The ‘who’ and who's who.
The business of
experience retailing.
A core strength of our business is our work within the automotive sector.
Having worked with more than 30 top brands in the sector over the last 30 years, you could say we lead the field in automotive retail experiences. In fact, our team has been behind some of the most memorable developments in the industry.
Some of us come from client-side careers with manufacturers, groups and dealers. And we're still at the forefront, having most recently created a new benchmark retail experience for lnfiniti in Europe, and a Global Experience Strategy for Volvo.
However we've also worked for many different brands in a broad range of sectors outside automotive including retail, FMCG, leisure, professional services, technology, luxury goods, construction and finance.
This provides a critical independence of thinking, informs our approach and delivers an experience that isn't dependent on (or the limitations of) just one sector. Our one constant goal is to think ahead of your customers so we continue to re-set the potential for more powerful - and valuable - experiences tomorrow.
Hello, good to meet you...
Mike Taylor
Mike has enjoyed more than 35 years in the automotive sector, with the last 20 of those spent on the agency side of the fence! During that time he’s worked for and with a broad range of brands, both in retail and manufacturer positions, and in the UK and overseas.
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Read more His focus is on highlighting the future issues and positive opportunities for brands and translating these into creative briefs that lead to robust and innovative solutions, driving positive change.
Mike’s understanding of strategic needs and operational drivers, balanced against the needs of brand experiences, ensures the delivery of considered, effective and efficient programmes that can be implemented within available budgets.
He has extensive knowledge of network planning and an acute understanding of the growing need for brands to align their fragmented routes to market in order to attract and retain today’s demanding consumers.
Mike is a passionate believer in the close relationship between customer satisfaction and staff engagement, and this has led Meda to focus clearly on engaging people in a changing retail landscape, using the right tools, in the right places and at the right moments.
He’s hoping to enjoy several more years in this vibrant sector!
James Baines
James’ skill lies in aligning the conflicting and demanding needs that are always present in the planning and delivery of architectural projects.
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Read more His extensive commercial leadership and project management experience, together with many years of directing the Meda architectural team, has informed his approach to the management of projects and costs – ensuring projects are on time, on budget and on brand.
James’ construction sector processes and his keen eye for quality are primary features of Meda’s Architectural offering. They are also pivotal in aligning the required design solution and the construction elements of projects – ensuring the breadth of skills that exist at Meda are used to maximise end user value throughout every project.
James’ strong commercial sense is supported by practical, first-hand experience, and he sets very high standards for his team and for successful project outcomes. This is complemented by his high regard for interpersonal relationships, his reputation for clear business communication and the personal enjoyment he derives from his work.
Ria Dakin-Potts
Ria’s sector experience is diverse and broad, and includes design for international luxury hotels, private residences for royalty and high net worth individuals, private London clubs and premium niche retail and restaurant brands – as well as more mainstream retail and leisure projects including supermarkets.
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Read more Her proudest achievements include designing a table for a sultan strong enough to support his dancing girls, and creating a new format for the design of bingo clubs.
The key driver throughout Ria’s work is a continued determination to look at and design the experience through the eyes of the user.
Clearly unable to resist the challenge of designing automotive retail experiences, she has now worked primarily within this sector for the latter half of her career – for manufacturers and dealers at both country and global level.
Ria has benchmarked and evolved the concept of customer journeys into an approach for delivering rewarding cross-channel retail and service experiences – with the conviction that delivering these is simply the application of intelligent design thinking.
Ria will always challenge preconceptions and current thinking, in order to drive the delivery of experiences that are fit for the future.
Richard Hill
In 30 years of professional practice he’s contributed to, and directed projects around the world, with clients as diverse as manufacturers and retailers, for government, the voluntary sector and with entrepreneurs.
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Read more As a result of his experience he’s able to swiftly grasp his clients ambitions and understand their commercial imperatives. Richard can then articulate and present ideas that blend practical strategic thinking with hands-on design skills, to make the future possible for his clients - whatever the shape of their challenge. His craft skills cross all the major design disciplines, from screen to press and into three dimensions through information and retail design, writing and art direction.
Richard Atkinson
Richard’s experience encompasses SMEs and multinational companies, always with a focus on developing relationships that become long-standing partnerships.
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Read more His less ‘salesy’ and more human, consultative approach has helped Meda to win and retain business over the course of several years.
Richard has previously operated within the media sector, notably leading the London arm of a start-up film business that rapidly became the number two office behind the head office in New York.
A keen ‘motor man’ at heart, Richard spent a number of years restoring a mid-‘50s American classic car, which is unique to the UK and rarely seen even in its homeland.
Ade Oshodi
A Registered Architect with several years’ UK experience in both architecture and project management, Ade has been involved in projects in the public and private sectors, with a particular focus on automotive retail.
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Read more His experience ranges from the full design and delivery of small refurbishment schemes to feasibility studies and planning negotiations.
Ade’s management and technical expertise encompasses all RIBA project work stages, and he is particularly interested in developing socially responsible sustainable buildings that appropriately address commercial needs.
You Are Here...
We're always keen to meet experienced Architects, Designers and Project Managers, especially if you've a background in automotive retail design and build projects. Mail Louise here. Graduates, while we don't have a formal process for applications, do send us a CV or link and we'd be very happy to give you a call or drop you a line. Mail Richard here.
Celebrating diversity
From our barn in rural Oxfordshire, you'll find a team from around the world as well as from around the corner.
And our enormous experience is as diverse as our backgrounds, gained in multiple countries in several continents.
Not only is there a good chance we speak your language – you’ll also find a culturally-aware team of experts who understand that great results can be achieved in myriad different ways.
So get in touch – whether you’d like to say good morning, bom dia, goeie more, buon giorno, buenos días or maa chi.
richarda@experiencemeda.com