Allan Maxwell
Copywriting
Production Editor
About: Allan works closely with designers and writers to deliver effective communi- cations online and in print, and liaises with clients, print brokers and image libraries to ensure the smooth running of various Zone projects.
Strange but true: Allan once sold a puffa jacket to Jon Boy Walton, an art theory book to Sharon Stone and slept next to the whole of Westlife on a trans- atlantic night flight.
Louise Bertoncini
Film4
Offline Editor, Film4
About: Louise freelanced making music videos for local bands while studying and for the past 2 years has been a full-time editor in commercial and corporate TV post-production in Australia. She's the new offline editor for C4's Movie Rush and is responsible for sourcing footage and organising license agreements.
Strange but true: Louise once edited for 50 hours straight.
Andy Butland
Technology
IT Director
About: Andy leads Zone's technology team in the production of database driven web sites and Intranet applications. Qualified as a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer, he has strong skills in .NET, SQL Server, ASP, XML and systems design.
Strange but true: In his youth Andy achieved three gold runs on cult quiz show Blockbusters.
Richard Sullivan
Design
Art Director
About: Since joining Zone in 2000, Richard has led the creative team on a wide-range of print and web projects for clients including the BBC, FremantleMedia, lastminute.com, Marvel and Unilever.
Strange but true: Richard once came a heroic second in a rib eating competition. He demolished 3 racks of ribs, a bowl of fries and some spicy beans on the way to a silver medal.
Amanda Prosser
Public Zone
Director of Strategy, Public Zone
About: Amanda joined us in 2006 with over ten years' experience in PR and marketing communications in the UK and Australia. She's developed campaigns for a range of public sector organisations. Much of her work has focused on changing consumer attitudes and behaviour.
Strange but true: Amanda was forced to move out of her house in Australia when a nest of Huntsman spiders hatched in her bedroom.
Dan Willis
BT Vision
Deputy Editor, BT Vision Sport
About: Dan joined Zone in the summer of 2007 as deputy editor on the BT Vision SPORT website and magazine. Prior to this, he spent time writing for and editing numerous publications and websites about technology, travel and sport.
Strange but true: During his hard-up backpacking days, Dan was once pictured on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald in a sandwich board promoting a software programme.
Ros McLaren
Reception
Office Manager/ Reception
About: Ros has been at Zone since it started. She looks after reception and ensures that the building (and everyone in it) is ticking over like a well-oiled machine.
Strange but true: Long before her illustrious career here at Zone, Ros demonstrated Spacehoppers for a living.
Rowan Lloyd
Technology
IT Support Manager
About: Rowan works in Zone's technical department providing desktop support for our Apple Mac and PC networked computers. He also manages the implementation of new computer systems, IT projects and Zone's IT maintenance.
Strange but true: Rowan once accidentally asked David Hasselhoff for directions in Las Vegas.
Adam Shutler
Public Zone
Designer, Public Zone
About: Adam joined Public Zone at the beginning of 2007 from 4 Creative where he spent 4 years after graduating in Product Design from Brunel University. He works on a variety of print and online projects from conception through to production.
Strange but true: Adam almost lost a toe whilst being forced to do the Scottish sword dance as a child.
Clare Mitchell
Client Services
Account Manager
About: Clare manages the FremantleMedia account, liaising with the client and designers as well as assisting in the production of their varied marketing items. Having managed projects at Lloyds of London for 4 years she is enjoying the change of industry (and being able to wear jeans to work).
Strange but true: Despite her diminutive stature, at 16 Clare was the second best high jumper in her school. The number one ranked girl was 6'1".
James Freedman
Management
Chief Executive
About: James launched Manchester United magazine in 1993 - it became the biggest-selling sports mag in the UK. Since 2000 he's overseen brand development of some of the world's leading sports and entertainment brands and is a co-founder and director of Urban Golf and icons.com.
Strange but true: James is a three times undefeated winner of the Groucho Club quiz.
Chris Gibbons
BT Vision
Staff Writer BT Vision Sport
About: Chris graduated to his current position at BT Vision SPORT after a three-month work-experience spell with Icons.com. He spends most of his time coming up with mildly witty puns and trying to squeeze as much pro-Tottenham propaganda into his work as possible.
