We’re pleased to officially welcome Joanna Penn, Managing Director, to the Armadillo board of directors. Our board is the backbone of our business, overseeing all strategic and operational decisions as well as ensuring the company meets its statutory obligations. 

Joanna was promoted to Managing Director in 2022, to lead the day-to-day management of the agency, ensuring excellence as we grow and scale. She excels at nurturing a high-performing, motivated team, leading from the front in delivering the best work for all Armadillo clients. She continues to push the boundaries of CRM helping our clients use data to change behaviour to drive ROI for their iconic brands.

She joins James Ray, CEO, who spearheads the agency’s growth and development. With Joanna at the helm of operations, James focuses on strategies to continue Armadillo’s momentum. His expert knowledge and drive have been the force behind Armadillo’s evolution into one of the UK’s most successful independent CRM specialist. James is also City Head for Bristol, Cardiff and the South West for the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (the IPA).

Chairman Chris Thurling and CFO Andy Brown complete our executive board. Andy and Chris have both recently been awarded Chartered Director status; with fewer than 2,000 Chartered Directors worldwide, the qualification demonstrates their commitment to investing in continual development, as well as the business’s dedication to corporate and social governance.  

Chris Thurling is also Chair of Bristol Creative Industries and, having founded one of the UK’s first digital design agencies in 1995, has maintained a keen interest in the intersection between marketing and technology throughout his career bringing a unique perspective to the board. 

Andy Brown equally offers an invaluable view due to his position as CFO not only at Armadillo but two other agencies, empowering him with significant experience as a finance Director in Marketing and Technology businesses.

We are very lucky to have Ann Hiatt as our Non Executive Director. Ann is former Executive Business Partner to Google CEO, Eric Schmidt and ex-EA to Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos having worked in Silicon Valley for 17 years. She works alongside the board on strategy, growth and leadership development for maximum impact, and is particularly focused on finding the best ways to apply the lessons she’s learned about innovation and creativity to Armadillo. 

As board members, the team is focussed on serving Armadillo, supporting sustainable, long-term growth. It aims to provide strong leadership, governance and strategy, and enhance Armadillo’s effectiveness.

With a team of over 70 people, Armadillo blends data, insight, and strategy with talent, personality, and craft to deliver unrivalled results for global brands, including McDonald’s, Disney and Carnival UK. Effective work is also award-winning work, and we were pleased to pick up five DMA Awards at the end of 2021, including a gold and two silvers.

About Armadillo

CRM. Unleashed.