Embracing our agency
ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
We choose to evolve as a business. Not simply
as a response to how communications, technology
and culture are changing and shaping our clients’
worlds. But because it’s more important than ever
that we embrace and direct the restless energy
that makes Emperor unique.
This report is about our agency. It celebrates
another year of ambition and adaptation. And tells
the story of the changes we’ve made that led us
to explore interesting spaces, find different ways
of working and meet new client needs.
Introduction
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
1
About EmperorOur year
Strategy and performance Governance
Our year
The story of the things that
have shaped us – and been
shaped by us in turn.
Agents of change
Throughout this report, we are celebrating
the people who made this year possible.
Rather than just tell you what went on,
we’ve passed the mic so you can hear,
in their own words, how our brilliant
partners made a difference.
Our strategy
and performance
We are an ambitious business.
Our strategy sets out how we
turn those aspirations into success.
Our
governance
Our governance holds
everyone to account,
ensuring transparency
for our most important
audience of all: our partners.
Who, what, how
We’re an employee-owned strategic
and creative communications consultancy.
This explains just exactly what we mean
by that.
Read more on
page 2
Read more on
page 62
Read more on
page 24
Read more on
page 16
Contents
Strategy and performance
2
About EmperorOur year Governance
Defining
our path
This is the story of the different things
that have shaped us in the past year –
and that have been shaped by us in turn.
3
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
In this section
4 Maximising our unique
footprint
6 Dedicated to our clients
8 Leveraging innovation
10 Moving with our markets
12 Championing our partners
14 Staying committed
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Smarter designs
for SmartestEnergy
For SmartestEnergy’s new suite of websites, you can really see the impact
of Emperor handling both brand and website design. We squeezed every
drop from the identity to create something flexible, dynamic and full of life.
Jack Lloyd Davies
Digital Creative Director
4
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
Maximising our unique footprint
Being ‘One Emperor’ gives us strength and agility in our
scale. For nearly 30 years we have helped clients navigate
new technology, shifting consumer preferences, and
global economic and political challenges. Alongside our
strong UK base, we are supporting clients in Europe and
the Middle East through rapid growth and seeing the
IPO activity that we haven’t in the UK recently.
Meanwhile, our unique regional footprint means we can
proudly support exceptional businesses local to our offices.
Taking a company public is one of the
most high-pressure and fast-paced
experiences in business. And one that
needs experienced and expert support
to get the best possible outcome.
In the Middle East and North Africa
(MENA), there’s been a burst of initial
public offering (IPO) activity – 54 in 2024
(a 12.5% year-on-year increase), raising
US$12.6 billion. And we’ve been at the heart
of this momentum, supporting high-profile
listings, including LuLu Group, Mair Group,
and Talabat.
Talabat’s IPO in Dubai was the largest
tech IPO of 2024, raising almost $2 billion.
It was also the biggest listing in the United
Arab Emirates. As the region’s leading food
delivery platform, Talabat’s market debut
marked a major milestone in its growth,
reinforcing investor confidence in the
digital economy.
We worked closely with Talabat to craft
a compelling first annual report, blending
engaging storytelling with clarity about
their strategy, growth ambitions and
market leadership. The report captured
the essence of the brand while meeting
regulatory and investor needs, establishing
a strong foundation for its journey as a
public company.
Market
debuts
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Andrey Demin
Creative Director
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
emperor.works
All information © Emperor. All Rights Reserved.
Picardy Place – Edinburgh
The creative concept, “Let’s Go!”, captured
the adventurous spirit of our target audience
– a rallying cry for something new and
exciting. We brought it to life through a
multi-channel campaign, including radio
ads, social media, dynamic out-of-home ads,
such as an Edinburgh city tram wrap.
It was a huge success – not just smashing
our targets but reframing Lost Shore as a
complete adventure experience and laying
the foundations for the resort’s future.
When we think surfing, we often think
distant, exotic locations. But Europe’s
largest inland surf destination is actually
much closer to home – Lost Shore Surf
Resort near Edinburgh.
Changing this perception was the heart
of our campaign work with Lost Shore –
normalising an unfamiliar idea of inland
surfing and making it appealing to a broad
range of people (especially given there are
only 650,000 surfers in the UK).