Strange but true: Former England wicket-keeper Alec Stewart once swore at a ten-year-old version of Chris at a charity cricket match.
Richard Luck
Film4
Senior Staff Writer/ Sub-Editor, Film4
About: The author of books on Steve McQueen and the Beastie Boys, Richard has also written for Total Film, Rolling Stone, Hotdog and Empire.
Strange but true: Richard has had lunch with Stephen Fry, tea with David Attenborough and a beer with Simon Pegg. He is also one of the country's top wrestling journalists, a fact of which he amazingly isn't ashamed.
Dan McNamara
Public Zone
Account Manager, Public Zone
About: Dan joined Public Zone after 7 years at leading magazine publisher Future, where he had a wide rage of roles, from editing technology magazines to managing website projects.
Strange but true: Dan once captained a cricket team that included England internationals Chris Reed and Ben Hollioake.
Matt Simpson
BT Vision
Editor, BT Vision Sport
About: Matt Simpson has been an editor at Zone on and off since 2000, and has launched the Children's BBC Sport website and the lastminute.com and HomeChoice magazines. In between he has trawled around the publishing industry, writing about everything from food to film to Atomic Kitten. Despite supporting Leyton Orient, he does love football and is currently editor of the BT Vision Sport website.
Strange but true: Matt once sent Bobby Gillespie into a fit of rage after claiming that Frankie Goes to Hollywood should be considered a genuine punk band.
Jon Davie
Management
Publishing Director
About: Jon joined Zone as Publishing Director in the summer of 2005. Prior to joining Zone, he edited the award-winning website for London's successful 2012 Olympic Games bid. Before London 2012, he was editor of the travel and leisure website lastminute.com.
Strange but true: Jon once sat in the audience for a recording of the Jerry Springer Show in Chicago.
Jon Fortgang
Film4
Reviews Editor, Film4
About: Jon has been the site's reviews editor since 2005. If you want 600 words on any gloomy European arthouse film, or an obscure documentary about some band you've never heard of, he's your man. Jon commissions all the reviews on the site, as well as writing quite a few of them himself.
Strange but true: Jon has been to every Killing Joke gig in London since 1990.
Anna Kissin
Management
Finance Director
About: Anna is the director of business and legal affairs, and a founder of Zone. A graduate of Yale University, she received her MBA from the Wharton School of Business and an MSc in International Political Economics from LSE.
Strange but true: Anna has conducted the London Symphony Orchestra and danced with Eric Cantona (not simultaneously!).
Chris Windle
BT Vision
Staff Writer, BT Vision Sport
About: Chris has three years' journalistic experience working across sport, lifestyle and property titles, including regular work for the property section of The Times. He recently joined BT Vision SPORT as senior staff writer.
Strange but true: Chris has played football with some of the biggest names in football and showbiz: Tony Robinson, Sting's son and Burnley left winger Jon Harley.
Nicola Probert
Public Zone
Designer, Public Zone
About: After studying art and design at Central St Martins and completing a bachelors degree in design at Goldsmiths, Nicola went on to work on a wide array of commissions within the creative industries. These included production design and art direction for Universal Music TV and illustration for Cacharel. Nicola joined Public Zone in 2007, where she works on concept and design.
Strange but true: Nicola can walk on her hands, stand on her head and do back-flips.
Sascha Wolter
Technology
Web Developer
About: Sascha's career path to his current role as web developer has certainly been circuitous. In his native Germany he completed both civil and military service and worked as a banker before studying computer sciences and philosophy. He joined Zone in 2007.
Strange but true: Sascha is a fully qualified volleyball and basketball coach.
Jonathan Simmons
Public Zone
Managing Director, Public Zone
About: Jonathan set up Public Zone after 5 years at Zone, the last three as Publishing Director working with clients such as Channel 4, O2, Yahoo, BBC, FremantleMedia and Marvel. He oversees all content development and delivers solutions from print to online and multimedia.
Strange but true: Jonathan is a qualified riding instructor.
Dan Jamieson
Strategy
Head of Strategy
About: Dan does many things at Zone including account managing, strategy and project management. He's worked at The Guardian & The Observer, gone online at workthing.com and lastminute.com, been at 4creative inside Channel 4 and was Head of Marketing at Capital Radio.
