Much like Mission Impossible, Real Response Media has assembled an extraordinarily experienced and talented team from across all areas of media, editorial, design, marketing and events. Together they create our magazines, websites, events and help us to grow our portfolio. Unlike Mission impossible however, this message won’t begin to self-destruct in 5 seconds (phew)
Chris Pitchford, Founder & Managing Director
Chris started at Timothy Benn Publishing in 1993 after selling his paper recycling business. He worked through the sales ranks, becoming Group Ad Manager after just 36 months. He then joined Haymarket Publishing in 1997 as Advertising Manager, later rising to Publisher. During his time at Haymarket, Chris helped launch numerous products, from magazines and newsletters to live events, as well as consistently driving revenues across a wide range of sectors. In 2007 Chris moved to EuroDirect which soon became CallCredit, the second largest credit checking agency in the UK. It was there that he honed his understanding of data and its importance in publishing and he launched the real time leads division. Following this he joined an independent data company as Managing Director, collecting information from product warranty cards and building databases for major brands. In January 2011, Chris decided it was time to branch out on his own and he founded Real Response Media using his deep experience in data and publishing to launch a media business that generates consistent leads for its clients – as well as creating a rewarding environment for the staff.
As MD Chris is responsible for all aspects of the company but also takes a personal lead in driving sales across the group.
Fun Fact:
Chris played football in his neighbour’s back garden with the most expensive football player of his time, Tony Cottee, who had that day had agreed to play for Everton, transferring from West Ham. Some would say that was one of Tony’s biggest career mistakes, I would question that!
Peter Grant, Real Response Media Director and Publishing Director World of Cruising and Cruise Trade news
Peter started his career at Haymarket Media in 1993 and has occupied senior roles in sales, publishing and marketing across multiple brands and industry sectors. After 15 years with Haymarket, Peter joined the executive management team at Emap in 2008 shortly after its acquisition by the Guardian Media Group. As marketing director of both Haymarket and Emap, Peter developed particular expertise in building consumer and business reader databases and oversaw significant subscription growth and new digital product development across multiple brands within the media, retail, healthcare construction and public sectors. Peter joined Real Response Media in a joint sales and marketing role and became a board director of the company in 2017.
As Publishing Director for World of Cruising and Cruise Trade News, Peter has a special responsibility for driving performance across both the cruise brands. He is also tasked with building reader databases across the Group, as well as ensuring full compliance with existing and incoming data protection laws.
Fun Fact:
His great uncle played in the first ever Wembley Cup Final.
William Pecover, Non-Executive Chairman
William has 30 years’ experience in media and finance. After starting his career at JP Morgan he switched to publishing at Haymarket where he became Managing Director, Business Publishing Group, before moving to the USA in 2001. As Chairman & CEO of Haymarket Media Inc he built a substantial company across six states in the marketing, compliance, information security and healthcare sectors. In 2011 he moved to Manhattan Media where, as Operating Partner, he ran a group of regional and political newspapers, digital newsletters, luxury and family magazines and events. Over the course of his career William has launched, acquired and managed media businesses in the UK, Hong Kong, the USA and Canada across a very wide range of sectors.
Now settled back in the UK he advises RRM on its strategy to become a major specialist media company – an ambition he believes the company will achieve given the platform it has already established.
Ian Westwood, Non-Executive Director
Ian has over 30 years experience in publishing. Having begun his career at VNU Business Publications he moved to Dennis Publishing where he held senior positions in advertising, publishing and marketing. He was promoted to the company’s board and became Group Managing Director in 2010, helping the executive team to drive the transformation of the business from traditional print publisher to one of the most successful, profitable and admired multi-media businesses in the UK.
He has significant experience of launch, acquisition and brand development and has recruited, coached, trained and mentored some of the brightest talents in UK publishing. At RRM he advises the Board at a strategic level and provides hands-on guidance and support to the management team. He has been charged to drive RRM digital strategy.
Fun Fact
He can walk on his hands
Peter Greene, Finance Director
Peter is a chartered certified accountant with many years of experience working within publishing. During his career he has worked for Titan Publishing (2000AD & Vertigo Comics), World Market Intelligence, Metropolis International and Haymarket’s B2B titles where he worked alongside Chris Pitchford and Peter Grant.
A sports enthusiast, Peter enjoys playing golf, football and is an FA-qualified coach who runs his son’s local youth team. When not at home, he and his family can often be found travelling around the Dordogne region in France where they camp, fish, explore and enjoy the local produce.