Surfing is a unique escape from the
everyday. Unfortunately, it feels out
of reach for most. These barriers are
all removed by Lost Shore’s location
– leading to our campaign strategy of
‘Escapism made easy’.
Making
waves
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Sheona MacPherson
Client Director
5
6
Dedicated to our clients
We’re expanding our offer to be increasingly
relevant to our exceptional clients, developing
our relationships and finding exciting new ways to
work with their teams on new projects and impact.
We are proud to have so many enduring
partnerships – lots over a decade – while also
welcoming new clients to the Emperor family
each year.
How do you make mandatory compliance
training more than an obligation, but
genuinely interesting? That was the
challenge put to us by Phoenix Group,
the UK’s largest long-term savings and
retirement business. We’ve worked with
them for more than five years across a whole
range of communications briefs, but this
was certainly something out of the ordinary.
To take the complex, technical – and often a
touch dry – and make it relatable, engaging
and easily understood.
Cracking a
compliance
challenge
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Henry Ker
Editor In Chief
The video podcast was our solution:
tapping into the cultural zeitgeist and a
familiar format many of us enjoy every
day, bringing personality, warmth and real
experience to the fore.
With an overarching creative concept of
‘Cracking the Code’, we wrote discussion
guides and steered Phoenix’s experts
through an engaging conversation and
their shared experiences. It was cool to
see how excited all the Phoenix colleagues
were on the shoot days – they saw it as
something special and were so enthusiastic
to be a part of it.
It was a big success. A 99% completion
rate within the first four weeks and average
rating of 4.8 stars out of 5 is testament to
the impact a creative approach to everyday
topics can have.
6
Years average tenure
among our largest
100 clients
22
Awards won
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
7
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
7
Ten years ago, the Emperor team arrived
at the BBC’s famous Broadcasting House,
filled with anticipation – not just for our
annual report pitch, but also to catch a
glimpse of a celebrity. While we didn’t
spot any stars, we did see the original
Doctor Who police box in reception.
Since the news that we were the pitch
winners, a decade of working together has
passed. One that has seen huge change for
news and media – and which the BBC has
evolved to meet. At Emperor, we’ve evolved
too. Today, our designs for the BBC’s report
are integrated into the Workiva platform,
allowing data to be automatically updated
across multiple locations.
I’ve formed a real friendship with Laura
(our client) over our shared love of
exploring London. That spirit of exploration
is reflected in our creative approach –
pushing boundaries to create inspirational
yet relevant designs that help bring the
‘BBC for everyone’ message to life.
Time has flown by but, a decade later,
that same core team still feels the same
thrill working with such an iconic British
institution. This enduring relationship is a
testament to shared aspirations and values.
And even now, every time we visit, I still get
a buzz from seeing the live newsroom in
action. And any Doctor Who props.
Travelling
together
through time
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Bart Hallett
Account Director
8
We have been considering how AI could
enhance our internal processes and support
the delivery of exceptional client work.
We see AI as an enabler for our partners,
enhancing innovation while strengthening
the people-centric culture.
We have identified the most important
areas of value for our teams and clients,
so there is alignment with our responsible
business approach.
This has involved mapping high-impact-use
cases, setting ethical guardrails, selecting
the right tools and establishing training
plans to upskill our partners.
We partnered with Ainigma, a people-first
generative AI consultancy, who have
helped us pinpoint key opportunities and
how to implement AI safely and ethically.
This creates a strong foundation to build
in the long term, rather than chasing short
term gains.
The possibilities are endless and we will
continue to explore new ways that AI can
make a difference. That said, AI at Emperor
will always be a catalyst, amplifying human
potential and guided by our people.
The fast
and the
AI-curious
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Oliver Long
Technical Director
Leveraging innovation
The systems and programmes we use are intrinsic
to the quality of support we can offer. We embrace
innovation and look to new tools, such as AI, and all
the opportunity they bring.
Our tried and tested core systems, developed
with both trusted existing technology partners
and exciting new entrants, ensure we are always
meeting the needs of clients.
Unless you have been living under a rock,
you will have heard about the progress of
AI technology. The new capabilities and
intense competition have pushed costs
down to allow for both experimentation
and full onboarding.
