Meet Liz Dolan: Kode's Powerhouse Production Lead

There’s an immediate comfort when it comes to chatting with Liz. She’s genuine, warm and an oracle of knowledge for the job she does. From the daughter of a London cab driver, who left school at 16, to one of the most sought-after producers in London, her journey has been anything but ordinary. Today, her decades of experience working at top agencies and production studios, has culminated in her being welcomed to the top table at KODE, as their new Head of Production. 

Having never really settled at school, Liz’s family were keen for her to find her purpose in a working environment. Advertising however, wasn’t ever part of the plan. The introduction came from a post-GCSE job at Sky Media that changed the course of her life forever. Beginning her career at just 16 years old, Liz quickly climbed the ranks, learning her craft ‘on the job’.

“I was so excited to escape school (as surely anything would be better than that?!) but I was honestly quite clueless about what I was getting myself into. I had no idea about advertising, or what a producer was, as I came from a very ‘normal’ working class family. My dad was a cab driver, and my mum looked after myself and my siblings, between her shifts as a dental secretary. At Sky, I was a long way from Essex, but I had never felt more at home.” she remembers. 

Now with teenagers of her own, Liz chuckles at how young she was, but wouldn’t have had it any other way. Commending her youthful naivety, fresh approach and quiet confidence as the secret to her success. She truly believes that no university or college course could have prepared her for the ‘real world’ of advertising. 

“I had the time of my life in sales. It was a whirlwind few years, but I soaked up every second”. she recounts. What followed was a shift to the Production table, resulting in a 17 year stint at Sky Creative, where she not only forged a successful career, but also met her husband. “I owe so much to my time at Sky. My passion is sport, so having the opportunity to work on projects with my childhood heroes still feels like a dream. I love my job, and my husband (!!) and Sky is where it all began.” says Liz.

Liz subsequently took a short hiatus to raise her two children, and upon return, was hungry for a new adventure. She spent the next few years freelancing at some of the most notable agencies and production studios like VCCP, ITV, Google, Across The Pond and Sapient, continuing to learn, and pay forward her knowledge to the next generation of creative and directorial talent. Whilst reflecting on this period, she smiles at situations that continued to shape her:

“I had to brief Idris Elba on a voiceover job that he was doing remotely at the height of lockdown. Never in my lifetime did I imagine that I would be texting the great man himself, about recording a second pass of a script, but this time, from under his duvet cover, as it would sound better! All in a day’s work at the BBC!” she exclaims.

Liz has endless stories from her time at the BBC as a Senior Producer. She praises the BBC’s work ethic, and culture, and looks forward to working with her colleagues again, in her new position at KODE.

“I think back to my time at the BBC so fondly. Despite the natural politics that come with the territory of being in Broadcast, I was so proud of the work I produced throughout my 7 years. The Men's 2018 Fifa World Cup Launch Trailer springs to mind as a standout piece of work, as well as the Euro 2024 Trailer.” shares Liz.

“But my favourite job was the groundbreaking 2022 Winter Olympics campaign ‘Extreme by Nature’ that I produced in collaboration with Blinkink. It was a fascinating creative process, and well worth the efforts, as the titles were nominated for a BAFTA craft award… does that mean I can refer to myself as a BAFTA nominated producer?!” laughs Liz.

The campaign was also recognised as a Vimeo Staff Pick, as well as a British Arrows, D&AD, Creative Circle and AICP award winner.

It was whilst she was at the BBC that Liz met, and also worked with the team at KODE. “I just remember feeling that everyone at KODE always seemed so down to earth. They were collaborative, and efficient, but more than anything they were such a nice bunch of people. No egos.” recalls Liz. In an age where the toxic working environment, reminiscent of ‘Mad Men’, should be long gone, Liz still stresses that KODE stands out as one of the gems. 

With older, more self-sufficient children, Liz wanted to push herself to take on the next challenge in her career. “Joining KODE felt like a good opportunity to not only work with people I love and admire, but also a chance to channel my accumulated expertise into a new role. It feels like my entire career has built up to this job!”. says Liz.

Having worn both agency and production hats, Liz truly is a powerhouse production lead. She is looking forward to utilising her broad knowledge of the industry to elevate the production processes in-house at KODE, as well as supporting agencies, and previous colleagues, with her insight from the other side of the table. 

“Hiring Liz was one of the easiest choices we’ve ever made. With our shared ethos, and her experience producing both agency and production side, it was a no-brainer. She’s a stellar addition to the team.” says EP Jack Goodwin. 

KODE is renowned for producing some of the highest calibre work in the industry, so hiring Liz is a natural step to ensure that their production team is equipped to take on every industry-defining project that comes their way.