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A little bit of background...

Oli Christie meeting The Queen at Buckingham Palace

Life is a rollercoaster...

The good bits

  • I live in the Cotswolds with my wife, three kids and three dogs

  • I had a happy career in advertising and marketing

  • I then started my own studio making mobile games called Neon Play

  • We’ve had 200 million downloads (but also a lot of failed games)

  • The company was sold in 2016 to Hachette, a large book publisher

  • I won UK Entrepreneur of the Year Award

  • I am truly honoured to be a Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire

  • I've been very lucky to have met King Charles and Queen Elizabeth

The bad bits

  • I had to retake my French A Level after I failed it

  • I got rejected by 20 ad agencies on the university milkround

  • My first company made cartoon stationery, but went bust

  • I ordered 300 sunshades to sell at a car show - it rained all weekend

  • I wrote my first car off just a week after I passed my driving test

  • I choked badly on some veal and needed the Heimlich Manoeuvre 

  • I was sacked from WHSmith for singing MC Hammer to my boss!

  • I was sued on the first day of a company launch by my former boss

Founder & CEO

2010-2024

Neon Play

  • Our first game Flick Football went above Angry Birds in the charts

  • Winner of Queens Award for Enterprise in Innovation

  • Roller Splat is our biggest hit to date with 65 million downloads

  • Sold the company to Hachette in 2016

Voluntary role

2017-Present

Deputy-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire

  • Representing HM The King in the county

  • Helping with royal visits to support the Lord-Lieutenant

  • Attending citizenship ceremonies to welcome new British citizens

Founder

2013-Present

Rock the Cotswolds 

  • A not-for-profit social enterprise that I started 

  • The aim is to change perceptions of the area to retain & attract talent

  • Run events and initiatives, driving word of mouth and networking

Board member

2013-2016

Cheltenham Festivals

  • Worked across four festivals - Music, Science, Literature & Jazz 

  • Supported the executive team with quarterly meetings 

  • Pushed for more digital innovation across the business

Creative Director

2004-2010

Inbox Digital

  • Helped grow a small, talented digital agency in Wiltshire

  • Eventually sold to Digital Marketing Group plc

  • Won many awards for brands like Pringles, Gillette, Panasonic & Post-it

Creative Director

2000-2004

Panlogic

  • Digital marketing agency that survived the dotcom boom and bust

  • Led creative team working on websites, email marketing online ads & games

  • Award-winning work for lastminute.com, Ferrari, L’Oreal, BBC and ITV

Copywriter

1999-2000

Billington Cartmell

  • Sole copywriter at through-the-line marketing agency

  • The most exciting year of my early working life

  • Worked on big brands like Coca-Cola, Kit-Kat, Carlsberg, Polo and Disney

I’m not too bothered by CVs really, but in case you’re wondering...

CV or not CV?

Table and chairs in an office
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Helping you in your work

Let's work together so I can help your business grow and flourish and you can have a better work/life balance

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Two truths, one lie…

Which one isn’t true?

a) I once played the piano for S Club 7
b) I am named after the musical “Oliver!”
c) I was once approached to work for MI5

The answer is C

Oli Christie

Life is a box of chocolates...

The random bits

  • I used to be a radio DJ and an LTA tennis coach 

  • I used to design T-shirts and run student nightclubs

  • I scored a penalty at Chelsea FC

  • I applied to be England football manager (Venables got it )

  • I’ve gone 100mph on a zip wire (not easy with vertigo!) 

  • I danced live in front of 650 people at the Everyman Theatre

  • I did the Gumball Rally going to St Petersburg & back in 5 days

  • I've spoken in Parliament, Gloucester Cathedral and GCHQ 

  • My happy place is the Isle of Wight 

The regret bits

  • I wish I had travelled more in my 20s

  • I wish I’d gone to more concerts in the 90s to see the big pop acts

  • I wish I’d watched more live sport in the last 30 years 

  • I wish I’d persevered more to find my dream job as a copywriter

  • I wish I'd left old jobs earlier when I wasn't happy

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