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
A fantastic opportunity to showcase
how technology can enhance reporting,
efficiency and high-quality communications,
last year’s Workiva Amplify conference
in Amsterdam brought together the best
in the business. We had the privilege of
presenting alongside our client, BT Group
– collaborating with our clients is always a
highlight and sharing the stage to discuss
real-world Workiva applications was
particularly rewarding.
Our session explored the future of corporate
reporting and how organisations can
work smarter, not harder. With increasing
regulatory demands and stakeholder
expectations, the need for integrated,
transparent, and accessible reports is critical.
The second session explored the broader
trends shaping reporting and how
companies are facing pressure to align
disclosures with evolving regulatory
requirements.
A huge thank you to our partners at
Workiva for such an insightful event and
to our clients for sharing their experiences
with us. The demand for intelligent, user-
friendly reporting solutions will only grow
– there are fascinating times ahead!
The Workiva event provided a fantastic
opportunity to learn and collaborate
face-to-face with my counterparts in
different organisations. It was also
insightful to understand the platform’s
future and its benefits.”
Sandra Gonzalez
Principal, Transformation and Production, BT Group
22
Workiva clients
Working
smarter,
not harder
5+ years
Using the platform to make
our clients’ lives easier
9
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
9
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Amanda Woodward
Chief Commercial Officer
10
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
Moving with our markets
New regulation in turn creates new work challenges
and the need to bring in new partnerships to add
to our ecosystem of specialists. It’s something we
are constantly monitoring and scrutinising, as we
look to offer our clients complete solutions.
Central to our work are the strong relationships
with the stock exchanges our clients are issuers
on. Over time we have moved beyond providing
insights and sponsorship to facilitating training
and development initiatives – setting ourselves
at the cutting edge of best practice.
We recognise that to be true strategic
advisors for our clients, we can’t always
go it alone. So we collaborate to co-create
new services.
Nowhere is this more critical than in
sustainability. The role of the Chief
Sustainability Officer (CSO) has expanded
significantly, as regulation demands deeper
integration of sustainability within strategy.
For example, the Corporate Sustainability
Reporting Directive (CSRD) means
CSOs must navigate complex regulation,
policy development, data collection and
management and reporting. As a result,
they are seeking agency partners that
can provide multi-faceted support.
This requires a blend of expertise –
capabilities rarely found in one place.
We have established a new partnership
with Tata Consulting Services (TCS).
TCS brings world-class innovation,
technology and data management
expertise, complementing our strengths
in strategy, reporting, and communications.
Together, we can provide seamless all-
service solutions.
This has supported our expansion in
areas where we previously had limited
reach, helping clients much earlier in
thei sustainability journeys – for example,
we recently launched our joint CSRD
Readiness Assessment. This is just the
beginning of our journey with TCS, and
we are energised about what lies ahead.
Seamless
solutions
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Lara Sharrock
Sustainability Director
11
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
1111
We love to collaborate with industry bodies,
stock exchanges, and academic institutions.
And through these partnerships, we’ve
delivered training to a whole range of
companies and shared our knowledge
on different industry platforms.
We were proud to be appointed an official
ESG training provider for Euronext this
year. From technical requirements to
the art of storytelling, our CSRD training
course blends regulatory expertise with
practical application. Having guided our
clients through CSRD reporting before
it became mandated, we are honoured
to be recognised as an industry leader.
We also deepened our partnership with
the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG),
facilitating and speaking on panels at
their Investor Relations Masterclass. It was
also great to see many of our partners in
the LSEG recording studio, participating
in the Marketplace Matters series and
helping listed businesses future-proof their
corporate reporting.
Our partnership with the IR Society
continues to grow. Earlier this year,
we were pleased to host IR Society
members at our London office for our
Introduction to Annual Reporting training
session – and we’re excited to collaborate
on a CSRD webinar in Spring 2025.
In MENA, we have been delivering training
workshops on Integrated Reporting in
Qatar and Al Khobar, Saudi, in partnership
with MEIRA. We also spoke at the MEIRA
Conference in Abu Dhabi and the Future
Sustainability Forum in Dubai, where we
moderated two panels.
This year’s partnerships with stock
exchanges and industry bodies position us
at the vanguard of industry developments,
while creating valuable opportunities
for our clients, peers, and colleagues.
