CURRICULUM VITAE.
Name and address: Elen LEWIS, 33 Manoel Rd, Twickenham, TW2 5HJ
Contacts: 07884435729 (mobile), elen.lewis@gmail.com
Occupation: editor/writer
Date of birth: 25/02/76
EXPERIENCE and ACHIEVEMENTS.
November 2005 to present, freelance writer, editor and author
• Ghost writing a business book with a marketing guru and working on a second book of my own about eBay.
• Writing features for the nationals and publications including Brand Strategy, Cream and The Marketer.
• Completed corporate writing projects for a blue chip consultancy, a global textile company and a brand consultancy.
• Often asked to comment on branding issues for broadcast media, appearing on Sky News, Bloomberg TV, Channel 5, BBC World Service, BBC Radio 5, Radio 4 and local BBC radio. I also sit on the Superbrands Council.
October 2003 to present, freelance writer Financial Times and author of Great Ikea, a brand for all the people
• Occasional writer on brands and marketing for Financial Times in Business Life section and previously Creative Business.
• Author of Great Ikea, published by Cyan Books in May 2005. Rights since sold to China, Russia, Sweden, Korea and the US.
March 2002 to November 2005, Editor, Brand Strategy, Centaur;
• Overall responsibility for monthly, specialist marketing magazine with four editorial staff.
• Day to day tasks include commissioning, editing, writing, overseeing marketing of title, acting as an ambassador for the magazine and a specialist on the brand and marketing industry.
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Relaunched a two-colour, 20 page newsletter into a full-colour 62 page magazine leading to a boost in subscriptions (increased by 20% in last year) and its highest-ever renewal rate (67%).
• Attracted high calibre contributors and exclusive interviews with global marketing directors from Diageo, Shell, British Airways and HSBC.
• This success has led the publishing company to invest significantly in the title for the first time in 10 years.
• Introduced 80 page quarterly supplements and bimonthly round table debates with senior marketers. This year the magazine is taking advertising and sponsorship for the first time.
• Launched its first-ever website and a its first conference on Chinese brands planned in December.
December 1999 to November 2001, Features Editor, New Media Age, Centaur.
• Responsibility for a 30 page features section for the leading weekly new media magazine.
• Major responsibilities include commissioning, editing, writing and chairing forums.
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Developed important management skills commissioning and editing work from a team of seven reporters.
• Secured high-profile columnists and boosted a depleted database of freelancers.
• Launched and edited three successful, substantial supplements for the magazine.
• Cover for the Editor when absent. Managed own budget for photography and writers and regularly liased with the advertising, marketing and production teams.
• Chairmanship of the judging of the New Media Age Awards.
• Chairmanship and speaker at several conferences including Ad-tech in Amsterdam.
April 1998- December 1999: Reporter, Media and Marketing Europe, EMAP.
Reporting to the Editor, wrote the lion’s share of news and features for the monthly magazine that profiled the pan-European media and marketing industry.
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Promoted to acting news editor co-ordinating a team of international correspondents.
• Introduced and relaunched several sections of the magazine, including a 70-page pocket guide to the Internet, led from own proposal.
August 1997-April 1998: UK Editor, Future Events News Service
Wrote 200 short news stories a week in a dynamic online news environment, heading up the UK desk.
Work experience in 1996
• Rupert Murdoch Scholar: Scheme run by News International and Oxford University for six successful students. Shadowed Innovation editor at The Sunday Times. Wrote and researched short articles.
• VOGUE magazine
• The Chester Chronicle
Relevant experience at University 1994-97
• 1996: Editor of The Word, an independent student newspaper at Oxford University.
• 1994-97 Contributor to five Oxford student titles: The Word, Isis, The Oxford Student, Amazon, and The Cherwell.
FREELANCE WORK.
The Financial Times, FT Creative Business, The Independent, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Evening Standard, Marketing Week, Business Voice, Media and Marketing Europe, Strategies Europe, Brand Strategy, Cream, The Marketer, Brandchannel.com
EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING
1994 – 1997, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University.
• B.A hons (OXON) English Literature (2:1)
1987 - 1994 Queens School, Chester.
• A ' Levels - 3 As in English, French and History
• GCSEs. – 10 As
Other
• All PMA courses - Libel Law, News writing, Financial writing, Advanced Feature writing, Feature editing, Quark Xpress, management training.
• Written and spoken French, basic German.
• Computer literate.
• Full clean driving license.
OUTSIDE INTERESTS.
Photography (currently studying A-Level) , choral singing (former member of the London Philharmonic Choir) and travel.
REFERENCES. Available on request.
