Meet the team

The Forge: Crafting meaning for generation Why

PR, Social, Digital

Generation Why is age democratic, it’s neither X, Y or Z it’s the people who seek meaning and expect brands to provide more than just a function. They seek purpose. They respond to ideas that matter to them, ideas that have been crafted to cut through the noise to be heard above all the chatter.

That is why we produce handcrafted communications. We forge it so it’s built to last. All our work is bespoke, led by senior people and 100% accountable.

We Are The Forge.

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  Emma-Jo Jones

  Co-Founder

  EMMA-JO JONES has over 14 years PR experience servicing (and winning) world-class brands. She has a clear aptitude for PR, providing sound strategic counsel and ensuring client service is at its best.

  Not long into her career her experience became quite diverse and with this came her valued and highly regarded experience in fmcg, retail, beauty, travel, financial, mother & baby, sponsorship and charity.

  At Euro RSCG Biss Lancaster she led NPD launches for Arla Foods – growing them for five years into a household name, she devised and developed an episode on Britain’s Next Top Model for Isklar (glacial mineral water), created national campaigns for empiredirect.co.uk, Pets at Home and developed a passion for mother and baby working on Huggies. She also led the New Look for Kelly Brook Swimwear campaign securing front pages across a plethora of titles – including Grazia and Sunday Times Style.

  Emma-Jo then joined FleishmanHillard, as a Director, leading clients including P&G, Chobani Strained Yoghurt (America’s number one selling yoghurt brand), Little Tikes and Symington’s Foods.  Her ability to bring in past clients was fundamental to the growth of the consumer division and a testament to her ability as a PR and as a person.

  Emma-Jo is married with two boys. She’s just spotted a single vine in her garden and so will be adding ‘vintner’ to her list of hobbies! She is a member of a Sailing Club, enjoys going to the gym, has run a couple of half marathons and has a passion for skiing. She has a wild ambition to row the Atlantic….maybe this will come later on in life.

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  Holly Ward

  Co-Founder

  HOLLY has worked in communications for her entire career, from luxury to lifestyle, travel to technology, food to FMCG there are not many categories Holly hasn’t tried her hand at.  She even ran PR for the British Army for several years. How’s that for variety?

  She has held senior consumer and corporate roles at top London agencies including Freud, Citigate Dewe Rogerson and Euro RSCG Biss Lancaster where she was MD for seven years leading campaigns for New Look, Reckitt Benckiser and Bayer Schering Pharma to name a few.

  After many years in the industry she decided to pursue some other passions and write her first novel, increase her personal best over 10k and even start up an online specialist children’s store. It was a busy year.

  Before co-founding The Forge Holly was Consumer MD at FleishmanHillard for four years. She transformed the practice to a thriving business with many new client wins including Expedia, Chobani, Symingtons Foods and Royal London.

  Holly has two daughters, one husband and two cats.  When she’s not working (which is not often to be fair), she can be found running over the Epsom downs, dragging her family out on bike rides or fiddling about with her blog.