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Marie is a 58 year old mother of 3 and has worked in advertising and consultancy for the past 35 years. Her experience spans fmcg categories such as cars, fast food and national newspapers in addition to 10 years working at a senior level on brands such as Nationwide Building Society, the BBC, EDF and The National Lottery.
Marie studied advertising in Dublin before moving to London in 1985 to pursue my career as a strategist. She left advertising for 3 years to work at the BBC but returned in 2000. For 13 years Marie led the Strategy team at Havas Media, rising to Managing Partner. In 2013 Marie set up her own consultancy working with brands such as Kew Gardens and Visit London. In 2016 Marie was asked to join VCCP as Chief Strategy Officer (Media) and later Chair, working on clients such as The Royal British Legion, Investec, Saga and Cadburys.
As Marie moved away from advertising she moved to Dorset, and became a shop owner selling goods from small, skilled and sustainable businesses around the world and she reconnected with food growing.
Marie has been vegetarian since she was 11 (not easy in Dublin in the 1970’s) and has grown some of her own food all of her adult life.
Industry involvement:
Fellow of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
Fellow of Bournemouth University
Member of WACL
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GIY is a social enterprise consisting of two companies: GIY Ireland CLG (Company No 477525) and GIY Ireland Activities Ltd (Company No 490550), both registered at GROW HQ, Farronshoneen, Dunmore Road, Waterford, Ireland and have the following directors: Eamonn Clarke, Carol Montgomery, Aoibheann O'Brien, Tom Popple (UK), Elias Darwish, Marie Oldham, Nevan Redmond, Laura Smith© GIY Ireland Ltd 2025