Meet The Team

Stephen Thorn DipM, ACIM: consultant, writer

Stephen founded Actual in 2005. He is an extremely hands-on Managing Director, providing constant creative input and direction to the business. An experienced and dynamic marketing professional, he has an engaging speaking style and enough new ideas to fill a wheelbarrow.

Stephen began his marketing career in a number of customer-focused roles including Commercial Account Manager. He then moved onto the role of Marketing Manager for the UK division of two US IT companies, before jointly founding the innovative b2b telemarketing start-up Blue Donkey as the Marketing Director.

Going solo, he acted as Marketing Consultant for the IT sector and leading fine art greeting card publisher Woodmansterne Publications. He went on to join Woodmansterne as their Director of Sales & Marketing before leaving to set up Actual Marketing Ltd.

Stephen is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (ACIM) and holds their Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing (DipM).

Suzie Dunbar BA (Hons): operations, data

Suzie co-founded the company with Stephen and is the company's Operations Director, providing day-to-day support for the smooth running of the company. Her vast knowledge of process and people management makes her perfectly placed to drive projects and accounts forward.

Suzie graduated from London South Bank University with a BA (Hons) degree in Modern Languages with International Studies. After graduating she spent twelve years with interior design supplier Zoffany, where she managed many different customer-orientated and computer implementation projects in her roles as Sales Office Manager and Export Sales Manager.

In 2001, Suzie became an independent Customer Service Consultant specialising in customer service teams and systems. She continues to consult on teams and business processes associated with customer service delivery.

Jeremy Wallis MA, PGCE, BSc (Econ): researcher, writer

With a degree in Politics from the London School of Economics, an MA in Economic History and Politics from London University and a PGCE from The University of Sheffield, Jeremy is a versatile and articulate qualitative researcher.

Jeremy's background in education, having taught in primary and secondary schools, gives him practical expertise in face to face dialogue and dynamic interaction. He has also worked in the voluntary sector as a fundraiser for charities and campaigning organisations, and is the author of several books including biographies, text books and career guides. He now combines writing with qualitative research for major educational and commercial clients.

Tania Dunstan BSc (Hons): financial controller, recruiter, researcher

Tania graduated with a Social Science Degree specialising in Criminology. Whilst waiting for a forensic science post in the police she took a role at a recruitment consultancy and stayed in the industry for 12 years as a recruitment consultant.

Becoming a senior manager of a well-known recruitment firm she gathered a wealth of experience in corporate growth and people development and counted amongst her clients, Powergen, Lloyds TSB, National Grid, Forensic Science Service, Jaguar Cars, Aston Martin and every major UK accountancy firm.
 
Tania moved to Cambridge in 2002 and expanded her experience working for smaller organisations as an in-house recruitment specialist as well as advising on public relations, marketing, business development and finance.

Dawn Leigh: designer, recruiter

Dawn is an experienced and talented all-rounder, with bags of artworking skills and the ability to recruit and telemarket effectively. She has a BTec in Business Studies, an NVQ in Desktop Publishing and a wealth of experience spanning Sales, Recruitment and Graphic Design.

Dawn gained ten years' experience in various Recruitment and Sales roles before taking a position as Production Assistant for a reprographics house. She spent two years as an Artworker for the Archant Herts and Cambs publishing group, with responsibility for property pages across several newspapers, and then held an artworking and graphic design position at Mouse Maneouvres. She joined the Actual in May 2007.

Ralph Percival BA: designer

Ralph is a graphic designer of 20 years' experience who specialises in design for adverting and print, and hasn't forgotten the hard earned artworking skills that go with the job.

Ralph graduated in 1989 with a Multidisciplinary Design degree from North Staffordshire Polytechnic, and after cutting his teeth in a Newcastle under Lyme advertising agency, he spent 2 years in a pharmaceutical marketing company and a further 14 years in Cambridge design agency Mouse In The House. Ralph has been working for Actual since November 2007.

Ralph's favourite curry is a Chicken Balti. With garlic naan.