Date of birth: 30th March 1964
Mobile: +44 7970 646 705
Email: mike@mikebell.eu
Licence: Full driving licence (clean)
Family: Married – 4 children & a dog
Interests: Fiction, poetry, writing, painting, and wall-building
Summary:
Strong production, client management and messaging awareness - visually astute, budget-conscious, and able to ‘see’ the client’s point-of-view, whilst never losing sight of the agency’s ambition to serve its customers, repeat the business, and still make money in Events, Exhibitions and Experiential projects.
Production/Business Skills:
- Design and visualisation
- Message and technology integration into live event design
- Creativity – from initial pitch concepts through to final on-screen content
- Writing proposals, budgets and pitch presentations
- Live project and budget management – strong profit-driven focus
Work & Experience
September 2007 – Present: Freelance Designer and Development
Mike is currently working with various agencies on pitch and live project development and design.
- Numerous Experiential projects designs – including ‘The World’s Biggest Bed Jump’ in New York, London, Paris & Shanghai – design, production and project delivery (NY)
- Various live event project pitch design, development and delivery – UK, USA & Europe
- Various exhibition designs and development - globally
October 2002 – August 2007: Clever Works Limited – Head of Production/Design
Mike Bell established Clever Works Ltd, based in Lewes, East Sussex. The company successfully worked as the production and account team on a variety of projects, sometimes representing various event management agencies and communication agencies, to their clients, including Tate & Lyle, Nissan Europe, Smiths Group, Samsung, Shell, LG, and Vodafone – alongside agency Project Directors, Event Managers, and Managing Directors – helping win, develop and deliver business at senior level. Mike Bell won the following business (pitch and rosters) for Clever Works and its agency clients:
COI (Central Office of Information) - successful roster listing in 2006 for Clever Works against strong competition from established/larger agencies.
Haymarket awards shows – eight awards shows around the UK – assisted in the delivery of £800k+ worth of awards events: consulted on improvements and change to ‘the Haymarket way’.
HSBC – Culture Change Road show – temporary structures (200m x 200m) in four locations, for 30,000 staff communication activity – I was responsible for production development for LIVE. We pitched the project for £4.2m: currently on hold. This was based upon the award-winning BUPA ‘Long Run’ installation model.
Global Asset Management – live communication events production in UK, Europe, Beirut, and Hong Kong. I pitched for the production opportunity on behalf of Octopus – this win has led to over £1m worth of business for Octopus over three years. Our solutions - which I both account managed and delivered - won three ITMA production awards for this client.
Internal communication road shows for London Underground, on behalf of LIVE, staff communication project (9,000 staff) – budget £1.75m+: responsible for content production, budget management and development, communication strategy and production delivery.
Touring exhibition for WDA, for Shelton Fleming – complete production and structure budget £850k+ - I was responsible for design, development, and installation within Lindstrand-designed inflatable structures, as well as client handling and content development.
UK Skills conferences, awards and exhibitions in the UK – complete budget £250k+ over 1.5 years: responsible for account management and event development and delivery – ongoing work.
HP Europe & Vodafone – won a listing on the production rosters for BI Worldwide in 2006 – a first for BI with these clients.
March 2002 – Oct. 2002: Octopus Communications – London - Head of Production
Produced and managed all events – from conferences to integrated brand and live communication projects. Projects included video shoots (direction and writing), live events (USA, Europe, UK & Middle East), and software production (PowerPoint & Keynote)
Created and managed temporary contractor teams
Investigated and developed new client relationships and at delivery point
Left to work in freelance capacity for this and other agencies (retained by Octopus as Freelance Senior Producer to front GAM client)
Nov. 2000 - March 2002: Media Control (Europe) Limited, Avesco plc – London - MD (and founder)
Created, and managed, a team of 28 staff, with £2.5million rental inventory from a start-up to major industry competitor. Established the ‘MCL’ brand, and instigated it across the Gearhouse Group, in the UK (which he was active in the re-branding of, during 2001)
Created and developed new business channels and corporate clients for the Avesco Group
Won major call-off contracts with corporate clients in the first 12 months – including Barclays, PWC, and Consignia (Post Office)
MCL brand in London merged with CT. Returned to live event production (CT is equipment rental only)
Sept. 1998 – Nov. 2000: bcltd.uk.com Limited (now Angryfish) – Brighton – Operations Director
Established a new agency creating/delivering b2b communication – utilising both digital and traditional mediums
Managed budgeting and administration of six staff
Produced and directed events for a range of corporate clients
The company merged live events with web technology. Projects included Dome launches, ITV Schedule Event, and Deutsche Bank UK/USA/Europe events
Left to establish MCL: new brand/business for UK staging and production
March 1996 – Sept.1998: Freelance Production Manager for various UK & USA Agencies:
Caribiner, Spectrum, WCT, Pumphouse Productions, Catalysm, NMEC, LIVE, Party Planners West, Broadstreet
January 1995 - March 1996: Creative Technology Ltd (Avesco plc) – London - Operations Manager
Employed by Avesco to establish, from scratch, an Operations Department within CT – an established international market-leader in corporate communications delivery.
Staff of 35 to manage
Implementation of new IT and procedural systems
Introduction of facility and resource management
Resigned through ill health (later re-employed by Avesco Board to create MCL)
Before January 1995 Early career & experience: Travel overseas – working in the Middle East
Delta Sound (Hire Manager)
Unit One Production Services (Operations Manager)
Paul Farrah Sound (Hire Director)
Entec Sound & Light (Lad)
Education:
1995-96 – Birkbeck University, London – (partial) – studying English
1980-82 – Strode’s College, Egham, Surrey - 3 ‘A’ Levels – Economics, Politics & History
1976-80 – St Paul’s, Addlestone, Surrey - 5 ‘O’ Levels – History, English, Maths, Geography & Physics
