Kelly Hedges
Kelly has coached, developed and led people at Board level for over a decade. Her background is in the dynamic and fast paced media industry. As such she has led teams through company growth, consolidation, significant mergers and internal re-structures. She understands the vast leadership challenges asked of todays’ leaders and has a passion for coaching them to ultimately reach their desired business objectives.
After graduating in Business Studies specialising in Marketing, Kelly’s career began in PR and Membership at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Here she gained a First for her dissertation in encouraging graduate recruitment into the motor industry. She then joined Zenith Media, a new company which had led the market in launching the first ever Media Buying Agency.
Zenith continued to innovate with new ventures and service offerings and transformed into a Media Communications Agency. Kelly was quickly leading teams and was on the Board aged 30. Her innovative buying strategies, sales relationships and client service delivery ensured major corporate client wins in the telecoms, mobile, and banking sectors. Kelly was developing people to Manager and Director level to service clients and aid succession.
Kelly also sat on the Audited Bureau Circulation National Newspaper Committee, ABC Council and National Readership Survey Committee. Here she represented Media Agencies in the development of the committee’s product offerings and fair reporting. Kelly was awarded a Fellowship of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising for her contributions.
Continual transition in the media markets demanded new thinking and Zenith merged to form ZenithOptimedia. On the Executive Board of ZenithOptimedia Kelly led the development of new buying strategies to retain and gain clients in the retail and beauty sectors.
She then led a company transformation project over two years. The aim was to increase efficiencies and extend people’s core skills within an industry undergoing significant change. Instinctively she relied on coaching to change attitudes and behaviour, before being able to deliver new processes and learning within the company.
Now in her 40s, Kelly works as a Leadership Coach with MDs, Directors and their teams in the Service, Creative and Visual sectors and functions. She helps them create their own development and business transitions to aid sustainable growth. Through a broad range of market leading coaching offerings she can match the needs of the individual with their preferred style – either using a structured programme with a unique combination of tools, or a more fluid approach with a wide range of coaching techniques.
