We welcome consultants, academics, researchers and writers with an interest in marketing to older consumers
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Mark Whitcroft
Mark Whitcroft is CEO/Co-Founder of Hazel (www.hazel.place), a platform that helps older adults discover, finance and move into their next home. Hazel's mission is to become the leading later life financial guidance platform, starting with property. The platform was born out of a market research grant with the UK's National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA). Hazel looks to address the unmet needs of 17 million UK ageing homeowners with £4 trillion locked up, inadequate pension savings and limited financial planning. Prior to this, Mark spent a decade helping build and funding start-ups, mostly in financial technology. As one of the Founding Partners of the venture capital firm Illuminate Financial, Mark helped build the firm from a vision stage into a global platform backed by Barclays, JPMorgan and other financial institutions. He has been on the Board of Directors for nine companies and advised multiple banks on innovation. Prior to that, he worked at a start-up accelerator as a recovering banker after a decade working around the world. Mark studied at University College London and Harvard Business School, but believes more is learnt through being curious, diving in and that is where one's edge comes from.He is married to a wine expert and we are fortunate to have two young children. He occasionally gets to watch a rugby match or play an ok game of tennis.
Carol Sargent
Dr Carol Sargent is an expert in dementia-friendly travel and is the founder of Sargent Group Consulting, which supports the travel, tourism and hospitality industry to provide high quality, fun and active holidays for the increasingly large community of people living with dementia and their unpaid family carers.
She previously founded and was CEO of MindforYou, a dementia-friendly holiday provider which, over eight years, took more than 1600 people on fully-supported, luxury holidays in the UK. As a former research scientist working on chronic illnesses for giants such as AstraZeneca and Merck, she has led projects into large scale clinical studies and consulted to pharmaceutical companies, providing both expert advice and proposing business solutions. She has applied her scientific skills to robustly prove the benefits of holidaying for people living with dementia and demonstrate the quantifiable difference in wellbeing for carers.
Carol has contributed to Visit Britain’s Dementia-Friendly Tourism: A Practical Guide for Businesses; is Vice-Chair of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Dementia-Friendly Community; has previously led fundraising to help grow dementia-friendly holiday charitable co-operative, resulting in a total raise of £465K and is currently providing input into the Visit England Accessible Tourism Tool-Kit.
Her driving force is to challenge the myths surrounding dementia and other chronic conditions and, ultimately, to rewrite the social narrative, so that a diagnosis is not seen as the end of life, but as a new phase that, with the right advice and support, can still be lived in a full, joyful and satisfying way.
John Bateson
John, Professor of Management, is currently the leading researcher on the Ageing of Consumers and visiting Professor of Management at City, London University.
He has had an impressive career to date including being a Senior Partner in the MAC Group, SVP at Gemini Consulting, and a member of the Group Executive Committee of the Cap Gemini Group. John was also CEO of SHL, a publicly listed company in the UK, and led a "public to private" management buyout, not to mention chairing multiple businesses.
He was previously Professor of Marketing at the London Business School and the Stanford Business School, author of multiple books and articles on Services Marketing and the Ageing Consumer and author of one of the leading textbooks in Services Marketing.
John also holds a Doctorate in Marketing from the Harvard Business School and an MBA from the London Business School.
Jacynth Bassett
Accredited as an 'Ageism-Fighting Trailblazer' by Global Health Ageing, Jacynth is an award-winning pioneer, leading the way for social change and age inclusivity in the fashion industry. One Of Evening Standard's 22 Londoners Changing The World In 2022, she is the founder and CEO of The Bias Cut - the first truly age-inclusive online style boutique - and the campaign & movement 'Ageism Is Never In Style®’.
With minimal savings, Jacynth launched The Bias Cut in March '16, having conceived the idea whilst studying Law at Cambridge University. She had grown frustrated and saddened at seeing women, like her mum, being increasingly alienated by the fashion industry, largely due to their age, and identified a gap in the market and the need to disrupt fashion's ideals around ageing. The Bias Cut is a platform that advocates, and honours, the process of ageing. And with thousands of global customers and followers, 25+ labels (including Jacynth’s eponymous line), and celebrity fans, The Bias Cut and the Ageism Is Never in Style movement® is recognised as a disrupting and driving change within fashion.
