Catherine Kelly
Job:
Managing Director
Company:
Jaywing
I lead our strategic direction, combining creativity, media, and data science to deliver marketing that gives our clients a genuine advantage. From pioneering AI-driven attribution models to encouraging our talent, I focus on driving growth for our clients by making sure we’re leading the way on marketing innovation.
I am...
Inspired
Visionary
Empathetic
The skills I use most in my job...
Strategic thinking: Crafting long-term strategies that position Jaywing as a leader in data-driven marketing. For example, steering the integration of our own AI tools such as Archetype and Comprehend to bring measurable results for clients.
Leadership: Leading fantastically diverse teams across creative, media, and data science while fostering an environment where talent can thrive and coming to work every day is genuinely exciting.
Problem-solving: Being a strategic partner for clients through combining creativity with advanced data science allows us to address problems clients didn’t even know they had. Building predictive AI models to optimise customer journeys is a great example of this.
Communication: Data and AI can feel intimidating because of their complexity. It’s our job to demystify things, because we think everyone should be able to understand (and enjoy) the benefits they bring.
Data science: The Accelerator Lab is Jaywing’s multi-disciplinary centre of excellence for AI. As its Chief Data Scientist, I can step away from my role as Jaywing’s MD and briefly get back to the day job!
The most interesting thing I've worked on in my career so far...
The potential for AI to drive marketing excellence is one of the most exciting things to happen in my 20 years in the industry. For instance, we recently used modelling to uncover £26 million in additional revenue opportunities for a client. Those ‘eureka moments’ are hard to beat.
What inspired me into digital and tech...
My passion for data science began at Diageo, where I used grocery data to shape marketing strategies for brands like Guinness and Smirnoff. Discovering how data analysis, modelling and technology could unlock new levels of marketing effectiveness inspired me to explore how harnessing data could transform industries.
My educational background is...
I earned a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Nottingham, focusing on mathematical models for optimising cancer immunotherapy treatments. My research findings were presented at the International Cancer Conference in Hawaii. This analytical foundation has shaped my career in data science and marketing.
What advice I'd give to girls thinking about a career in digital and tech...
Believe in your abilities and embrace challenges. Seek mentorship and build skills through education or projects. Data science goes beyond coding - it’s about storytelling and collaboration. At Jaywing, it’s our diverse perspectives that create impactful solutions. Stay curious, persistent, and confident in what you can offer.
Job type tags:
Business and strategy Development People / team management Problem-solving and developing solutions
