Joanne Gray

Chief Progressivist

“I started my career at the “sharp end” of Sales, selling the likes of Diamond White to finicky convenience retailers – a great grounding for building commercial acumen, people skills and thinking on your feet! That then lead me down the Marketing pathway and I journeyed up the marketing ladder, working across the entire marketing mix and building on the success of well-loved household brands like Anadin, McVitie’s and TOMY toys.

Prior to leaving TOMY, I held the position of Sales and Marketing Director and played a pivotal role in integrating the business post acquisition, re-defining the company’s culture, creating a new approach to centralised Marketing across EMEA, as well as instilling the Strategic Integrated Account Planning model within the business.

Since setting up The Progress Lab, my work and clients have provided great variety and a range of different challenges; from managing large scale strategic projects within the charity & voluntary sector, to designing and delivering training and development programmes, to facilitating post merger change programmes.

I am a Non Executive Board Director of The Southern Co-op, who run more than 250 community food stores and funeral homes across eleven counties in southern England.

I have recently completed my Masters and am now undertaking a Professional Doctorate in Organisational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London.

I am passionate about work, brands, products and people – I am known for being straight-talking and doing what I say I am going to do, making things happen… making PROGRESS!”

Ruth Williams

Senior Progressivist

Starting my career at Disney, one of the world’s most loved brands, truly set the wheels in motion for marketing to become my passion. Managing large scale campaigns across the entire marketing mix gave me the experience and knowledge needed to ensure that every campaign “made a difference” and delivered cut-through whether the budget was large or small.

With a love of marketing to kids and taking the “brand as hero” approach; I successfully managed the strategic direction, insight generation and marketing communications for TOMY’s toy range.

With a strong appreciation of different cultures and skilled in working with global teams, I took the lead in taking high profile Japanese product ranges and re-positioning them for a European consumer.

Driven, passionate about the brands I work with – I’m known for ‘getting the job done’ but always with a friendly, down to earth approach.