2000 – 2003: Media Square plc – Non-Executive Chairman and Founder Director

Media Square plc is a full service media and marketing group which offers a revolutionary concept for offline and online communications.

During Chris Swan’s first year at Media Square in 2000, he worked closely with the Executive Management team to successfully implement the Group’s strategy he had devised as part of his long term plan. After a just a few months as the Non-Executive Chairman and Founder Director of the company, Chris Swan and Media Square created organic and acquisition led growth that resulted in a successful AIM listing in June 2008, at which point returns of fifteen times start up investment were achieved.

With creative agencies in Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Chester and Birmingham, a printing operation in Birmingham and major photographic studios in Manchester and Leeds, Chris Swan and Media Square were able to devise new marketing campaigns which could be delivered successfully using online or conventional media.

During the three years following Media Squares’ AIM listing, Chris Swan achieved numerous milestones for both himself and more importantly, the company. Some of these include the following:

• Media Square secured a £1 million contract with BT for both their intranet and their extranet partner IT program.
• The company was responsible for creating and designing one third of the Argos catalogue.
• Chris Swan created a communications process for the Marks & Spencers graduate recruitment programme which was successfully implemented and carried out.
• Media Square built up a customer base of numerous blue chip companies including BT, KPMG, Jaguar, Argos, Railtrack, NEC Group and AXA Sun Life.
• In 2001 Chris Swan, through Media Square, acquired Equanim, a strategic marketing communications consultancy and marketing services support company for £1.2m million.

By the time Chris Swan left Media Square plc in 2003, he had achieved a growth of £10 for each £1 invested at the time of forming the company.