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About Us
Mark & May is a design-to-market business, founded by design and engineering director (Simon) Mark Joynson-Bickerstaffe and global market strategist, Laura (May) Joynson-Bickerstaffe. So you can see how we got to our company name, our middle names, our core the very heart of us. Why Mark’s parents named him Simon but use Mark is a question that gets asked at many a family get togethers, but still remains one of life’s many mysteries.
We deliver astute perspective on global culture and meaningful, forward-focused business solutions. We go beyond just giving expert advice. We take the time to get to know the people and products we are working with and get under customers’ skin to develop successful, unique business propositions for this increasingly competitive world.
Mark Joynson-Bickerstaffe
Culture-smith. Global strategist.
Inventor, designer, engineer & maker.
Mark’s entrepreneurial leadership and commercial talents were forged leading research design and development during the first ten years of Dyson, inventive pioneers of the domestic appliance industry (which led to the coveted claim to fame of being name-checked in James Dyson’s autobiography!)
He spent 15 years as Global Director of New Product Development at Kohler, the number one Kitchen & Bath company worldwide. Here he was directly responsible for modernising the product portfolios of Kohler, Jacob Delafon, Mira, RADA, Englefield and Karat brands.
Throughout his time, Mark was an advocate and enabler of the evolution of corporate culture to unleash its inventive potential. Mark built organisations which overcame geographic and functional siloes, established a global innovation exchange mechanism and grew Kohler’s credibility as a design-led global brand.
He led activities which put Kohler in the heart of the design conversation worldwide. He has many published articles and has spoken as a design ambassador worldwide.
Laura May Joynson-Bickerstaffe
Leader in product portfolio management.
Brand visionary.
She specialises in marketing strategy and business planning, working with multi- disciplinary, global teams to build, launch and grow brands and products into both B2C and B2B markets.
Laura’s experience was founded delivering insight driven innovations to market across EMEA and APAC for Kohler, the number one Kitchen & Bath company worldwide. Laura managed a multi-brand, multi-channel portfolio, gaining diverse commercial experience in assessing opportunity and risk to inform proposals to the Board.
Whilst working and living in the APAC region, she implemented effective cross-regional working practices and navigated cultural nuances to maximize NPD strategy and execution effectiveness, building brand presence beyond its main market, China. As a brand ambassador, she delivered on-brand communications consistently across borders whilst tailoring products and assets to meet local cultures and regulations.
Laura has since worked with businesses and budgets of varying sizes, developing and implementing competitive positioning strategies for market leaders, new market entrants and fighter brands. Through building effective teams and establishing best practice, she works cross-functionally to deliver on commercial goals.
