Hey, I'm Tom. This is a little more about my experience and my background; written about me, for me.
I am a Senior Marketing Director and Strategy Leader with over 14 years of experience navigating the intersection of brand growth, digital operations, and AI transformation. My career is built on a foundation of delivering high-impact strategies for global giants like Google, YouTube, and Visa.
Strategic Leadership & The Avenella Agency
Currently, I am the Marketing Director & Lead Consultant at The Avenella Agency in Dubai. I serve as a Fractional CMO for a diverse portfolio of businesses across the GCC and UK, providing go-to-market strategy, brand identity development, and full-scale marketing operations.
I am an AI-forward strategist, specializing in building AI-enabled operations that drive efficiency and lead generation. Through a strategic partnership with IzzyAgents, I deploy AI community management and sales agents across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp. My work involves building custom automation workflows and CRM pipelines using advanced tools such as Claude, Manus, and Lovable to cut costs and streamline overhead.
Global Track Record & High-Stakes Operations
Before launching my consultancy, I held senior leadership roles where I managed cross-functional squads and advised C-suite stakeholders:
- Google / YouTube: As Senior Social Media Manager for EMEA, I built the EMEA & MENA escalation framework (P0-P2), which became the operational standard for incident management across the UK, France, Germany, and the Gulf.
- FIFA World Cup 2022: I architected the Shorts measurement strategy, delivering twice-daily executive reports that informed real-time ad spend and influencer deployment across 20+ markets.
- Action Global Communications: As Director of Marketing, I managed a team of 10 and delivered integrated digital frameworks for major entities including Sony PlayStation, NBA Abu Dhabi, and the Dubai Dept. of Economy and Tourism.
Expertise Across Sectors
My experience spans across high-visibility industries, delivering results for tier-1 events and government bodies:
- Finance: Advising on the partner ecosystem for Visa’s 2027/2028 partnership programme and driving B2B growth for Xero.
- Events: Developing visitor acquisition frameworks for the NBA Abu Dhabi Games and digital amplification for the Globe Soccer Awards.
- Aviation & FMCG: Improving content efficiency for British Airways and managing digital performance for Unilever and Danone portfolios.
Beyond the Strategy
My work has been recognized with prestigious industry awards, including the YouTube Works for Brands Award and multiple PRCA & Digital Impact Awards. I also hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing and combine creative storytelling with technical rigour—leveraging SQL and Python for investment analysis.
Whether it is launching the debut of a luxury polyclinic or scripting an award-winning short film for the BBC, I focus on building systems that bridge the gap between technical automation and human connection.
EXPERIENCE:
Currently:
Director @ The Avenella Agency
Previously:
Action Global Communications
Director of Social
Google / YouTube
Senior Social Intelligence Analyst | Strategy + Insights, YouTube EMEA + MENA (UAE + Russia) at
TEOOH (Tech start-up)
Head of Digital
OLIVER AGENCY
Unilever (UK), Danone (FR), Activia, Danonino (BR)
Senior Account Manager
Xero Accoutning Software
Social Media Manager: UK & EMEA
Smart Energy GB
Head of Social
CIPD
Social Media & Digital Communities Manager
BPP
Tax & Accountancy Advisor
CLIENTS:
Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Duty Free, UFC Gym, Messe Frankfurt UAE, Tipalti, Google, Unilever, Danone, Activia, Xero, Smart Energy GB, CIPD.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION:
Campaign Middle East Awards
🏆 Best Agency of the Year UAE in 2024 [Action Global Communications].
Winners Middle Eastern Stevie Awards for Social Media 2025
🥇 GOLD: Most Innovative Facebook Page – Messe Frankfurt 2025
🥇 GOLD: Most Innovative Twitter Feed – Dubai World Trade Centre 2025
🏆 YouTube Works for Brands Award 2018 [Smart Energy GB]
PRCA Awards 2018:
🏆 Best Use of Digital 2018 [Smart Energy GB]
🏆 Best Digital In-house Team 2018 [Smart Energy GB]
Digital Impact Awards 2018:
🏆 Best Audience Engagement Campaign [Smart Energy GB]
Nominated for Best Audience Engagement Campaign @ UK Social Media Comms Awards 2017
Get in touch on LinkedIn.
Get in touch:
tom@avenella.co.uk.
tom@avenella.co.uk.
