Dr Susan McKay BVM & S, MRCVS, MBA – Director
After 8 years working as a vet in practice, Susan needed a fresh, new challenge. Joining a pet food company meant she gained a great grounding in PR and communications but also gave her an understanding of the needs of commercial organisations. She led a customer service team to award winning standard, learned about proactive approaches to issues management and about the characteristics and needs of market leading brands.
She could see that understanding the audience was vitally important – and never more so than when communicating with veterinary teams, farmers and retailers. A trade marketer was born! She developed a passion for putting herself in their shoes and developing communications that spoke to them as individuals.
In 2002, Susan launched Companion Consultancy – an agency dedicated to companies who need to communicate to people who own and care for animals. We aimed to become companions to our clients, in the sense that we would work alongside them, aligning ourselves to their goals and acting as an extension to their teams. Did it work out that way? We are proud to say that some of the clients that we took on in that first year are still with us, several job roles and companies later.
Susan loves to spot new ways to communicate more effectively and to seek out the places where our tribes can be found. A bit of blue sky thinking where she can match up what she knows about professionals and combine it with some new ideas, or a quiet spell spent wordsmithing and her day is complete.
These days, our projects include reputation management, technical articles, social media, blogger outreach, large multiple element campaigns, online content, CPD training materials, design and more.
Business Development
Tibbie Lamb – Business Development Assistant
Tibbie originally joined the Companion team back in 2021 as a part-time Administrative Assistant, working alongside completing her A levels in Mathematics, English Literature and Economics. In this role, Tibbie discovered the basics of office management as well as developing skills in the basics of digital marketing.
After taking some time away from her role at Companion to focus on the completion of her A-levels, Tibbie has since rejoined the team in November 2023 as a Business Development Assistant, which will be supported by a Degree Apprenticeship scheme led by Anglia Ruskin University.
In her new role, Tibbie hopes to heighten her previously attained skills to help broaden her knowledge of the digital marketing landscape and is really looking forward to this new challenge. As an enthusiastic team player, Tibbie is looking forward to working alongside her new team members to expand her knowledge and create great content on behalf of the company all while attaining her Bachelors Degree in Digital Marketing.
Outside of work, Tibbie can be found occasionally waitressing in a nearby restaurant, hanging out with friends and family or doing her favorite activity of all – running errands!
Accounts
Jenny Langridge – Senior Account Manager
Jenny studied equine science at Writtle College and spent some time in equine nutrition before working in sales and marketing in the equine, automotive, retail/wholesale and recruitment sectors. Her passion for animal health won out however, and she spent sixteen years in the commercial team at Vet Times, working in business development with clients ranging from new start-ups to global multinationals, and the development of creative and innovative print and digital marketing solutions.
Jenny particularly enjoys working with clients to form a deep understanding of their business and develop bespoke PR and marketing campaigns that meet objectives and make the most of commercial opportunities. Her specialism in media allows the development of projects and partnerships that harness the creativity and technical capabilities of the Companion Consultancy team to offer clients a personal and inspired service.
Outside of work, Jenny enjoys a life of servitude to her feline overlords, but sometimes manages to escape to the outdoors on her motorcycle or for mountain biking, walking and wild swimming, and is also permitted to play the piano and do some arts and crafts.
Dr Fiona Farmer BVSc MRCVS – Senior Account Manager
Fi worked as an equine vet for over 10 years, which took her from the deserts of Dubai (where the odd camel got treated) to the beautiful Norfolk countryside. Alongside first opinion work, her passion of competition horses led her to FEI officiating, where she has qualified as an FEI 3* official vet. This regularly takes her to international FEI competitions in the UAE, Europe and around the U.K. Keen to be more than ‘just a vet’ Fi has founded several businesses – a fitness class specifically for mums, and a carpentry contracting company with her husband.
Her work at Companion Consultancy is the perfect blend of veterinary, business and creativity, and she enjoys working closely with clients to help create their story. She particularly enjoys being part of such a friendly, hardworking team to bounce ideas off, and support one another.
Outside of work, Fi can be found running around after her young children. If time permits, you can find her on the back of a horse or in the gym, but it’s far more likely she will be knee deep in something child related!
Katy Ellison MA VetMB MRCVS – Senior Account Manager
Katy is a qualified vet who has worked in clinical practice for 22 years. She started her veterinary career in a mixed practice in rural Cambridgeshire before moving to a small animal practice on the Norfolk/ Suffolk border in 2003. It was while working here that she started to cultivate a love of writing, starting out some years ago by penning short articles for the local media on behalf of her practice.
In 2021 she joined Companion Consultancy, initially on a temporary basis before joining the company permanently in February 2022. Combining her extensive clinical knowledge with her love of writing is a dream come true and she particularly enjoys the challenge of presenting clinical information in an engaging and creative way.
On a Wednesday evening she can be found playing the violin in the Suffolk Sinfonia, a total change from the day job! At weekends, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children and walking her black Labrador in the beautiful Suffolk countryside.
Simone Daws – Senior Account Manager
Simone has extensive experience in the media industry, having worked for companies such as Bauer Media, Dennis Publishing, RHS Publications, and most recently Vet Times, where she enjoyed working closely with clients to understand their business needs and objectives, building multi-platform advertising and marketing campaigns for maximum impact. Simone relishes the challenge of coming up with creative ideas and new opportunities to help companies stand out from the crowd and is excited to be working with our talented team to ensure clients get the full benefit of the wide range of services that Companion Consultancy offers.
