Richard Simkins joins Blackjack Promotions as Head of Creative Partnerships

UK. Travel retail and brand experience specialist Blackjack Promotions has bolstered its senior leadership team with the appointment of Richard Simkins as Head of Creative Partnerships.

With a strong media consultancy background, Simkins brings 20 years of experience in the creative industry to the role. This includes a recent three-year spell as Creative Solutions Director – Outdoor for Global, Europe’s largest radio company.

Across the past decade, he has led innovation teams to devise and deliver outdoor advertising and experiential campaigns for global brands.

Richard Simkins: Track record of experience in developing creative campaigns

In his role at ABM-owned Blackjack Promotions, Simkins will be responsible for offering a wide range of creative solutions to new and existing clients across the company’s business portfolio, which has diversified in the face of COVID-19 severely affecting its core airport promotions business.

Working alongside Leanne Nutter (Head of Travel Retail) and Fiona Rayner (Head of Experiential), a key part of Simkins’ brief is to broaden the possibilities for Blackjack Promotions outside of travel retail.

Commenting on his appointment, Simkins said: “As a travel retail expert, the past year has demonstrated Blackjack Promotions’ ability to pivot and showcased the agility of its people, who became trained in COVID safety to support the NHS in hospitals and at testing sites. This training, coupled with Blackjack Promotions’ logistical infrastructure, reputation for experiential marketing and customer service, makes this opportunity an incredibly exciting one.”

He added: “Across the business, we have a fantastic pool of talent and an incredible client portfolio which presents lots of opportunity for increased collaboration and the creation of new and enhanced services.”

Simkins will report to Blackjack Promotions Aviation Group Managing Director Antony Marke.

Marke said: “This is a really exciting time for us as we focus on evolution and regrowth using our skills, talents and resources. We’re confident that Richard will play an integral role in expanding our reach, introducing opportunities in other sectors and offering new customers some of the magic we have delivered in travel retail over the last 25 years.”

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