Our People
An agency is the talent of its people.
Any agency is only as good as the people it has working for it. Led by founder Terry van Rhyn, a highly respected and successful long-term agency owner, Ashgrove draws on the experience and energy of a wide pool of creative and design talent, digital wizards and communication specialists.
Meet the brains behind the business.
Terry began his career as a FMCG packaging designer for Reckitt and Coleman, later forming his own design studio. As a partner in the Cape Town based agency Smith, Knox & van Rhyn, he worked on multi-national liquor brands including Cinzano, Moët et Chandon, Hennessy, Baileys, and Jameson’s. In 1994, the agency was bought by Young & Rubicam, and Terry relocated to the US as Head of Marketing & Creative Services for Norwood Publishing (BIC Graphic).
Ashgrove Marketing was formed in 2007 when Terry moved to the Isle of Man, and the agency quickly established a name for itself, with a prestigious global client base which includes Heron & Brearley, Manx Telecom, KPMG, Isle of Man Government, Suntera, and Boston Family Office in the Isle of Man, and Remington, Dupont, NAPA Auto Parts, and Axalta in the US, to name a few.
A brand obsessive, Terry is relentless in his pursuit of the essential truth of a business – the core difference that separates it from its competitors and forms the foundation of a strong brand strategy from which a great reputation can be built. Still based in the Isle of Man, Terry travels to the US regularly to visit clients.
Sarah Pitts
Production Coordinator and Traffic Manager
Great creative concepts are worthless unless an agency can deliver a campaign on time and on budget, and Sarah is a lynchpin in Ashgrove’s operations, calmly ensuring that everything happens when it should and to the specification required.
At the epicentre of Ashgrove’s production hub, Sarah is the ultimate guardian and protector of brand integrity, and the reason she touches every item coming in is to make sure it has a safe and secure journey through our operation.
Sarah is a master of coordination, having been the production manager for RBSI in the past, which involved developing and supplying campaign materials for three different bank brands across three different jurisdictions, requiring stringent adherence to brand guidelines and quality control.
Annie Macleod
PR Guru
Annie has been with Ashgrove for over 10 years and is adept at advising clients on strategy, managing ongoing accounts, and developing and overseeing projects to improve reputation or help drive business growth. She is supremely proactive in her approach and always one step ahead, using her prowess at getting under the skin of what a business is aiming to achieve and developing the right path to success.
Before joining Ashgrove, Annie spent five years with asset manager Murray Johnstone as communications manager and a further five years in Hong Kong and Tokyo. This international focus included a spell organising conferences, an experience she has honed whilst developing KPMG’s renowned series of eSummits in the Isle of Man and Gibraltar (18 and counting).
Detail driven, she brings a methodical thoroughness to her work with clients who currently span the asset management, cryptocurrency, tourism, technology, professional services, and banking sectors.
Wendy Shimmin
Senior Copywriter and Brand Strategist
Wendy’s first career as a journalist – combined with 18 years in post as Head of Marketing and Senior Manager at an offshore bank – provides her with a unique perspective that brings together business nous and an unwavering commitment to clear communications.
With a valuable understanding of everyday business constraints and compliance, Wendy provides copy that will hit the mark, and her thoughtful manner, analytical mind, and willingness to challenge strategy are what sets her apart.
At Ashgrove, Wendy provides brand, advertising, and PR copy for all our major clients. She also works in the charity/third sector and is a champion of effective CSR programmes and ethical trading initiatives.
A very safe pair of hands for any brand, Wendy can tell a believable story that will inspire and motivate consumers and clients to take action. She will also challenge the status quo when needed and bring new ideas to the table.
Leigh Windell
Creative Director
As creative director, Leigh looks after brand concept development and ensures we continuously push creative boundaries. Her magic touch can be seen on the brand concepts for Boston, Suntera, Claremont Hotel, Ramsey Crookall, Isle Listen, and many others, including Ashgrove’s own brand campaigns. Her approach is distinctive as she works back from strategy, objectives, and a clear definition of the target demographic or tribe. She firmly believes creative must answer to strategy and solicit the desired reaction from the target audience.
Leigh brings something truly special and thoughtful to every campaign, and after more than 10 years with Ashgrove, she always makes her concepts seems fresh and contemporary. Leigh is a student of design trends, and she will always bring cutting edge concepts to the table.
Sam Roberts
Digital Technology Manager
With more than 20 years’ experience in web design and development, Sam is our Digital Technology Manager. He holds a black belt in WordPress and is comfortable working across a variety of languages, including HTML, CSS, Sass, JavaScript, and PHP.
In addition to many local projects, he also takes care of our US clients, including the development and management of eCommerce sites for Dupont (Agriculture), Remington, Axalta, and its retail site Country Gallery. Sam works very closely with the design and copywriting teams, and together they collaborate on the best practices for an ever-changing world of technology.
In addition to his own specialisations, Sam also manages our team of Digital Technology Contractors – an extensive network of technical experts based in the USA and the UK, covering a wide range of different platforms and technologies who assist with advice and additional development support.
Doug Hey
Brand Marketing Strategist – Consultant
With 30 years’ global experience at The Coca-Cola Company in senior executive positions in marketing and management, Doug is a highly experienced classic marketing with exceptional new business start-up credentials.
Having been the head of consumer marketing across 18 countries for new and innovative categories like spring and bottled water, sports and energy drinks, and Schweppes, Doug has established and run full-service B2B and B2C businesses for a variety of Coca-Cola start-up ventures.
As an expert in new product development, he has a laundry list of successful product launches behind his name, pioneering Coca-Cola’s entry into the dairy category in South Africa across five key markets. He also sat on the company business continuity planning team and was responsible for marketing, communication, and content development business continuity planning in the event of business disruption.
Clare Collins
Digital Marketing Specialist
Clare is our Digital Marketing Specialist, with 7+ years hands-on experience in the evolving digital field. Clare has held roles in both in-house and agency environments, working on a wide range of accounts, spanning sectors and continents.
Her experience covers everything from digital strategy and content creation, to implementation and campaign optimisation. At Ashgrove, she aligns our clients business and marketing goals with a digital strategy fit for purpose.
Clare is qualified and experienced working with industry-leading platforms such as Google Ads, LinkedIn Campaign Manager and META.