In her spare time, Simone enjoys listening to the sound of ‘60s soul music (especially if it’s on vinyl) and also loves going to see live bands. Simone enjoys travelling, cycling and spending time with her husband and two cats, Tabitha and Marvin, at their home in Lincolnshire.
Dr Primrose Moss MA VetMB, MRCVS – Veterinary Copywriter
Primrose is a practising small animal vet who enjoys treating a wide range of first opinion patients, from hamsters to Great Danes. She’s always loved writing and enjoyed cultivating this during her time at the University of Cambridge. With limited opportunity to use these skills in practice, she initially worked as a freelance writer alongside her clinical work before joining Companion Consultancy.
She’s thrilled to be able to combine her love of veterinary medicine with her passion for writing. Her two roles complement one another perfectly, allowing her to continue to develop her veterinary skills while applying her up-to-date practical knowledge of the industry to her written work. Having produced content for audiences ranging from leading scientists to pet blog readers, she particularly enjoys tailoring her writing to clients’ specific needs.
When Primrose isn’t working, she can often be found clearing up after her two very destructive (but sweet!) cats, spending time with her family, or working on one of her arts and crafts projects – she’s currently juggling tapestry, crochet, calligraphy and watercolour!
Digital Marketing
Maddie Speare – Digital Marketing Executive
Maddie joined Companion Consultancy in October 2020 as an apprentice Junior Content Producer and hasn’t looked back since! Now an established Digital Marketing Executive, she oversees the marketing team in order to create exciting and refreshing content that helps elevate her clients’ digital experiences.
Since joining the company, Maddie has achieved a multitude of certificates in online courses based on digital marketing, content creation and SEO, going on to complete her Level 3 Diploma in Content Production. She is now undergoing a Degree Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing with Anglia Ruskin University, and hopes to achieve her Bachelor’s Degree in 2026.
As a Digital Marketing Executive, you’ll often find Maddie editing images and video, creating both B2B and B2C social media copy, curating emailers or snapping pics for clients’ social media either in-house or at industry events that she loves attending.
Outside of work, Maddie is happiest when spending time with friends and family, whether that’s drinks with the girls, family beach walks with her Dalmatian, Milo or splashing the cash in the shops!
Lucie O’Brien – Digital Marketing Executive
Lucie joined the Companion Consultancy team in March 2023. Having previously worked at a Digital Marketing Agency, she already has some experience in copywriting, SEO and social media.
As someone who likes to be challenged, Lucie enjoys getting stuck into a variety of digital marketing disciplines, but is at her happiest when she is copywriting, or getting involved in various other creative tasks (all the more so if it involves looking at pictures of cute cats!).
Due to her passion for learning, Lucie has already received many accolades prior to joining Companion Consultancy, which she looks to build upon through her Digital Marketing Degree Apprenticeship and her role within the business.
In her spare time, Lucie enjoys scouring the internet for discount codes to use in the local Cafés, baking her favourite sweet treats (brownies, of course!), carving up the local dry ski slope, and fussing over her cat, Pebbles.
Amelia Wilson – Digital Marketing Executive
Pursuing her passion for digital marketing, Amelia joined Companion Consultancy as a Digital Marketing Apprentice in September 2022. Wanting to widen her knowledge while pursuing her love for animals (especially dogs!), Companion is just the right fit.
Upon joining the team at Companion, Amelia has been training in a range of digital areas and is continuing her learning both on and off the job through her apprenticeship. Amelia enjoys the fact that every day at Companion is different which enables her to extend her knowledge and experiences in both the animal heath and digital marketing field.
Outside of work, Amelia can be found occasionally waitressing at her local restaurant or spending time with her close friends.
Grace Chestney – Junior Digital Marketing Executive
Grace previously worked in customer service at a major retail chain and has since developed skills in creative media, acquired from being a part-time photographer and studying Film and Media at level 3.
She has a keen interest in digital marketing, particularly within the animal health industry, after riding and caring for horses from a young age, now owning her own horse.
Grace started in her role as a Digital Marketing Apprentice in February 2023 and looks forward to expanding her knowledge within the animal health sector whilst completing her level 3 qualification.
Outside of work, Grace can be found snapping pics for various sporting events, attending to her horse Beau, dog sitting or spending quality time with friends and family.
Design
Jenny Silventoinen – Senior Designer
As a graphic designer, Jenny loves taking an idea (or a company brand) and bringing it to life. She works on both print and digital designs and revels in the opportunity to work creatively every day. She has extensive industry experience and aims for perfection in every project she undertakes.
Jenny studied graphic design at Swindon College of Art and Design in the early 1990s and has worked in various design agencies and sectors over the years. Prestigious brands include: Disneyland Paris, Advantage Travel, Collins Education, Cambridge University Press, Pearson Education and the Royal Society of Chemistry. This is her first experience of working within the vet / pet industry. With her passion for animals and love of graphic design, she thinks she’s finally landed the perfect job!
Outside of work, Jenny loves the great outdoors and spending time with her family. She enjoys dog walking (she is a volunteer for the Cinnamon Trust), yoga, pottering in the garden and running. Jenny has a passion for vegetarian cooking and her creative side is always experimenting with new recipes.
Her guilty pleasures include binge-worthy box sets, a good British drama, Scandi crime series, Gardeners’ World, reading and theatre. She lives in rural Cambridgeshire with her Finnish husband, 8 year old daughter and 3 posh cats!
Want to work with our amazing team? Get in touch with us here. Be sure to check out our LinkedIn page too!