Jacynth is a leading and highly sought-after pioneer and voice in the anti-ageism & age-inclusive fashion movement. She is regularly invited to speak publicly, write, aid and consult charities, research projects, educational establishments, organisations and businesses that are aiming to tackle ageism and create a more age-inclusivity society.
John Hudson
With over 30 years’ experience ranging from start-ups to Global networks and working across everything from production to global campaign management and Operations, my mantra of “walk a mile in their shoes to understand their challenge“ is possible as I generally have been in those shoes!
Currently I am leading Anything But Grey, the new consultancy offering powered by Bray Leino and Speed, launched specifically to cater for brands seeking to engage a 50+ audience.
Gill Dunsford
Following a career in advertising, and about 25 years running an ‘experiential marketing company’ Impetus Communications, Gill decided to go freelance and set up the Residents Club for Rendall and Rittner Ltd, one of the UKs largest managing agents of high end, concierge managed property, with over 100,000 residents in London, and 40,000 further afield. Gill is also an R&R resident which helps!
The Residents Club is currently London only, and acts as an added value service for residents, free of charge to belong, and carries exclusive offers and incentives from a range of businesses – mostly in the leisure sector – food and drink, theatre tickets, exhibitions and shows, and some travel incentives. It is free for participating businesses provided there is an exclusive offer or incentive for residents. We do not represent medical, financial or other industries. There is a website, and e-newsletters are sent out 2-3 times a month with regularly updated offers and incentives, and the occasional resident only event. Whilst our residents are not purely 50+, we have a lot of everyone – all ABC1 and upmarket renters and owners alike.
Derek Jones
Derek joined the travel industry in 1988 as a travel rep in Ibiza. A decade later he had risen to become a Board Director at Thomson Holidays, then Managing Director of Lunn Poly (and later, Thomson Retail) overseeing a network of over 1,000 stores. After implementing the merger of Thomson and First Choice Retail in 2006, he left to join the Kuoni Group, later taking the new position as CEO of Der Touristik UK, with responsibility for specialist UK travel brands including Kuoni, Kirker, Carrier, CV Villas, Jules Verne and Journey Latin America. Derek stepped down as CEO in 2022, but is still active in the travel sector as a non-executive Director at Abta and Chair of Abta Lifeline. He is also a director of N-Gage Personal Training, a boutique fitness brand.
Adriane Berg
Adriane is a veteran marketing and brand consultant who crafts and communicates your message with impact. Ageism. Adriane is an Emmy Winner for hosting IRS TaxBeat, a mature media awardee for hosting generation bold: The Fountain of Truth About Ageing, and host of the United Nations podcast On The Ground, a recurring guest on OPRAH, Good Morning America, etc. Adriane is a New York Times AgeBoom Fellow, author of fourteen bestselling books. She is a valued marketing consultant to mature travel, healthcare, agetech, senior foods, financial and design companies. She is committed to EVERYONE living their most contributory life.
Karen Sands
Karen is a leading-edge Futurist, Educational Gerontologist, Strategic Partner, and Thought Leader who boldly advocates for the New Story of Our AGE. Karen illuminates the Perfect Storm forming at the edges of Population Aging, Healthcare, Longevity & Wellness with the Future of Leadership, Work & Education. A world-class, high-impact pioneering certified Master Coach (MCC, BCC), she is a Transformational Disruptor, offering professional leadership development & Whole Brain ForesightTM. Founder of Futures by Design Institute, LLC, and Ageless Way Academy, LLC. A visionary game changer, firecracker keynoter & 10-book best-selling author.
Roy Sheppard
A veteran BBC radio and TV broadcaster, Roy Sheppard was awarded “Virtual Presenter of the Year (UK)" in 2021.
Roy facilitates major international congresses with up to 9,000 delegates and produces and presents online TV programmes and videos for medical and corporate clients through www.ProOnlineTV.com. Roy’s passion is running his online community for freelancers at www.FreelancerSupport.Online teaching the growing number of new and experienced freelancers how to find new, full-fee paying clients.
He is the author of numerous business development as well as personal and business relationship books. For many years, Roy was a visiting lecturer at Cranfield and Henley business schools.
Jane Finnerty
Jane is the Joint Chairman of the Society of Later life Advisers and a Chartered Financial Planner. She specialises in financial services communications and the promotion of wellbeing for a better Later Life. She contributes to various policy setting committees and volunteers for organisations that campaign on behalf of the rights of older and disabled adults, including the National Dignity Council.