Strange but true: Dan once graced the hallowed turf of Anfield, playing in the final of a school's football tournament as a kid. He lost.
Laura Greene
Icons
Staff Writer, Icons
About: Laura has been staff writer on Icons since August 2006, where she is responsible for interviewing football players, liasing with their agents and writing their personal web pages, plus extra features and news stories for worldwide syndication. Before coming to Icons Laura worked on the sports desk of both BBC London Radio and The Argus Newspaper in Brighton and Hove.
Strange but true: Laura Greene is trained in telekinisis and can move furniture by simply wiggling her eyebrows.
Richard Davis
Technology
Senior Web Developer
About: Richard has returned for his second stint at Zone having spent the previous three years developing a medical search engine. He works mainly with the technical team to specify, design and develop data-driven websites in ASP.NET.
Strange but true: Richard was once interviewed by an early version of Ali G on Cable TV.
Charlie Cottrell
4Food
Staff Writer, 4Food
About: Charlie graduated with a first class degree and MA in classics, specialising in the role of food and nutrition in Roman medicine. Before returning to food writing, she wrote for History Today and historytoday.com. Like many a journalist before her, Charlie dabbles in writing fiction and had her first work published in January 2007.
Strange but true: As a child, Charlie featured in a Dutch TV programme after the director thought she looked more authentic than the actual Dutch actress.
Tom Rollett
Icons
Editor, Icons
About: Tom became editor of Icons in 2003, after two years as deputy editor. Tom has also written, subbed or done page layout for publications including NME, GQ, News of the World, FourFourTwo, Champions, Amateur Photographer and the Reading Evening Post.
Strange but true: Iggy Pop once spat in Tom's eye.
Joe Ryrie
Copywriting
Copywriter
About: After graduating with a first class degree from the University of Leeds in 2004, Joe spent eighteen months honing his writing skills in the world of magazine publishing. Joe is now responsible for creating sparkling copy across the Zone spectrum.
Strange but true: Joe was once reprimanded by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Apparently Arnie wasn't down with his choice of footwear.
Mark Hague
Public Zone
Web Developer, Public Zone
About: After completing a degree in theology, Mark went on to gain an MSc in computing from the University of North London. Since then he has worked for Endemol and AMX and on a multitude of freelance projects for clients such as Barclays, Camelot, Ladbrokes and Channel 4. He has worked at Zone since 2005.
Strange but true: Mark's great-great-great-grandfather rang the bells at Queen Victoria's wedding.
Sarah Dunleavy
Design
Senior Designer
About: Sarah first freelanced for us back in 2004 and came to work for us properly in 2006 as senior designer. She works across all Zone projects, including Fremantlemedia and Icons as well as being an integral part in the creation of some rather inspired pitchwork.
Strange but true: Between the ages of five and seven Sarah drank a glass of Guiness every day - on doctors orders.
Richard Hyde
Design
Designer
About: Richard has been a designer at Zone for three years and has worked on a range of on- and off-line projects, including the delicious. magazine website, FremantleMedia, FilmFour's Movie Rush, Capital Radio, Icons.com and Unilever among others.
Strange but true: Prior to his graphic design career Richard was a manager in Harrods, selling chandeliers.
Sam Loomes
Technology
Junior Developer
About: Sam graduated with a first-class degree from the University of Nottingham & enjoyed a stint at a Soho visual-effects company before joining Zone midway through 2008. He now spends his time constructing websites as well as writing noise-rock and pretending to be interested in pretentious art movies.
Strange but true: Sam has sung on stage with Japanese punk band Polysics. He doesn't speak Japanese.
Ali Catterall
Film4
Staff Writer, Film4
About: Ali co-writes Movie Rush, Channel 4's weekly film round-up. He has written and broadcasted for Channel 4, the BBC and The Guardian. He is the co-author of Your Face Here: British Cult Movies Since the Sixties.
Strange but true: As well as being the second cousin three times removed of Lord Ernie Rutherford (the man who split the atom), Ali once threw up over Lemmy from Motorhead at a party.
Matt McNally
Film4
Director, Movie Rush
About: Matt puts together Zone's weekly film show, Movie Rush, which broadcasts on Film4 and also online. He joined the company from the BBC, where he produced entertainment content for the red button service.
