Experts in supporting agencies like yours win new business.

The senior team at Alchemis have over 100 years’ collective experience in developing new business campaigns for agencies. We’ve worked across all marketing and communications disciplines and understand the challenges of running and managing an agency. Critically, we understand the challenges around new business. We know how important a solid pipeline of prospects and opportunities is for planning as well as future growth and this is where we can help.

First new business agency specifically for the marketing industry.

Since our inception, we’ve consistently generated new business and growth for our clients in all types of marketing, creative and communications agencies. It is what we love doing. We’ve seen many changes in the industry, yet one thing that hasn’t changed is the number one requirement of agencies to find new business.

With the pursuit of that goal driving us, we’ve been continually innovative, underpinned by our proprietary campaign management and reporting software and platform for delivering new business programmes. Behind all of this is our team of agency business development experts we are proud to have as part of the Alchemis family.

We’ve built an extremely strong database of UK and overseas marketing decision makers.

In addition to this in-house database, we invest in a number of external resources (so you don’t have to) which provide among other insights:

Full company profiles among other insights
Marketing spend
Comprehensive UK and overseas decision maker data
Marketing movers and new hires
RFPs and tenders

This allows us to focus on targeting clients you want to work with and those that can make a real difference to your business.

Our DNA & Ethos

Professional.

Our professionalism runs through the whole team and underpins everything that we do. As the experts in our field, we understand our clients’ markets and are able to apply our specialist expertise to focus on meeting their specific goals with an intelligent and proven working process.

Bright.

We are an agile team who can think and move quickly. Highly personable, open and optimistic, we like to keep things upbeat and positive. Excellent listeners and communicators, we are always forward thinking, responsive and constructive.

Passionate.

Our dedication and commitment to delivering a positive result is what motivates us. Caring deeply about what we do, our enthusiasm inspires us to go over and above to deliver great results for our clients because we believe in what they do.

Open.

Transparent and honest, we never forget that we’re here to represent our clients. We respect every agency we work with and are mindful of the confidences we keep on their behalf. Every aspect of every campaign is reported accurately and clearly.

The Story so far

What a year 1986 was…

Top Gun was smashing the box office in cinemas, Cliff Richard & The Young Ones hit number 1 with Living Doll, Diego Maradona knocked England out of the World Cup (literally single handedly).

It was also the year Ian, our original founder, had the brainwave that creative and marketing agencies would be able to focus more on what they were best at if they outsourced the chore of finding suitable new business opportunities to talented sales professionals… something that he was best at.

And so Alchemis was born.

Since then the marketing world has developed seemingly exponentially, with new disciplines springing up to give brands ever more channels to reach consumers… and Alchemis has been at the forefront of this growth, helping agencies across the entire creative and marketing spectrum with the targeted acquisition of new business from these brands.

Here is a very brief selection of memorable media snippets from the last 36 years, as we evolved into the company we are today…

1987-1988

Black Monday results in the stock market crash, the £1 note ceases to be legal tender and the first ever Comic Relief raises £15m. We also see Nescafe’s Gold Blend Couple hit TV screens across the UK for the first time, bringing a touch of sophistication to instant coffee in an ad campaign story that will run for years to come!

1989

The Berlin Wall comes down and the World Wide Web was conceived! The latter eventually making all of our jobs easier and meaning that, over time, our office could be mainly constructed from bricks rather than thousands of different business directories. It will also reshape the marketing industry of the future. Within the next 10 years, Alchemis start picking up some New Media Design agencies as clients, even before digital marketing was “a thing!”

1990-1991

Margaret Thatcher resigns as PM, recession pushes interest rates up to 14.8% and England are knocked out of Italia ’90 on penalties (setting a depressing trend for future competitions). Meanwhile, The Big Issue is launched and Bryan Adams breaks UK chart records as Everything I Do remains at #1 for the 15th week.

1992

A year for marketing mishaps perhaps? Schoolkids across the UK breathe a collective sigh of relief as Tango’s Orange Slap advert is banned, resulting in less perforated eardrums from copycat attacks. At around the same time, Hoover got a proverbial slap in the face when their ill-fated Airmiles promotion went horribly wrong!

