Welcoming our new Account Manager Leo Wood. Rugby player and clear caffeine lover!

What experience prepared you for this role?

I previously worked in a branded merchandise company and managed several accounts during my time there including Google, Accenture, NatWest Group, Aviva & Intel. It was great to work with a variety of brands to deliver some great (and sometimes weird, wonderful, and wacky!) products for fantastic projects like brand refreshes, national ad campaigns and pride parades.

What is your favourite thing about working at STM?

Everyone here is great and has been so welcoming so I’d say hands-down the people and the vibe in the office! The coffee machine is a very close second and nearly topped this though…

What have you been working on recently?

I’ve been working on the delivery of a new product spotlight video for Ansell Electrical which has been great to witness the workflow of the project, from storyboarding to seeing the development of the build and renders that Tuna, our creative designer, has worked on.

What’s your go-to productivity trick?

Plugging in and tuning out to some music that helps me zone into my work. Typically, if I need to just focus deeply on something then either synth and strings, Lofi or, weirdly, deep Norse style music works well. Or, if I’ve got a tight turnaround and need to work quickly on something then I chuck on my gym playlist – basically, a mix of floor fillers with the cheesiest pop going (think MTV Dance circa mid-2000s meets Pride Anthems of any year at all…) And caffeine. Lots and lots of caffeine.

What one quality do you need to become successful?

Drive. I think that having a passion for what you do and the ambition to succeed are two crucial qualities too, but even with both, if you lack drive to apply those traits then it’ll be so much harder to become successful.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?

Don’t be afraid to engage with your clients! I think being entirely transparent with your clients and engaging with them on a down to earth and personable level helps to build better, longer-lasting relationships, and much faster too.

What’s the secret to running a successful project from start to finish?

Keeping everyone involved. Making sure the teams working on the project internally and the client(s) you’re working with are all kept in the loop with what’s going on and effectively managing communications across all parties is key to the successful delivery of a project.

What alternative career route would you have taken if you weren’t an Account Manager?

I’d like to think I’d be a full-time artist (either concept art for tv, film, or game design, or a tattoo artist), but more realistically maybe a merchandiser?

What do you do in your spare time?

I play rugby union – I’m an openside flanker (watch it…), I sketch and create digital art here and there, and I’m a huge foodie and love cooking for people so typically I spend a load of time in the kitchen.

Tell us your favourite artist, place, and of course, your favourite dessert?

Music artist – David Bowie hands down! Absolute idol. Art artist – Ian Rayer Smith. I adore his work.

Favourite place has got to be Berlin. I loved visiting and I’ll be going back later this year.

Favourite dessert – Sticky. Toffee. Pudding. That stuff is unreal.

If you’d like to work with us, get in touch.