Over the past few months, we've spoken a lot about our journey and what it means to have achieved 140 years in business. We're incredibly proud of our heritage, as well as the success we've achieved over that time. Success that's attributable not only to our amazing clients, old and new, but also to the leadership that has guided Ruddocks through challenging times and seized opportunities to grow.
That same leadership has supported our evolution from local printers to Creative Production Agency. It's a story marked by change and progress, with twists, turns and new chapters shaped by a changing marketplace and the evolving needs of our clients.
One of the most significant chapters came in the 1990s with the creation of our design studio. Since then, it has grown into a vital part of the business, offering full creative consultancy services and now accounts for a significant amount of our total revenue.
The studio has been led by Creative Director Ian Cant for the past 17 years, supported for the last 14 by Head of Client Strategy, Andy Clayton, a partnership that has played a huge role in building our creative offering.
The continued growth of the studio, combined with our ambition to further push creativity across every part of Ruddocks, has led to an important shift in our leadership, and one that forms part of a wider strategic plan for the business as we look ahead to the next stage of our journey.
Creative thinking at the heart of client services
Ian Cant has moved into the role of Client Services Director, where he will be focusing his expertise on supporting our client relationship and development team to maximise partnerships and opportunities with both new and existing clients.
Ian's approach has always been centred around helping people achieve their objectives, whether that's mentoring his team or working alongside clients as a creative consultant. Over many years, he has built strong relationships rooted in collaboration, insight, and shared goals. His background in design, management style, and passion for mentoring make him ideally placed to drive growth and creativity across the business.
In this new role, Ian will focus on shaping client strategy, strengthening relationships, and working alongside the team to reinforce our reputation as a supplier of choice. Through exploring our clients' goals and making sure they understand the full breadth of our offering, and not just products and services, Ian will help to build partnerships based on shared values and long-term success.
This new role is a very positive step, both for me personally and for the business; allowing us to continue building strong partnerships, helping clients achieve their objectives and get the very best from Ruddocks, together with supporting the people and culture that make us who we are.
Leading the creative studio forward
As Ian steps out of the studio, Andy Clayton has moved into a new role, now leading the creative team as Creative Services Director.
Andy has led on client brand strategy and marketing at Ruddocks for over a decade and has been instrumental in the development of key creative clients, including British Steel, the NHS, Greencore, Visit Lincoln and the University of Lincoln. Alongside this, he has played a key role in recruitment and mentoring across the business, supporting team members, work experience students, and clients alike.
Andy will build on the strong foundations already in place within the studio and marketing teams, continuing to shape and grow the studio as well as our creative consultancy offer, and ensure creativity remains at the core of everything we do.
Looking Ahead
These changes represent a strategic step forward for Ruddocks. They strengthen the connection between client services and creative, support the development of our people, and help ensure we remain competitive, relevant, and agile as we continue to evolve as a creative production agency.
It's another important chapter in our story, and one that paves the way for the chapters to come.