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ABOUT STEPHEN BEDFORD
Steve started out his career as a graduate trainee with the industrial holding company TDG.
From there he moved on to do a Masters degree and then on to become a Research Associate
at Heriot Watt University. Here he was employed under a programme called the ‘Teaching
Company Scheme’ whereby Research Associates worked exclusively on projects for industry.
Steve was allocated to logistics sector clients where he set about building marketing plans for
partners of the University. He identified international, quality and environmental issues as central
to the future of logistics and quickly gained recognition for his work. He won the Chartered
Institute of Logistics Award for personal Excellence for this work. His work was also covered by the
national media notably in relation to service quality and language training in the logistics sector.
He left Heriot Watt to be re-employed by TDG Plc where he enjoyed a variety of roles including
Group Marketing Communications Adviser, Marketing Director and Operations Director in this
international multi-site PLC. Here he carried out pioneering work aligning organisational strategy
with environmental and service quality issues and also played a key role in multiple merger and
acquisition projects. As head of Marketing for TDG Consumer he led a pan-European marketing
and business development team within this FTSE business.
After TDG Steve moved on to Tarmac / Carillion as a divisional marketing director where he also
took responsibility for co-ordinating business development activity.
Steve then decided to set up a marketing consultancy business focusing on professional services
marketing – Conical. Having been the focus of several head hunting exercises he identified the
legal and accountancy markets as ones that needed to adopt a more structured professional
approach to marketing.
As such he set to work on drafting one of the first comparative reports on law sector marketing.
This attracted considerable interest and found its way around the world. Since then he has
authored reports on accountancy, barrister and law firm marketing. He has also written articles
on marketing strategy, the need for agile planning in a fast changing environment and the
importance of understanding the sales process before embarking upon marketing planning in
any particular sector.
He was commissioned by a major global NGO to draft a best practice guide on services
marketing to be used to guide activity in developing countries.
Steve has strong links with the Chartered Institute of Marketing. He is a Fellow of the Institute, judged
the UK’s Marketing Excellence Awards for several years and has led Marketing Masterclasses on
behalf of the CIM.
Steve has published numerous articles and blogs and has spoken at conferences in UK, Sweden,
Belgium, Germany, Turkey and Portugal.
Steve’s work has had a game changing impact on professional services marketing.
FIRM PROFILE
Conical is well-known for its professional services focus. Most
of its clients come from the accountancy, financial and legal
sector. It continues to serve these sectors as well as diversifying
into other high value services including education, care and
health. Its digital and creative team serve some FMCG and
retail brands. It also supports a major international exhibition
organiser.
Core services provided by the business include marketing
strategy formulation, digital marketing strategy and
implementation, branding and creative for digital and print
and web project management. Conical is typically retained by
clients as an extension to their marketing team but also performs
project work ranging from marketing strategy formulation
through to acquisition integration.
Conical has substantial international experience having drafted
international marketing plans for several clients, managed the
global marketing communications of a major services provider,
is retained by a Global alliance of accountants and has
managed the marketing aspects of a buy-out from a multi $
billion US parent.
Conical is based in St Albans and is currently composed of a
team of 7, each with a specific skill set. It prides itself on providing
market leading strategic and technical marketing advice whilst
providing cost-effective implementation support on a retained/
outsource basis.
Typical client work includes; retained on-going marketing
support for mid-sized accountancy and law firms, digital strategy
formulation and implementation for multiple clients, support
for the implementation of major web or social media projects,
creative work for integrated marketing communications
projects.
Conical has a strong commitment to CSR. It looks for mutually
beneficial CSR opportunities for its clients whilst organising
a range of music events for children’s charities. It also works
closely with SportsAid on a variety of projects.
Conical was voted ‘UK Marketing Consultancy of the Year 2016,’
in the Finance Monthly M&A Awards and ‘Best for Marketing
Outsourcing UK & an Award for Excellence in Flexible Marketing
Support UK’, by Corporate Vision.
CONTACT
Address: Harvest House, 37 London Road, St Albans, AL1 1LJ
Website:
Conical.co.uk| Tel: +44 (0) 1727 844000
STEPHEN BEDFORD
Managing Director at Conical
FINANCE
MONTHLY
GAME
CHANGER AWARDS
2017
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www.
finance-monthly
.com