1994-1999

The dotcom bubble was growing, with some of the biggest companies of today including Amazon, Ebay, Netflix and Google being launched during this period. Britpop was booming and Tony Blair was elected PM. Internet dating took off and, just as that paired lovesick singletons with potential partners, Alchemis led the way in the b2b world, introducing agencies to the brands they fancied so they could form long and meaningful relationships. Meanwhile, Amanda Francis had joined (eventually becoming MD), brightening up the office… with her colourful language at least.

2000

End of the nineties, end of a century, end of a millennium… The world waited with bated breath for the y2k bug to cast us into technological oblivion, letting out a collective sigh of relief when this didn’t happen. A new era also begins at Alchemis, with Jim Piper and Dave Newman joining as Account Managers and cutting their teeth at the sharp end of the business.

2001-2004

Tony Blair wins a second term as PM. Elon Musk takes his first steps towards colonizing Mars as SpaceX is founded. Social media gathers momentum with the launch of MySpace, LinkedIn and Facebook during this period. Honda release their Cog advert, claimed by some to be the most influential ad of all time.

2005

London is chosen as host city for the 2012 Olympics, England win the Ashes and it’s also a big year for the future direction of Alchemis… Having honed their skills across all areas of the business, Amanda Jim and Dave complete a management buyout of the company.

2006-2009

Twitter launches, Apple bring out the first iPhone and Cadburys release their drumming gorilla advert. In 2008 the global financial crisis takes hold but Alchemis provide a lifeline of new business opportunities to our clients to help them weather the storm. Go-Compare and Compare the Market pit an opera singer against a meerkat for supremacy in the insurance market in a battle that rages on for well over the next 10 years!

2010-2012

The ONS announces the UK is no longer in recession, the 2010 general election produces a hung parliament and the SNP win a majority in Scotland in 2011. The following year, the Olympics come to London and the whole country goes Team GB crazy!

2013-2015

Andy Murray wins the men’s title at Wimbledon to give Britain their first champion for 77 years; Gangnam Style surpasses 2 billion views on YouTube; Scotland votes “No” to independence in a referendum with the highest voter turnout in nearly 100 years. Around the same time UK inflation falls to zero percent, the lowest since records began… not quite so low 8 years later though!

2016-2017

Leicester City win the Premier League with odds that started at 5000/1; Britain votes to leave the EU and this red bus becomes an issue of contention for years to come. The 2017 general election results in Theresa May forming a minority government through a confidence and supply agreement with the DUP.

2018-2019

It’s a Royal Wedding! However, as Harry and Meghan know, there may come an occasion when you part company with the biggest Firm you work with… and that is why it’s essential to keep your new business pipeline flowing! In politics, Boris Johnson wins a landslide election leaving Labour with their lowest proportion of seats since 1935.

2020-2021

Covid came along and put a huge dent in the economy… whilst the streets of major cities were eerily quiet, Alchemis proved emphatically that it was still very possible to deliver winning new business campaigns for our clients to a largely remote workforce. Meanwhile, after more than two decades at the sharp end of business development Amanda Francis takes a step back to act more in a consultancy role.

2022...

36 years from when we first formed, the marketing industry has changed vastly, with new disciplines and technology popping up all the time. In other news, England’s Lionesses win Euro 22, the UK has 3 different PMs in a year and Top Gun was smashing the box office in Cinemas yet again. Whilst Tom Cruise’s Maverick hardly looks a day older, we’re not sure we can say the same for the rest of us. But the story continues…

The Team

Our people are the engine that drives us. Our senior team have a wealth of new business experience, both at Alchemis and in previous lives. Altogether our people come with a range of backgrounds and knowledge, bringing with them a proven track record of successful business development, often from within agencies. They tend to stay with us for a long time, helping to hone the values on which we build the real, meaningful business to business relationships that generate briefs, RFPs and opportunities.

Jim Piper

Owner and joint MD

Jim joined as Arsenal kicked off their title winning 2000/01 season. Starting as an Account Manager, Jim was part of the MBO team in 2005 and is now co-owner and joint MD. “I am delighted to have been a part of keeping Alchemis at the forefront of agency new business over the past 20 years.”

David Newman

Owner and joint MD

Dave joined in Y2K (as it was then known) helping the team fulfil their potential and ensuring every agency receives fantastic service. “We take the trust our clients place in us very seriously – our Account Managers are as determined on your behalf as they would be had you hired them yourself.”

Rob Anning

Associate Director & Operations

Rob joined in 2002 but was involved in the agency world for a decade prior to that, before the internet was “a thing” and everyone got their business information from books. During his tenure he has worked across all aspects of operations and is now first point of contact for anything and everything within Alchemis.