As Joint Chairman of the Society, Jane champions the need for access to accredited advice when it comes to in retirement planning and care funding. She writes for financial, and consumer facing publications and has expertise in standard setting for advice skills alongside the effective use of technology.
Steve Dunne
Steve Dunne is the chief executive of marketing and training consultancy Digital Drums Ltd. where he consults for a range of travel companies and associations and moderates many industry conferences and seminars.
He is a fellow of the PRCA, the World’s largest communications body and is a Travel Weekly columnist, writing regularly on marketing in the travel sector. He is a holder of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Lifetime Achievement Award (Travel and Tourism).
He has managed three major PR and marketing consultancies including Affinity Consulting, one of the UK’s leading leisure and travel marketing consultancies. Steve was later one of the founders, and managing director, of the UKs largest travel and tourism PR and marketing consultancy, Brighter Group, later becoming executive chairman before its sale to Finn Partners in 2018.
Paul Carter
As a Board Advisor & NED, I help organisations drive business growth and create value. I am a strategic leader with experience in delivering value across publicly quoted, privately owned and P/E backed organisations. I have significant experience in Adventure Travel and Vacation Rental. Organisations benefit from my expertise in driving growth, and navigating the international environment. Experienced in M&A, I have advised and led on acquisitions, exits and JV partnerships in the UK and overseas. I have served on the board of The Federation of Tour Operators (now ABTA), and The Institute of Customer Service, and bring commercial astuteness and a customer centric approach.
I currently chair MacsAdventure, am a trustee and soon-to-be chair at The Safer Tourism Foundation, and run our own rural retreat in Herefordshire
Sharon Rose
Social Gerontologist Sharon Rose, M.S., creates and implements programs for intergenerational communities and companies. Her work includes innovating and marketing cross-generational activities and programs for education, inspiration, healthy aging, and the use of agetech devices to improve quality of life, productivity and social engagement.
She has served as Vice President of Programs for Elder Services Resources Network in Boca Raton, Florida and was responsible for initiating and implementing community intergenerational programs for Palm Beach County. Sharon received a Master’s degree in Gerontology, Management of Aging Services, in 2017 from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She has lived in several U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego plus South Florida, developing a strong network of relationships, both domestic and international.
Jeff Ostroff
Based in the USA, Jeff Ostroff is an experienced, versatile marketing and communications executive. He currently hosts and produces two podcasts which he created, “Looking Forward: Opportunities for Job, Career, Business, and Investment Seekers,” and “Health Care on the Horizon.” He’s a co-host for the “MyMacD Life” podcast, which is about macular degeneration.
Jeff’s also a podcast creator/consultant, voice-over talent, event host/facilitator, producer of audio or video business “spotlight” promos, and a seniors’ (silver) marketing advisor. Jeff’s first career was focused primarily on seniors, health care, travel, and marketing. He’s the author of the Prentice-Hall Book, “Successful Marketing to the 50+ Consumer” (Prentice-Hall.)
Graeme McKenzie
Graeme has spent his entire career, (fast approaching 40 years), working as a marketing communications specialist, gaining extensive experience and insight into how to successfully market a wide range of products and services to the older and elderly UK consumer.
Recognising a gap in the market, Graeme launched Let’s Talk Ageing in 2016 with a vision and passion to support organisations to become better informed and deliver enhanced B2C and B2B Acquisition & CRM communications to this highly complex audience – he offers a range of tailored services, from delivering insight driven workshops to providing a sense checking service for clients to have their off-line and on-line communication critiqued, by a mature panel of UK consumers.
Graeme is based in the South Midlands and operates across many diverse markets, including working with clients from the Financial Services, Funeral Planning, Travel & Leisure, Mobility and Care sectors.
Dr Jacqueline Jeynes PhD, MBA, B. Ed (Hons), B.A(Hons)
A published non-fiction author since 2000, Dr Jeynes is a member of British Guild of Travel Writers, a Distance Learning course writer and tutor, an expert on Small Business Risk Management, and a Guest Blogger on many sites worldwide.
Book titles from 2021-22 include “Targeting the Mature Traveler”, “How a Global Pandemic Changed the way we Travel”, “Managing Health & Safety in a Small Business”, and “Before Hiroshima” (WWII history). An interesting range of topics based on personal interests! Lives in Wales UK.
Chris Simmonds
Chris has spent his entire career of nearly 40 years focused on serving an older demographic in both the commercial and charity sectors.
