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board consultants
Alex Bennigsen
Robert Craig
Roy Stephenson
Mo Carroll
Sam Stephenson
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Sam brings over 14 years marketing experience to Pepper Consultants, having worked for a number of agency and client organisations focusing on consumer marketing.
Prior to Pepper, Sam spent 6 years at Timex Inc. as Marketing Director. He led the team that successfully launched TX, Timberland, Reebok and French Connection watch marques internationally. Additional expertise includes running sponsorships programmes throughout Europe at prestigious events such as the London Marathon and the Giro d’Italia.
Sam is also no stranger to loyalty and retention initiatives, having worked for blue chip organisations across financial services and the retail sector.
Sam is currently project leader for the British Gas consumer proposition "3 Free Swims", which has seen hundreds of thousands of British Gas customers across the UK taking up the offer.
Sam has a BSc in Managerial and Administrative Studies from Aston University.
With more than 25 years experience in the payment card industry, Roy was previously a VP and General Manager with American Express, where he launched the highly successful commercial card business in the UK. He then went on to lead product rollout across EMEA, Latin America and the Caribbean.
As a consultant, Roy has used his extensive experience to work with banking and payment card clients around the world, identifying and advising on best practices in customer marketing and relationship management.
Acknowledged as a leading expert in reward programmes, Roy has been a key player in loyalty initiatives on every continent. This includes leading feasibility studies and business start-ups for Air Miles coalition programmes in the Netherlands and Spain, together with audits of rewards programmes for issuers in the UK, Canada, Brazil, Spain, Singapore, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Roy has also advised airlines and carrier alliances on Frequent Flyer programmes.
His other specialised subject is Commercial Cards. Over the years Roy has assisted both associations and issuers with Business, Corporate and Fleet Card development.
Roy speaks fluent Spanish, reasonable French and is the author of Marketing Planning for Financial Services (Gower Publishing). He has a B.Com and holds an MA in Management Studies.
Before Pepper Consultants, Robert already had 20 years experience in the Payment Card and Technology Industries. He began his career with American Express and, for over 11 years, held senior positions in the Commercial Card Issuing and Merchant Acquiring organisations. Robert led the Business Development team for the Merchant Acquiring Business in Europe. He was in charge of Pricing, Management Information, Six Sigma and Re-engineering programmes, and the Strategic Planning Process.
As Vice President Client Management at First Data International (FDI), Robert and his team were responsible for FDI’s strategic and commercial relationships with over 50 Card Issuers across EMEA. At a time of great change for FDI, Robert led contract re-negotiations, successfully driving long term partnerships with FDI’s key clients, including Lloyds TSB, HSBC, Egg Bank, Co-operative Bank, Nationwide Building Society, Dresdner Bank, and Arab National Bank.
Also, as UK General Manager for the US Exigen Group, Robert successfully moved the UK business to profitability while driving triple digit growth in Revenue and Earnings over a 3 year period.
Since joining Pepper, Robert has led major new programmes at RBS, Ulster Bank, MBNA, and Visa, as well as leading Consulting engagements at RBS, Gulf Bank, and Home Retail Group. Robert has a BA Hons in International Marketing.
Mo has 25 years management experience, specialising in IT development and systems design, plus database management.
Before Pepper Consultants, Mo’s many international roles included Head of IT for Neilsen in Auckland. Here she managed relationship and product developments for high profile brands such as Saatchi, O&M, and Air New Zealand. Mo also developed TARP activity for clients of major TV and radio stations.
Another important achievement for Mo was the original design and development of what is now ‘Scantrack’, the system used to scan goods in supermarkets and retailers. New Zealand was the first market to implement, test and use this technology. Its outstanding success meant it was adopted worldwide.
Understanding how business works from the ground up, is another of Mo’s strengths. She has set up and ran two major businesses in New Zealand. Real People, which provides IT and computer information systems for medium and large companies. And Multilink, which developed the IT infrastructure for the Research Division at Auckland Hospital.
Mo has been instrumental in developing the database and systems interface for the British Gas Swimming programme and its Generation Green initiative.
Mo has a BA from Auckland University, a Diploma in Business Marketing and an IT Diploma from ANZ.
Dianne is a highly experienced all round marketer. Prior to Pepper, Dianne worked at American Express for 10 years in both Issuing and Acquiring. While in Establishment Services EMEA, she was the Multinational Account Manager for Travel & Transportation, before becoming Director Client Management for Travel & Leisure. She then joined American Express International where she developed and implemented a Score Card system for Europe, JPAA and North America for use by ESG Client Management.
After 5 years with British Airways working on their co-brand cards – British Airways AirPlus and British Airways Diners Club, Dianne has spent the last 9 years as a marketing consultant.
Dianne has worked on the development and launch of the Volkswagen Insurance transition, as well as the launch of the Audi Credit Card. Plus, B2B development for MasterCard, brand development for Alliance & Leicester and RCI Global branding and development. As well as driving new product development for Abbey National. Most recently Dianne project managed the launch of the highly successful British Gas Free Family Swim Programme.
Her extensive experience in New Product Development, Sales & Negotiation, International Project Management and Strategic Marketing makes Dianne a valuable asset to any team.
Prior to Pepper Consultants, Alex amassed a wealth of experience through 12 years with American Express Europe as Marketing Director and 2 years with Citibank on Insurance and Cards. Alex was also a consultant to Visa International for 10 years specialising in Consumer Co-brand programmes with banks, airlines and prominent retailers. She has worked with MasterCard on commercial products and acquiring strategies, and directly with the leading UK and international banks on product development for Consumer, Corporate and Merchant products.
Alex has extensive worldwide expertise in new product and market developments. Including high level collaborative operational and marketing initiatives for pan bank activities and financial services products. She has invaluable insider knowledge too, having worked on new products and card programmes in the USA, Asia and Australia. This spanned operational developments with Citi, Arab National Bank, National Australia Group, GE, Cendant Group, VW Group, Bank of China, LTSB, RBS, HSBC and IHG.
Alex has also helped launch successful high profile UK and International loyalty card programmes for Cendant, Virgin, BA Executive Club, Bentley, LloydsTSB, RBS Group and Visa, as well as major insurance projects with Barclays, VWFS and GE Money
Alex has a degree from Strathclyde University, and attended Harvard and INSEAD.