got The Independent Online into profit. In recent years, he has consulted for a wide range of advertisers and agencies, gaining deep industry insights. He lives in West London.
Simon Steel
Consultant – production
Simon has a wealth of experience in global advertising production with some of the biggest names in agencies on some of the biggest names in clients.
With CEO and MD positions for the likes of Publicis Groupe (Saatchi & Saatchi Group/Prodigious), Omnicom (Gutenberg Networks/Cain & Abel) among others, Simon has orchestrated, overseen, and delivered change management for production – clients such as Cisco, Hasbro, Toyota, Virgin Media & VISA to transform their marketing processes, driving out cost whilst delivering culturally tailored, high quality, global marketing communications.
Becca Lalonde
Consultant
Becca has been working in advertising new business for over two decades and on both sides of the agency fence, giving her knowledge of the new business world inside and out. Becca’s experience pans sales and marketing directorships, new business for agencies, marketing and new business for Oystercatchers, and more recently, new business and marketing consulting for agencies.
A dynamic and driven entrepreneur, having invented, manufactured, launched and marketed a product of her own design, Becca brings a self-starting, problem-solving energy to all her projects.