Boldspace Appoints Neil Richardson as Creative Director

Left, Nick Ford-Young, right Neil Richardson

Boldspace, the rapidly growing branding, creative and PR agency, has appointed Neil Richardson as creative director. Neil, a seasoned creative leader with over two decades of experience at top global agencies, will spearhead Boldspace’s creative vision and output.  

Reporting directly to co-CEO Nick Ford-Young, Neil will play a pivotal role in shaping the creative direction for a diverse portfolio of clients, including Skyscanner, Betway, Direct Line, the Post Office and Fora among others.  

Neil’s career began at WCRS in the early 2000s. He then honed his craft over six years at Nitro/SapientNitro before ascending to the role of global creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi in 2011, followed by a similar leadership position at Leo Burnett in 2016. More recently, he has been applying his skills at VCCP and IPG’s sports agency, Octagon.  

Throughout his career, Neil has crafted iconic campaigns for some of the world’s most admired brands, including Nike, Volvo, Converse, Paddy Power, NSPCC, Kellogg’s, and O2 winning multiple awards at Cannes, D&AD and Creative Circle, among others. 

Backed and chaired by one of BBH’s key founders, Simon Sherwood, Boldspace has experienced impressive growth since its founding just five years ago, underpinned by its proprietary marketing AI platform, BoldLens. Now a dynamic team of 50, the agency partners with high-profile clients, building its reputation as an emerging creative powerhouse.  

Nick Ford-Young, co-CEO at Boldspace, said, "Neil embodies the creative vision and ambition that Boldspace strives for as an agency. We are thrilled to have him join our leadership team as we continue to grow. Having admired Neil’s work for years and recently collaborating on a global campaign set to launch this year, it felt like a natural step to invite him to lead our creative direction. I’m genuinely excited about what we’ll achieve together in the coming years."  

Commenting on his appointment, Neil Richardson said, "Boldspace is a truly integrated agency, seamlessly combining a range of disciplines, from advertising and branding to PR and more - a perfect fit for my background and skill set. Their desire for creative excellence, combined with an innovative approach to analytics, makes it an exciting and unique offering for a wide range of clients. In just five years, the agency has achieved incredible growth, and having had the chance to get to know the team and experience the calibre of talent they’ve brought together, I’m thrilled to be part of a company that’s redefining what a modern creative agency can be. I look forward to contributing to the next chapter of Boldspace’s journey."