Author: meg.otto

We might be a small team of creatives, but what we lack in size, we certainly make up for in skill! Recently, we were proud to showcase our communications, marketing and design expertise at the two day defence event, DVD2024 at UTAC Millbrook, organised by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and the British Army.

The event, which has been a staple in defence industry diaries for more than two decades, saw 7,000 industry exhibitors, Ministry of Defence visitors, government representatives and defence media attend DVD2024.

With more than 18 months of preparation, our Account Director, Janine Irwin and Communications Lead, Anne Walsh were part of the DVD2024 Core Working Group, alongside key personnel from UTAC Millbrook, DE&S and Army.

Delivering activities alongside Janine and Anne was Lead Developer, Tom Jenkins, Design Lead, Jack Warner and Creative Designer, George Read, with additional help from the wider Stratos team.

Work completed by the team included everything from project management, communications, social media and media engagement to stand design, exhibition manuals, event signage and the DVD website, complete with online event management functionality, which underpinned the organisation of the entire show.

Commenting on the design work delivered for the DE&S and British Army stand at DVD2024, Major Alex Aitken said: “Thank  you for your tireless work. I’ve worked with a number of agencies in the past and I’ve never seen a team anywhere near as flexible, driven, easy to work with and happy to crack on with minimal direction and deliver. Thank you.”

Kevin Leaver, who has been Head of Events at Millbrook for almost 20 years, and is set to retire in November 2024, told us: “The Stratos team were integral to making my last DVD such a great success.”

We’d like to say a big thank you to Kevin, who some of our team have worked with since 2012, for the many years of trust he has put in us, giving us the opportunity to be part of the wider Millbrook events team on this important defence industry show.

It’s been a busy and exciting time in the Stratos office this year, with the agency evolving and continuing to add even more talent to the team in 2024 and bringing with it additional new skills, services and clients.

Our latest appointment, Communications Lead, Anne Walsh, is a strategic next step in the Stratos story, enabling us to add marketing strategy, social media management, copywriting and creative content ideas to our ever-increasing array of expertise.

Bringing with her several years of experience as a solopreneur, a number of exciting clients, and existing relationships with members of the Stratos team and the wider Milton Keynes business community, Anne is looking forward to helping us shape the future direction of our agency.

Welcoming Anne to the team, Martin Carmody, Managing Director at Stratos, shares:

“Bringing Anne on board is a pivotal move in aligning with our team’s vision and the high standards we set for ourselves and our clients. At Stratos, we’re not just about getting the job done; we’re about cultivating a culture of excellence and collaboration. Anne’s addition to our team is not only a testament to our commitment to hiring the right talent but also to ensuring that we remain the right fit for our clients’ evolving needs.

Her expertise and mindset perfectly align with our values, and we are excited to see how her contributions will drive our projects and client partnerships forward during this exciting period for our agency.”

Commenting on her new position at Stratos, Anne told us:

“I’m really excited to be joining the team at Stratos. Despite the huge success of my own business, I’ve struggled with not being part of a team, surrounded by people that I can bounce ideas off and celebrate successes with! Being able to bring my clients and other contacts over to Stratos with me, means that I can continue to work with the people and businesses that I’m passionate about, whilst playing a key role in helping to build and grow the Stratos brand.”

Need comms support for your business or maybe you’re working on a new project or campaign that you’d like to promote?

Whatever your brand and marketing goals, we’d love to help you reach them. Let’s chat at [email protected] or visit stratos.agency.