Strange but true: For a short while the local policeman where Matt grew up was World's Strongest Man, Geoff Capes.
Karen Byrne
Client Services
Head of Client Services
About: As Head of Client Services, Karen leads Zone's account management team. Karen has 15 years' media marketing experience, most recently as Deputy Marketing Director at The Evening Standard. She previously worked at The Guardian where she was responsible for promotion of their Berliner re-launch as well as managing a number of other major above-the-line campaigns.
Strange but true: When Karen was 16 she led a strike over school dinners that made it onto London Tonight.
Marc Parnell
Management
CTO
About: Marc set up Quantum, specialising in bridging the gap between senior management and IT for blue chip clients. Now a board director, he heads up the development of IT systems and database solutions for our clients.
Strange but true: Marc once had a doctor's certificate allowing him to chew gum at school.
Kiril Petrov
Accounts
Accounts
About: Kiril moved to London from Bulgaria four years ago to further his financial career and experience another culture. He joined the Zone financial department earlier this year where he is responsible for accounts payable and receivable.
Strange but true: When working as a bond dealer in Bulgaria, the bank Kiril worked for was forced to close due to 3000% inflation.
Matthew De Abaitua
Film4
Editor, Film4
About: Matthew was also editor of FilmFour magazine, wrote and presented the documentary series SF:UK (9x30) on Channel 4 and has executed numerous ad campaigns for the channel. Before Zone he was at The Guardian and he remains editor-at-large for The Idler.
Strange but true: When absinthe was reintroduced to Britain at the turn of the millennium Matthew wrote the adline declaring 'Party Like It's 1899'.
Hannah Forbes Black
Public Zone
Copywriter/Project Manager, Public Zone
About: After freelancing on Public Zone projects for about three years, Hannah is now their full-time copywriter and project manager. Before, she had a series of more or less ridiculous jobs, including writing marketing material for a domestic airline in Tanzania, the Scandinavian chapters of the Rough Guide to Europe, and a very short-lived column in the Weekend Guardian.
Strange but true: Hannah's uncle Philippe has featured on a Belgian stamp.
Alison Ratcliffe
Icons
Deputy Editor, Icons
About: Alison works for Icons interviewing footballers and commissioning interviews with players around the world for the bespoke syndication service. She joined Zone in 2007 after working as features editor for UEFA's Champions League magazine, following a wild career swing from the Ministry of Justice.
Strange but true: Having dated a millionaire and an MBE, Alison wonders if she should have played her cards better.
Steve Ryan
Icons
Marketing Manager, Icons
About: Steve recently joined the Icons team at Zone having previously marketed magazines, sporting events, awards ceremonies and managed the launch of six award-winning magazine websites. He is now responsible for marketing the Icons website and merchandise range.
Strange but true: Steve was once arrested for allegedly smuggling a grenade out of Laos.
Sarah Quirk
Public Zone
Group Account Director, Public Zone
About: Sarah is a marketing communications specialist with over 8 years of experience in digital and print, and a Masters in Internet Communications. Prior to joining Public Zone, Sarah worked for organisations such as Mission Australia, St.George Bank and the University of Newcastle (Australia) as well as advertising agencies like Publicis and Kastner & Partners.
Strange but true: Sarah is a qualified sandwich artist.
Jack Cole
Design
Designer
About: Since graduating in 2000, Jack has spent 3/7th of his time as in-house designer, 3/7th as a freelancer and the rest of the time staring at ceilings. During his spell at Zone he's helped redesign websites for Glyndebourne and Nude Skincare and assisted on a variety of successful pitches.
Strange but true: Jack idolises Nigel Mandela.
Holly Griggs-Spall
Film4
Editorial Assistant, Film4
About: Holly has worked at McSweeney's, Debrett's, Vogue and Screen International, and written for The Guardian, TheTimes, Curzon magazine and Little White Lies.
Strange but true: Holly illustrates storybooks, one of which, The Tumbledweed and The Pirate, has been made into a movie.
Neil Cumpstey
Technology
Web Developer
About: Before joining Zone in 2007, Neil enjoyed a rather different career as a research chemist. He worked at Oxford University and Georgia Tech, Atlanta on organic LEDs and non-linear optics.
