Trading internationally has increased credibility, says Photolink MD ahead of Go Global Conference
Two weeks ahead of speaking at MiNetwork's Go Global Conference in Manchester, Photolink MD Jayne Riley speaks to The Drum about the impact it has had on the business.
Photolink was launched in 1977 by former fashion photographer David Walters and is now one of the UK’s largest independent creative agencies, specialising in content generation across multiple channels for clients such as John Lewis, Argos, Homebase, Kitbag and Shop Direct.
The business expanded into the Indian market in January 2007 and has gone on to grow as a result to now employ some 130 people across Manchester and Mumbai.
Speaking of the impact that going global has had on the business Riley said: “Making the move overseas has improved our credibility greatly within the creative sector and within the business arena generally. The move has also greatly affected the morale and culture within the business – more than 30 of our Manchester people have experienced working out in India and six of the Mumbai team have been over to work with us in the UK.
“I guess if we had not made the move to become an international business it is at economic times like these that we would be sitting here wishing we had. We have had numerous opportunities and built numerous networks as a result of doing business in India.
“The timing worked very well for us as we were mature enough as a business to deal with the challenges of operating a mature UK business as well as a start-up business in India. Culturally and operationally it is tough to go global. It takes a huge amount of time that you have to invest expanding into a new market and inevitably a lot of that is personal time, but the benefits to the business are worth it in the long run.”
Jayne will be joining other UK agencies that are reaping the rewards of adding an international dimension to their business – Elmwood, Reading Room, Fifth Ring, Orb International and BJL - to share their experiences of expanding internationally and to offer advice to a wide range of other marketing service agencies considering overseas expansion in the coming years.
The China-Britain Business Council will also be speaking at the Conference, outlining the opportunities that exist for UK marketing and media businesses in the Far East.
Go Global takes place on Thursday 30th June at Manchester Art Gallery from 9am onwards To secure your tickets online for this one day conference please visit the MiNetwork website.