Pictured, back row, left to right, are non-executive director Lesley Gulliver with client services director Alice Broadbent, with, front row, from left to right, founder and managing director Darren Evans and creative director Leo Parker of The Engine Room

The Engine Room unveils new board

Kirklees-based strategic brand agency The Engine Room has announced a new senior leadership team as it marks its 25th year in business.

Founder Darren Evans has moved into the role of managing director, following the departure of long-standing managing director Lesley Gulliver, who stepped down at the end of last year.

Lesley will remain a shareholder and non-executive director.

The agency has also promoted long-serving team member Leo Parker to the board in his role as creative director.

He is joined at board level by Alice Broadbent, who was appointed client services director last year and brings more than 16 years’ experience across brand, strategy and growth.

The leadership changes follow a record year for The Engine Room, which delivered 23 per cent revenue growth, and come as the agency targets further expansion in 2026.

Darren said: “The Engine Room’s story – our first ‘act’ – began in 2001, and I had strong ambitions for the agency I wanted to create and the work I knew we could achieve.

“But over the years, I learned what I wasn’t good at. It took 12 months, a lot of mistakes – and plenty of stress – to realise I needed the right business partner to allow me to be the founder I wanted to be.

“Appointing Lesley as managing director – ‘act two’ – is hands down the best business decision I’ve ever made.

“She brought experience, critical and strategic thinking, a tight handle on the numbers and a black and white view of things to counter my creative ‘grey’ matter.

“Our partnership inspired me to do things The Engine Room would likely never have ever done, and we had the confidence to take on exciting and challenging projects, together.

“Just because you own a business doesn’t mean you have to be the boss.

“But we spent three years planning for Lesley’s exit, and now is the right time, with the right senior leadership team, for me to move into that role.

There’s no denying we operate in a crowded market, but ‘act three’ is about us owning the reputation we’ve proudly carved for ourselves over the past quarter century, in a segment of the vibrant creative industry that has always been our specialism.”

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