From 1983 working at Saga Holidays and has headed up Marketing, Sales & Operations before progressing to Managing Director.
In 2010, Chris transferred to the charity sector and led a charity called Revitalise as their CEO offering accessible holiday centres providing 24-hour nursing care serving disabled people and their carers.
He returned to Saga Holidays in March 2020 shortly before the pandemic began and led the business through a difficult period, whilst driving a strategic review and developed a 5-year plan to ensure the business emerged from the crisis in a strong position. More recently Chris became the CEO of The JG Travel Group.
Ali Page, Business Development Consultant
Ali has 35 years of experience within broadcast and digital media, working for some of the biggest names in the industry, including ITV, Jazz FM and Global.
For many years she ran the highly successful Client and Category team at Global, meaning that she has experience across multiple categories and disciplines and has accrued a large and active Linkedin network, many of which have become friends as well as clients.
She is now a freelance Business Development Consultant helping businesses and brands spot growth potential.
She is passionate about challenging stereotypes around age in marketing, particularly as for many years, she represented Classic and Smooth when working for Global, but was more recently involved in the launch of Boom Radio, a national commercial radio station dedicated to the often ignored Baby Boomer generation.
John McEwan
John has enjoyed a lifetime career in travel, starting as a trainee and then reaching senior positions in the UK and globally. He was the 1st elected chairman of ABTA.
Today he is a chairman of travel and travel related companies including Holidaysplease.com, Latin Routes, EFR Travel and Ski-Lifts.com, where he enjoys conveying his knowledge and experience. He also brings his vast experience to his role as a trustee of ABTA Lifeline.
John is passionate about travel. He is well travelled and hopes to continue to explore the world. He is a sports enthusiast and also enjoys his frequent visits to his local leisure centre.
David Powell
In his early twenties David was a DJ, spinning his last record in the 1980s when he set up what is now Atlantic Print Media. In 1992 David spotted a niche in his local area establishing a free newspaper, The Ashford Advertiser, which was an instant success. His successful marketing strategy of extensive door to door distribution, plus pick-up at retail outlets, continues with investment in high speed presses. With David’s interest in travel and cruising, the papers have a popular travel section, and YourHolidayTV.com was added to the portfolio in 2012. His idea for a glossy consumer travel magazine came next with Your Holiday & Cruise Magazine available in print and online with travel content from leading writers. The two brands are aimed at over 50s travellers. Funded by advertising, David is always keen to establish new partnerships.
Tony Watts OBE
Tony has spent his career in a mix of comms roles, starting in PR before moving onto marketing and advertising, then journalism. As well as editing business magazines and local newspapers, he was the founding editor of the UK’s first national newspaper for older people. Today he is a freelance copywriter for a wide range of national and regional clients.
Over the last 10 years he has dedicated part of his time representing older people, trying to ensure that their views are heard when decisions are made affecting their lives. His work on behalf of older people was recognised with an OBE in 2014. Co-author of “The Midlife Review”, he also curates a daily news digest:https://paper.li/LaterLifeAGEnda#/
Robyn Griffith-Jones
Robyn has worked in marketing in travel and tourism for 30 years, with past positions as Director of Communications for VisitEngland and senior public affairs and marketing roles with British Airways, the Victoria & Albert Museum and Cunard Line.
She is currently a Senior Lecturer in Tourism Marketing at London South Bank University Business School alongside her consulting work specialising in accessible tourism, with clients such as VisitEngland and VisitScotland.
Robyn is also a Trustee of Tourism for All, the charitable organisation dedicated to improving travel experiences for the disabled and older market through its policy work, its industry endorsed training courses and a UK consumer travel booking platform.
Eleanor Mills
Eleanor Mills is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Noon.org.uk a new platform for women in midlife. New research conducted by Noon shows that women 45-60 are a massively underserved cohort by brands with 60% saying they would be more likely to buy from companies who address them directly.
Previously Eleanor was Editor of The Sunday Times Magazine, Editorial Director of The Sunday Times, a columnist and interviewer for the paper for 23 years and Chair of Women in Journalism 2014-2021. She is passionate about changing the narrative about the later stages of women’s lives. Noon provides inspiring stories of transformation, access to experts (through courses, events and retreats) and helps its community of ABC1 women move into their joyful and purposeful next chapter. In the hundred year life, fifty is only halfway through. That’s why we called it Noon. Our motto is: So Much More to Come.