Strange but true: Neil is envious of so many Zone employees having met famous people. The most famous person he's met is a cat. He lived with up to 20 Maine Coons in Atlanta, and followed them to the occasional cat show.
Isabel Milner
Client Services
Account Manager
About: Isabel has over 15 years' media experience and was PR Manager for the Guardian and Guardian Unlimited for over six years. She has also worked on publicity and marketing campaigns for The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 Drama and for various arts organizations.
Strange but true: Isabel was once eliminated from a show jumping competition for swearing at the horse.
William Barraclough
Design
Art Director
About: William joined Zone as Art Director at the start of 2008. Prior to joining Zone, he spent 5 years in Soho editing commercials for clients including Vodafone, Surf Europe, & Channel4. Before that he worked at numerous top digital agencies including BOX, Yahoo! Europe and eMC Saatchi.
Strange but true: William edited the last feature film that Sir Alan Bates worked on before his death in 2004. It went on to win numerous awards including 'Best International Feature' at the LA Independent Film Festival in 2006.
Jo Shaw
Public Zone
Account Manager, Public Zone
About: A trained product design engineer, Jo spent five years studying in Glasgow before embarking on a career in Westminster – helping the Government understand the value of design to the UK economy. Jo joined Public Zone in August 2008 and currently runs the Business in Schools pilot project.
Strange but true: Jo once laughed so loud her jaw locked, meaning she couldn’t shut her mouth.
Asif Malik
Public Zone
IT Director, Public Zone
About: Asif recently joined Public Zone to oversee their technological development team.
Strange but true: Asif is an enigma.
Martha Paren
Public Zone
Project Manager, Public Zone
About: Martha joined Public Zone in 2008 having previously worked as a graduate PR executive. She has a range of experience across the voluntary sector, including working on a radio station in HMP Wandsworth and working with youth homelessness charity Centrepoint.
Strange but true: Martha once received a birthday card from Robert Mugabe.
Hannah Williams
4Food
Staff Writer, Channel 4 Food
About: Hannah joined Zone from the FT where she spent two years delving around in the murky world of pensions. Dedicated to gourmet cuisine, Hannah co-runs a food blog celebrating fine dining in and around Hackney. She is also a trained language teacher and has worked across Europe eating cheese and teaching English.
Strange but true: Hannah spent several months working as a steel worker's wench in a Sheffield museum where, due to a lack of custom, she spent her days dressed in full 17th century garb doing the Metro crossword.
Dominic Da Costa
Technology
Senior Developer
About: South African Dom has worked as a developer since 2000. Before joining Zone in August 2008 Dom spent four and a half years working at World Golf Systems where he was responsible for designing and implementing a variety of back end systems.
Strange but true: Aged 12 Dom won a Coca-Cola-sponsored Yo-Yo contest, completing over 180 loop-de-loops to claim first prize.
Olly Parsons
Film4
Picture Editor, Channel 4 Film
About: Olly has previously worked with most Page 3 models as a photography studio manager and a picture researcher for Loaded magazine. His current role is marginally less titillating; he manages picture content for the Film4 and 4Food websites.
Strange but true: If you get Olly started talking about cars it is impossible to shut him up.
Rory McClenaghan
Icons
Staff Writer, Icons.com
About: Rory was hired by Icons.com after a glorious spell on the news desk of the UK's second most popular non-league football newspaper. Exclusives on darts players who also follow Ramsgate and the exploits of Jason 'the sweeper' Broomhead were enough to persuade the powers that be to give him a job. He now writes for the personal websites of players slightly higher up the football ladder.
Strange but true: Rory is allergic to cheesy biscuits after eating too many on a family holiday to Great Yarmouth in 1988.
Gina Schauffer
4Food
Editor, 4Food
About: Gina kicked off her career as music editor on the Time Out-style listings magazine, SA Citylife, before moving to the UK in 2001. She joined weightwatchers.co.uk in 2002 and worked her way up to editor, eventually taking on weightwatchers.au.com in 2007. Gina joined Channel4.com/food as editor in May 2008 and has gained a lot of weight since.
Strange but true: South African Gina spent her very early years in the UK, but didn't make a good impression: she was expelled from her pre-school in Wakefield for hitting a small boy over the head.