Julian Boulding - Senior Warden
Freeman 2017 Liveryman 2021
Email: seniorwarden@marketors.org
Julian began his career in advertising sales and direct marketing, before joining the advertising agency world in 1980. He worked in independent UK agencies HJL and Allen Brady and March, developing marketing strategies and creative advertising campaigns for iconic UK brands of the time, including Thomas Cook, BUPA, British Rail, Cussons Imperial Leather and Everest Double Glazing.
However, he always wanted to work internationally. So in 1987, he accepted a role as International Account Director for D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles - now part of Publicis Groupe but at that time, one of the world’s leading advertising agency networks. Following work in London for major US corporates like M&M Mars and Procter & Gamble, he moved with his family to DMB&B’s Amsterdam office, where he led the agency’s work for Dutch multinational Philips Electronics, building the agency’s assignment from 7 to 44 countries.
In 1994, he moved to Brazil on a four year assignment to integrate DMB&B’s then largest acquisition, the Salles agency, into the DMB&B family. In 1999 he moved to New York where he relaunched the NW Ayer brand, also then acquired by DMB&B, into the agency’s new holding company structure, winning assignments from companies like General Motors, Avon and Continental Airlines.
However, Julian never forgot his passion for the independent sector and in 2003, he left the world of large traditional agencies to found his own business, “thenetworkone” – an ambitious project to connect large corporates with the best independent agencies for each one’s individual needs, anywhere in the world. Twenty years later, thenetworkone now works for more than 1200 independent creative, media, PR, digital and social agencies across 116 countries.
Along the way, Julian founded or co-founded a number of global initiatives in support of the independent agency sector, including the Independent Agency Showcase at Cannes, the independent PR Firms’ Forum at the Global PR Summit in Washington DC, the “World’s Leading Independent Agencies” publication with Campaign magazine, the Indie Awards and also the Indie Summit conference, which this year will take place in Singapore.
Julian’s pro bono activities have ranged from eight years as a Community Governor for a local primary school near his home in Fulham, to six years as a Non-Executive Director (and three years as Treasurer) for The Marketing Society, of which he is now a Fellow.
Since joining the Marketors, he has been a member of committees including Mentoring, Events, Education and Knowledge Development and PR & Communications. He also served as Honorary Treasurer from 2021 to 2023 and is a Trustee of the Marketors’ Trust.
Julian has an MA in English Literature from Cambridge University. His personal interests include hill walking, restoring old houses, travel, history, art, music and the inter-relation between language and culture. He is an active follower of Tottenham Hotspur football club and Harlequins rugby club.
Julian is married with two children and one grand-daughter.