ROBERT LYLE - MEDIA DIRECTOR

First class Honours graduate in History & Politics, University of York, 1984 where his thesis on Clann na Poblachta involved interviewing Nobel Laureate Dr Sean MacBride and Dr. Noel Browne.

MBA Open University 1996.

Up to 1995 worked as National Accounts Manager for Belfast Telegraph responsible for sales to the UK's top advertising agencies, media independents and clients including Vauxhall, Ford, Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Boots, Budweiser, Guinness, Bells, Texstyle World, B&Q, Allied Carpets, Texas, Kwik Fit, Central Office of Information, Halifax, Alliance & Leicester, Nationwide and many others.

Account Direction on National Safety Council (the Road and Fire Safety education body for the Republic of Ireland) including launches of major TV campaigns for Anti-Speeding, Drink-Driving and Seatbelts from 1996 to date; and has worked on various other accounts such as Cookstown, Andersonstown News Group (including the Aisling Awards and the launch of Ireland's first Irish language daily, La), Belfast Chamber of Trade, The Mirror, Dillon Bass, The Maiden City Festival, Fuel Services, Moy Park and Livestock and Meat Commission.

Responsible for the marketing launch of the Belfast Giants Ice Hockey team in December 2000 - when many said it had no chance of success - and for generating the largest sponsorship deals in the history of sport in Northern Ireland with Harp Lager, gem, BTNI, Rover and others for the Belfast Giants.

As Media Director since 1999, Robert has overseen the entire media function. Key developments have included investment in TV ratings data technology and training for Ulster and ROI (via DDS and Nielsen Media), Target Group Index (TGI) and introduction of Media planning systems into the agency including Effective Frequency Modelling, Prophecy, Media in Mind, Intuition and Total Impact Planner. As well as planning and buying across a range of clients, he has also overseen the development of a Media Review Process to ensure that all media performance is fully reported and improved upon.

He lobbied to ensure that Channel 4 Digital broadcasts Northern Ireland regional commercial output instead of national commercial output from March 2001; responsible for RTE setting up a Belfast office to trade airtime and the development of pan Ireland and pan UK media buying skills.

Appointed to Universal McCann UK Board, January 2000 he was previously a Committee Member of the Northern Ireland Branch of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Sat on Magna Ireland board in 2003 - the media buying alliance of Universal McCann and Initiative Media.

Married to Jane with two children, Patrick and Phoebe, he is an IRFU mini rugby coach at Bangor RFC, supports Liverpool FC and enjoys tennis, cricket and most other sport. Watching films and reading books are his other main hobbies.

FIONA ROONEY - PSYCHOLOGY DIRECTOR

Fiona heads up and directs LyleBailie's Psychology Research Unit - a department pioneered by Fiona from 1993 to 1994 when she was our first-ever Advertising Psychologist. Her role as our Psychology Director in the LyleBailie Psychology Research Unit is unique within any advertising agency in Ireland or the United Kingdom.

Fiona brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in research to road safety advertising and, as a specialist in added-value analysis, she contributes many new added-value insights to techniques for testing and tracking advertising. She is also deeply committed to our absolute determination to deliver Independence and Probity of Research through the Psychology Research Unit.

With extensive public sector experience, Fiona designs, implements and analyses research initiatives including creative pre-testing, qualitative research and quantitative benchmarking and tracking surveys.

KEN SCOTT - CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR

Ken joined the agency in 1990 and is responsible for Peugeot, the agency’s longest standing client. With more than 14 years’ experience within the Northern Ireland car market, he has extensive understanding of working with a manufacturer's dealer network.

DAVID MARTIN - MEDIA PLANNING MANAGER

David has been fully immersed in media planning and buying since joining the agency in June 2003. As a key planner in the media planning and buying process for campaigns including Road Safety (North and South), The Electoral Commission (NI), Fire Safety and Office of Tobacco Control (in the Republic of Ireland), he is involved in daily interaction and negotiation with contractors. With a detailed knowledge of the media market throughout Ireland including TV, national and local radio, national and local press, outdoor, ambient and Internet media he is fully experienced in securing best price negotiation with media suppliers. David was also a principal author on the "Long Term Effectiveness of Seatbelts' TV Advertising" which was short listed for the ThinkBox TV planning awards in a category with major advertisers including Morrison's Supermarket and Coca Cola.

AVRIL THOMPSON - STUDIO MANAGER

With over 21 years' experience Avril has extensive knowledge of the advertising industry and now manages a very busy studio with responsibility for all print buying.

BRENDAN McALEENAN - ART DIRECTOR

As winner of the Barclays Bank Graduate Award for Design, Brendan's extensive portfolio of design work includes the Front Cover and Outdoor Poster for the Good Friday Agreement - one of Northern Ireland's most famous media icons.

SONIA LAUGHLIN - TV PRODUCER

Sonia joined McCann-Erickson in 1988 and is responsible for all the agency's TV production, commercial editing and corporate videos - playing a significant role in the production of numerous award winning commercials.

JOHANNA LYLE - CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S ASSISTANT & CPD MANAGER

After graduating from the University of Manchester with Joint Honours in Latin and English, Johanna joined LyleBailie in 2005. In 2006 Johanna created and produced LyleBailie International's first ever Literacy Manual, "Literacy Speaks Volumes About You"; the essential English language and grammar guide for all staff, clients and suppliers alike. As CPD Manager has achieved four consecutive IPA Continuous Professional Development accreditations for LyleBailie (the first IPA agency in NI with both IPA Effectiveness Awards and CPD recognition). Our CPD system maintains best practice, ensures inclusivity of development of all staff and encourages individual buy-in to on-going learning and development, right through the career chain, keeping our staff members alerts to the needs of public sector, private sector and recruitment clients, and the changing demands of the communications' landscape.

JOHN ABBOTT - FINANCIAL DIRECTOR

John Abbott recently retired from McCann-Erickson. He is the former Chief Financial Officer of McCann-Erickson UK and Ireland and the former Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer of McCann-Erickson World Group UK.   In these roles he was responsible for advertising billings of up to £900m and a headcount of 1800.

John's vast professional experience and financial expertise ensures that the Directors of LyleBailie International benefit from the guidance and counsel of a world-class advisor, thus freeing them up to focus on delivering for all clients.

As the longest serving employee of McCann-Erickson Belfast, Mairead joined the agency in 1975, from a purely media-orientated background, working both in London and Belfast.

She has acquired an in-depth knowledge of all public sector procedures, having worked with many government bodies for over 20 years, in addition to working with Northern Ireland's largest companies.

As Accounts Manager, she is responsible for overseeing and ensuring the smooth flow and accuracy of all billing procedures, working closely with the Account Directors and Managers to ensure that all client enquiries are answered and resolved efficiently and effectively.

Mairead was promoted to Company Secretary in Summer 1999.