George Thomas-Corr

Associate Director & Director of Business Development

George joined in 2009 and now heads up Alchemis’ own new business efforts having spent his first 7 years honing his skills across a diverse mix of agency propositions. He has a great understanding of the challenges involved in agency growth through a huge network of small-to-medium sized agency owners.

Jason Hesdon

Associate Director

Jason has spent his career in business development for both media owners and agencies. He has a wealth of knowledge in brand communications, digital, experiential, PR and media and due to agency side experience understands exactly what his clients need and delivers a highly strategic approach to campaigns.

Bindya Solanki

Associate Director

Bindya joined Alchemis in 2012, during the golden summer of the London Olympics. Bindya has been described as “a real asset to Alchemis” by both the team and her clients, winning multiple company accolades and awards for her relentless success for clients.

Francois Larsonneur

Associate Director

“Been there, done that, got a few T-shirts and won the odd trophy. Still doing it, always learning, always improving” Francois has been an integral part of the Alchemis team for nearly 15 years, delivering many successful and long-term campaigns and supporting the development of Account Managers within the business.

John Kinoshi

Associate Director

Joining in 2014, John brings a plethora of sales experience spanning media, publishing, e-commerce, pharma, conferences, and events. Combining charisma with a conscientious work ethic, John has embraced and delivered all types of effective new business campaigns. He has a passion for science, music and films, particularly all things Marvel.

Wil Grove

Senior Account Manager

Wil joined in 2016 with a background in technology and marketing. Bringing a strong work ethic, the desire to go the extra mile and achieve results, he loves to hear when his clients win business. Wil loves IPA, reading, running, theatre and spending time with his friends, partner and children.

What our clients say

Alchemis has been our sole new business partner for the past 11 years and have been responsible for helping generate some key clients and continue to be an important part of our new business generation. As an integrated agency, they understand the challenges in finding the right angles to go in with and the right questions to ask, in order to open doors and develop relationships with the right people. Their phone first approach has been key to this process’.

Nigel Parsons - MD

Fathom

We have been working with Alchemis for the past 8 years, and as a result, have had a good number of exciting doors opened to us. Our Alchemis team really understand what it is we are about and what we are trying to achieve, putting forward a seamless face of the company to potential clients. Alchemis have wholeheartedly embraced our offering and confidently help us identify strong validated leads, resulting in some interesting and profitable opportunities. Thanks Alchemis for your hard work!

Sophie

Pharma Marketing Communications Agency, Manchester

Just a short note to thank you for your time, enthusiasm, experience, hospitality and patience at our ‘Board Coaching Session’. The feedback from here was very positive, so let’s hope some of the team start putting what we learned into play moving forwards….including me!

Media Agency Owner

We have worked with Alchemis for approximately 2 years now. They have done an excellent job, even during the pandemic and lockdown. Their approach is both strategic and targeted, contacting and nurturing the leads appropriate for our company under the specifications given to them. I can highly recommend them as one of the best new business agencies I have worked with in my career.

Tim Griswold, European Sales Director

Marke Creative

I just wanted to say what an outstanding job you have been doing over the last few months to set up really good new business meetings. What I particularly love is not just setting up the meetings but the way you build real relationships. And when I read your briefing notes it is clear you know us better than I know it myself and you are able to pick up really want the client wants to discuss. It is quite clear to me all the people we see think and breath you as one of us. I increasingly think we need to add you to our new business credentials. Seems odd now to think you have not been. The Legal & General and British Council meetings are two excellent examples. I really like the fact we now don’t have new business meetings unless you identify a real need or challenge. This feels so much better and we end up having far healthier discussions.

Agency Owner

Alchemis are great to work with. Single minded in their approach and methodology, and that works! They open doors, create relationships and turn conversations into meetings at which point we do the rest. They are persistent, consistent and knowledgeable about our business which is why they deliver month after month on the agreed results.

James

The Brand Nursery

Life at Alchemis

Understanding what it takes to engage all manner of different people and personalities to generate new business is not the easiest of roles. At Alchemis we know that, and we recognise how important it is to have a caring, supportive and fun environment to make it thrive. The kind of place where the right candidates can also thrive. It’s this unique combination of great colleagues and great clients that makes Alchemis the kind of new business-building environment that agencies often struggle to develop and maintain internally.