Looking ahead, we have a dynamic
lineup of roundtables, webinars, and
thought leadership initiatives with new
and long-standing partners to further
strengthen our network.
Exchanging
ideas
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Samantha Trillwood
Director of Stakeholder Communications
1212
Championing our partners
Our partners come to us to build their skills and
experience and we are proud to nurture the fresh
faces that stay to have fulfilling careers at Emperor.
But alongside the exciting new hires we welcome
every year, we have many amazing long-standing
partners – with tenures of more than 10 and
15 years in many cases.
This year, we celebrated Marc Jenks’ 15th
anniversary. As Executive Creative Director,
Marc has played an invaluable role in shaping
creativity at Emperor. His thinking, craft,
and passion for all things design have
inspired countless colleagues and clients
over the years.
To recognise this incredible milestone,
those closest to him wanted to express
just how much he means to them. So,
we created a film sharing 15 memories
and observations from the past 15 years.
But one quote sums it all up: ‘genius
from day one, always a genius’.
Recognising
a true creative
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Adam Holloway
Chief Creative Officer
In my 15 years at Emperor, I’m
most proud of being able to play
a role in supporting outstanding
creatives as they progress in
their careers and develop their
craft. Sharing my experience and
seeing others flourish is incredibly
rewarding – not just for me,
but for our clients as well.”
Marc Jenks
Executive Creative Director
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
Giving young talent a shot is about as
‘Emperor’ as it gets. It’s been at the heart
of our way of doing things since we set
up the business 28+ years ago, and it’s
so pleasing to see each new generation
embrace this philosophy.
It’s embodied by our ‘We give youth
a chance’ pledge and we have set up a
number of different pathways to support
talented individuals in kick-starting
their careers. Through apprenticeships,
mentoring and hands-on work experience,
we help them build the foundations for
long-term success. This year, we were
pleased to confirm permanent roles for
apprentices in positions like Production
Assistant and Junior Artworker –
just one example of how we nurture
long-term growth.
From
apprentice to
master
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Steve Kemp
Chair and Founder
32
Partners with more
than 10 years’ service
30
New partners
I started at Emperor as an
apprentice more than 10 years ago
and have been supported at every
step of my career. Moving from
the content team into QA (quality
assurance) testing, I gained
industry qualifications, including
ISTQB certification, with Emperor’s
backing. Now, I’m sharing my
knowledge as a manager. There’s
always an opportunity to learn
here, and that culture of growth
has helped me develop both
professionally and personally.”
Julian Nesteriuc
QA Manager
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
13
14
About EmperorOur year Strategy and performance Governance
Staying committed
We are committed to running Emperor responsibly
and transparently – so that our partners can
understand why and how we do things and then
share in our success. Although our governance
structures are now well established, we look to
periodically refresh our Board and Partner Board to
get new perspectives that challenge us to be better.
We also care about supporting the things that
matter most to us. We’re always looking for new
ways to raise funds and get our people involved
and activated in good causes.
My ‘day job’ is Global VP Executive Talent
at Mars Incorporated, a family-owned
$50 billion consumer goods company,
where I’ve been for more than 25 years.
That job focuses on recruiting, assessing
and developing senior leaders for continued
business success. It’s about having that eye
on the future. So, I’ve developed a deep
understanding of the skills needed to run
a business – both for today and those that
may be needed down the line.
We always need to balance these
demands when we hire – as well as building
development programmes to get the best
out of our current leaders.
There are many similarities between Mars
and Emperor. Both have been driven by the
brilliance of their founders, both have values
at their heart, and both know that the future
will be very different. Working with Emperor
is an opportunity to be part of a fantastic,
fast-growing, principled business.
This amazing business is about to celebrate
its 30th anniversary! The role of NEDs is to
ensure it celebrates its 40th. And its 50th.
And many more, always stronger than before.
New
perspectives
I was delighted to be asked to become
a Non-Executive Director at Emperor.
I started working with Emperor back in
2021, advising Steve and Kingsley as we
transitioned to become employee owned.
Now my role is about senior people
advisory support, as well as providing
my guidance for the Board and Senior
Leadership Team.
AGENTS OF CHANGE
David Haines
Non-Executive Director