Tina Woods
Tina Woods is a mission-driven social entrepreneur and system architect bringing diverse stakeholders together in shared endeavours to improve and level up health. She is Founder and CEO of Collider Health and works with private, public and third sectors, including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Healthy Ageing Industrial Strategy, NHS AI Lab, and emerging Integrated Care Systems. She is the Healthy Longevity Champion for the National Innovation Centre for Ageing, aiming to accelerate ageing intelligence and secure UKRI’s strategic aims to ensure better health, ageing and wellbeing in the UK and globally.
Tina is director of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Longevity secretariat and leads the Open Life Data Framework. She is Co-Founder and CEO of Business for Health, a social venture working with the CBI, bringing ‘Health’ into ‘ESG’ mandates to support sustainable innovation and investment in preventative health and care.
Mike Mansfield
Mike is the CEO of ProAge, and is a seasoned thought leader on the topics of longevity, age-inclusion and multigenerational workplaces. ProAge is a UK charity dedicated to creating age-inclusive workplaces and high-performing multigenerational teams.
The focus of Mike’s thought leadership work has been on building solidarity between stakeholders to create sustainable solutions that are inclusive of vulnerable groups where no one is left behind.
Mike was responsible for the establishment of the Aegon Center for Longevity and Retirement, a collaboration of international experts, and has authored and published 13 reports on retirement security with insights and recommendations for governments, employers and individuals. He also developed and piloted the Silver Starters program to help people age 50+ understand entrepreneurship and help them start their own business.
Pro bono has included workshops for BraveStarts, and a volunteer for a local animal shelter.
Mike is based in Amsterdam, is originally from Dublin, and has worked in San Francisco.
Gary Hall
Gary has worked in the area of personal development for over twenty-five years and has learnt his craft well.
He is an Inspirational, motivational coach helping over 50s find purpose and meaning in their lives.
Gary works with men & women in their 50s and beyond, who are thinking about their future and want change – a change catalyst if you like. He helps them take control, take action and make things happen. Supporting them to be happy, confident, fulfilled, curious, adventurous and to have fun.
Cathy Bartrop
Cathy is a travel writer, video producer, presenter and editor. She started her career as a graduate trainee with Saga Holidays in 1983. After gaining corporate experience with Thomas Cook and Ocean Cruise Lines, in 1989 she set up her own business focused on travel media and began to specialise in video production.
Almost 20 successful freelance producer years went by before video on demand became a reality, creating an opportunity to offer specialised content to an online audience. Cathy seized that opportunity, creating and distributing trusted travel content specifically for the 50+ traveller. travelguru.tv launched in 2008 and, despite the challenges of the pandemic, is going strong.
Offering a wealth of travel industry and video production experience, Cathy is keen to explore opportunities to collaborate with other Silver Marketing Association members.
Mike Newman
Mike has over 20 years’ travel trade experience, of which 18 were spent as a consultant working with a wide range of attraction, museum and destination clients across the UK.
In 2003, Mike founded b2me Tourism Marketing which provides individual, group or DMO level bespoke strategy, marketing, representation and travel trade engagement workshops.
b2me has extensive experience in working with the seniors groups and individual market; including specific engagement strategies for the accommodation, museums and attractions sector. b2me also owns the digital platform Travel Trade Ready, the UK’s only portal to test any supplier businesses’ alignment to key criteria that trade buyers require.
Al Campbell
Al has spent his life in advertising and marketing as an agency principal and creative director, and client side in Marketing Director and Communications Director roles.
Recently he has focused on his perennial skillset of copywriting, in areas from cruising thru’ financial services with a major focus on the over 50s. He believes young copywriters have no business writing for older people – ‘if they don’t have the life experience of saving for and facing retirement and increased leisure time, they shouldn’t be writing about pensions and holidays’, he says.
Currently Al is also involved in demystifying cryptocurrency for people of all ages.
Lucy Standing
Lucy is a co-founder of Brave Starts CIC – a non profit who see being over 50 as an asset. They’re building the blueprint for how people can figure out how to make this the best and most fulfilling time of their careers.
Lucy is a Chartered Psychologist, Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society and Certified Principle Psychologist with the Association for Business Psychology (ABP) for which she was Vice Chair for nearly 10 years. Prior to her nonprofit career, she worked in the strategy consulting and investment banking sectors.