The Alchemy Network Team.
Our team
FOUNDER & CEO
Glyn Shadwell
Glyn is the founder & CEO of Alchemy Network. Glyn has a strong Tech, Startup and Scaleup pedigree having spent recent years holding Executive positions at Mporium Group PLC, an AIM-listed tech Startup where he was COO, and Quantcast as Director of Clients & Strategy.
Beginning his career as a media planner and buyer, Glyn has worked across networks including Dentsu Aegis and Omnicom, before founding Candela Communications, a full-service agency spanning Digital, Media, Creative, and PR in 2005, which was acquired by IPG in 2010.
Glyn has held Executive positions across the world’s largest agencies, consultancies, and media agencies working with a wide array of clients including Apple, British Airways, British Gas, Sony, HSBC and Exxon Mobil.
Glyn is an investor in early-stage companies and also holds advisory positions in a number of organisations.
HEAD OF ENGAGEMENT
David Spon-Smith
Having worked for some of the world's biggest digital publishers, marketing agencies, and consultancies, David has a deep understanding of the challenges that advertisers and tech companies face.
David has held senior commercial roles at high-profile brands within the advertising and tech space. These include Accenture, the Guardian, MailOnline and Haymarket.
During his time at the Guardian, David developed the 'Audience Not Platforms' audience planning tool. This became the precursor to PAMCo, the publishing industry's primary audience measurement system.
David is well connected within the media and tech space and brings with him a wealth of expertise.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Rachel Fernandez-Vidal
Rachel has a unique business perspective having worked with a broad cross-section of clients through different sectors and disciplines - in media agency, PR agency and in-house teams.
She spent 15 years in top 10 media agencies, running busy retail accounts including John Lewis, Starbucks and Sony Music. She has also worked client side, as Marketing Director for an independent beauty business, and as communications, marketing and new business consultant for a PR agency specialising in data and tech.
Rachel's experience gives her a well-rounded understanding of the different challenges that brands and agencies face, and all the processes involved behind the scenes.
She enjoys working with a variety of businesses and helping to connect them to new opportunities for innovation and creativity through the Alchemy Network Discovery Programme.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Kevin O’Mara
Kevin is an experienced digital marketer with expertise in Paid and Owned Media channels.
He began his career as a digital planner and buyer at the UK's second-largest independent agency, managing campaigns for clients like Yorkshire Tea, Gamble Aware, Kopparberg, Hiscox Insurance, and Dunelm.
Later, Kevin joined Haymarket's Content Marketing Agency as a Digital Marketing Manager, where he worked with renowned brands such as the FA, World Athletics, and the Army on content strategy, SEO, CRM management, and organic social.
Now, Kevin helps approximately 400 brands through Alchemy Network's Discovery Programme, leveraging his broad industry knowledge to drive innovation.
FINANCE DIRECTOR
Antonia Vanbergen
Antonia has over 12 years of experience in the accountancy and tax sector, qualifying both as a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser. Her background ranges from training as an auditor at a small central London audit firm, to working in the Private Client Tax team at Ernst & Young with a range of high net worth individuals and as an in-house finance director for a hedge fund/family office.
She now runs her own portfolio of clients, and acts as the finance director for Alchemy Network. She has won a variety of awards and accolades for high performance in her technical exams, and graduated from The Queen’s College, University of Oxford with a Masters in Chemistry.
ADVISORS, CONSULTANTS & SCOUTS
Our collective
We work with an incredible network of senior advisors, consultants and scouts. This phenomenal team are very engaged with the business and advise on on business strategy, run sessions and identify pioneering technology companies.
“Alchemy Network help fuel our innovation, sharpen our competitive edge, and instil a passion for lifelong learning. I can’t recommend them enough.”
OLIVER WOOLASTON, MANAGING PARTNER, DENTSU