Gareth Gammon, the Group Sales and Marketing Director of Navigate, Designline and Life Magazines has a strong background in marketing and communications. He divides his working life between Navigate's Hampshire and London offices.

 

Having worked for Dutch company, VNU in Soho and then as a publisher at Lloyds List, the world's oldest international daily newspaper, Gareth's career in communications is varied and international in nature, with many business and reporting trips undertaken to West, East and Southern Africa, Pakistan, Russia and the States. Travel, shipping and maritime, and housing are Gareth's major areas of interest.

 

 

At home Gareth is father to three children and he's kept on his toes by his wife Claire, who is a Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Dance. At play his dancing feet have helped him become an occasional try scorer for the Petersfield Rugby Club (veterans’!) team

 

 

Nick has long experience of looking after customers in many different business sectors. His role as Editorial and Customer Services Director is to ensure that Navigate’s work is delivered with high quality and accuracy, and on time, on budget and to the client’s complete satisfaction.

 

A former Sports Editor of The Times, his passions include sport, publications, the cinema and the theatre — though there is nothing theatrical about his management of Navigate’s services.

His aim is that Navigate provides services which are of the highest quality but down to earth in:  graphic design, copywriting, web design and build, PR, and publishing. 

 

 

Senior designer Neil provides the heart and soul of the Navigate Studio, with the inside track on design. He will manage and produce your design work supported by a team of highly qualified designers.

 

For Neil, the most important thing in design is to communicate with the end user. He says: "It doesn’t matter what the designer likes but you need to start and finish a design with that in mind, because the work is for your customer.”

 

Design naturally plays a big part in Neil’s life and he is always conscious of colour and shape around him – "I love the beautiful colours of the leaves in the autumn or the contours of a tree against the backdrop of the countryside.” He enjoys walking in the country and "good English beer”. He likes sailing, windsurfing, and motorcycling, with a particular passion for mountain biking.

 

 

Liaising closely with clients is important to the way Graham works. He concentrates on the individual requirements and tastes of his clients and creates unique, effective and modern designs from the Navigate studio.

 

He has more than 10 years’ experience in the field of design and project management. He focuses on creating high-impact website designs; and helps to build user-friendly content management systems for clients.

 

A graduate of Portsmouth University, with a degree in graphic design, Graham’s career has involved him in high-profile, multi-national design projects, and also keen dedication to smaller companies. He enjoys mountain biking, the cinema and food.

 

 

With a flair for all aspects of graphic design, Dan brings a highly creative dynamic to his work on customers’ designs. Dan is great at making design work on many different media, keeping the brand consistent and true throughout, and helping clients to meet their brief.

"We listen to all our customers to discover what they like and what they want. Then we look at their existing styles, and research the market to see what competitors are doing. Sometimes we have to create a completely new style, and it's great to be part of a team of designers so we can bounce ideas off each other."

 

There is a "Strictly Come Dancing" side to Dan, who admits to enjoying latin dances, especially the tango. Other hobbies include mountain biking, playing group computer games, socializing in Southsea, where he lives.

 

Getting the right PR message in the right place is Emma Gaisford's skill. She can help with the good news you want to shout about or any bad news you need to deal with. She ensures that the right messages are communicated at the right time and in the right place. 

For Navigate, Emma's role includes looking after Portsmouth International Port. This international transport hub generates plenty of news and events. She has been closely involved in the opening of the Port's new terminal in May by Dr Vince Cable, the Business Secretary.

Emma says: "The Port are great customers to work for. They have a clear idea of what they want, and they give us responsibility for carrying out their needs. This means:

* regular press releases for the national and trade media;  

* discussing and recommending a PR strategy; 

* digging out news stories in the press where there is an angle to promote the work of the Port; 

* risk management if there are any crises, large or small. 

"We are in the second year of our three-year contract,  and throughout the Port has praised Navigate for the efficiency and thoroughness of our work."

She has looked after brands such as Fuji, L'Oreal, Seven Seas and Weight Watchers while working for top London agencies. As a key part of Heathrow Airport's PR team she gained an in-depth knowledge of crisis management – planning for the worst.  So, if and when a crisis happens, any negative impact can be limited. 

Married to Richard Gaisford, ITV Daybreak senior reporter, Emma has her nose in the news both at work and at home.

 

 

 

Lesley’s skills range from bright, punchy copywriting for websites, email newsletters or case studies to powerful press releases, media training, interviewing, research and networking.  She loves working with words to get a message across.

 

With a diverse background in top-flight journalism – from daily briefings at 10 Downing Street to BBC television features in France to the Daily Mail deputy foreign editor’s desk – Lesley is flexible. She covers subjects as varied as Iran’s nukes to Britney Spears, garden design to IT, and rugby to risk management. Fresh air helps her think – ideally on the South Downs or up a Cumbrian mountain!

 

 

As Navigate Marketing Executive, Florence supports the design studio’s production and provides customer service support, reacting to client issues. On digital she supports web design and build, helping to manage processes and priorities.

She is also responsible for customer feedback and after-sales service – anything to provide a happy customer experience.

The queen of social media, Florence updates Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. And she monitors and managers the Navigate website as well as our databases. She compiles the Navigate emailers.

With a background in graphic design, specifically illustration, she can be found illustrating cards, books and making all things crafty. Also in her spare time she enjoys listening to music, going to gigs and festivals, theatre, socializing and cycling.

 

 

Sam Hounsome is an important member of the Navigate team. She looks after Navigate's books, managing financial data and invoices with great facility.

 

It is Sam who pays the staff their salaries, so has more than a certain amount of influence when it comes to the coffee rota.

 

Gentle in so many ways, but fierce if expenses are not accompanied by receipts.

 

Detail is king, apparently.

 

 

Working closely with clients, and having a good understanding of what works for them and their industry, has enabled Andy to hone his  expert web skills at all levels. His clients range from SMEs to international blue chip organizations, across a variety of industries. 

 

He has more than 20 years' working in all aspects of IT and that has given him a great depth of knowledge and experience in the areas of: 

Andy's expertise ensures that clients receive working solutions which first meet  their brief and then exceed their expectations.

 

 

Treina brings a wealth of knowledge to the Navigate team with more than 16 years international marketing experience. She has planned and delivered integrated marketing programmes in roles such as European Marketing Manager, Senior Marketing Communications Manager and as a Marketing consultant.  

Projects have involved: strategic planning; online and traditional direct marketing programme creation; brand evolution planning; and marketing consultancy. As she speaks fluent French and Spanish, she has worked in Europe as well as in London, in several sectors.

Having also worked client-side, she understands our clients’ needs and enjoys building and managing a close and productive working relationship to achieve their objectives.

Treina loves running and keeping fit, socialising, reading, gardening and most of all being mum to her 2 children.  She is also a school governor.

 

 

Julie Blackwell has joined Navigate to support the PR and Digital Directors and the Studio team.

 

She also maintains and updates the Port website and works directly with the client. Supporting the Studio and Digital teams means getting involved with the briefs and handling client enquiries on web content and updates.

 

Julie has over 30 years experience in the promotional/incentive and travel trade, including Carlson Marketing, Kuoni Travel, Champneys and IBM. She has worked in London as well as locally in Hampshire. Her lifetime skills and experience are a valuable addition to the Navigate team.
 
She is married and lives locally in a thatched cottage in the woods. She enjoys dancing, swimming, reading and socializing, and as much travel as possible, overseas as well as the UK. A social member of Cowdray Park Polo Club and an active member of Soroptimist International Newbury Club. SI is an international women's organization 'inspiring action, transforming lives' of women and girls.