Colette Doyle, Editor, Cruise Trade News
Colette Doyle is an award-winning magazine editor who has worked on publications in both London and the Gulf in a career spanning almost three decades. Her background as a linguist has led her to be involved with titles that have an international focus. Starting out in the 1990s covering the pharmaceutical sector, Colette moved into business travel nearly 20 years ago when she was employed at the UK’s largest privately owned publishing house, Haymarket.
She was based in Dubai for six years, during which time she helmed Business Traveller Middle East, the regional edition of the renowned London franchise, as well as being responsible for relaunching Dubai Voyager, the customer publication for leading airport retailer Dubai Duty Free. Immediately prior to joining Real Response Media, Colette worked at Metropolis International where she headed up the travel retail channel’s longest-established title and was later appointed as managing editor across both Frontier and sister title Duty-Free News International.
Fun Fact:
Colette lived in Italy for a number of years and can speak the language fluently. She met quite a few interesting people during her travels, including design duo Dolce & Gabbana.
Vicky Mayer, Editor, World of Cruising
Vicky Mayer has worked on many magazines throughout her career including TV Times, Now, Woman’s Own, Inside Soap, Reveal and now World of Cruising.
When she’s not busy putting the magazine together you will find her travelling, deep with her head in a book or catching up with friends over a cocktail.
Fun Fact:
Whilst working on Reveal she had the dubious job of spending the day handing out padding to a bunch of male swimwear models to ‘fill out’ their trunks. Never a dull moment in magazines….
Gary Peters, Deputy Editor, Cruise Trade News
Gary Peters is an experienced journalist and editor who has written for a range of publications spanning a diverse set of subjects. He worked as co-editor on the official magazine for the Isle of Wight music festival and as an online sports reporter, covering national and international stories. Prior to joining Real Response Media as deputy editor on Cruise Trade News, Gary worked across a portfolio of transport magazines as senior editor and as features editor at a monthly engineering magazine, managing a team of in-house and freelance writers.
Fun Fact:
Gary once spent a painfully long day in A&E with an insect stuck inside his ear which had to be sucked out with a very small sharp hoover device. The insect crawled in whilst he had a shower cap on.
Olivia Sharpe, Digital Content Editor
Olivia began her career working for a luxury lifestyle magazine which specialised in fashion, beauty, interiors and travel. She worked there for six years, working her up to the position of Editor of the Kensington & Chelsea Magazine, just one of the company’s many established London-based print titles.
Keen to enter into the fast-paced and dynamic world of digital, she moved to luxury beauty brand By Terry, where she worked as the Digital Content and Communications Manager, responsible for developing the brand’s content strategy across its platforms. She has since consulted on brand strategy and content development for leading lifestyle and luxury brands, before joining Real Response Media in 2019 as the Digital Content Editor. Olivia is passionate about the travel sector, and is forever planning her next trip to somewhere new and of the beaten track, preferably journeying there on a luxury cruise.
Fun Fact:
Olivia once performed in a musical at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Isabella Sullivan, Staff Writer, World of Cruising
After studying journalism and falling in love with the hospitality industry while working in bars, Isabella began her career writing about all things food and drink. Reviewing restaurants for Squaremeal and tasting a whole lot of wines and spirits for Imbibe magazine, her work took her all around the world – from vodka distilleries in Russia to wineries in the Piedmont hills.
Keen to focus on travel and lifestyle, she headed to the online lifestyle desk at The Daily Express, before working for Hearst UK’s digital lifestyle editorial team and finally joining Real Response Media in 2019.
Fun Fact:
Igniting her passion for travel and exploring other cultures, she grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, and can count walking a cheetah on a lead and swimming with penguins as some of her most exciting encounters.
Phil Couzens, Art Director, Real Response Media
Phil started his carrier designing DVD and PSP covers for Sony and Universal Pictures before moving to Japan where he worked on Metropolis magazine, Japan’s number one English lifestyle publication. While in Tokyo he became Art Director on the American Chamber of Commerce’s flagship business title, the ACCJ Journal, a monthly business and technology magazine published for the international community in Tokyo.
After six years he returned to London to freelance for The Guardian Group, before becoming Art Director at Zest Media. Here, he embarked on a re-design of the company’s portfolio of magazines, including luxury, lifestyle, interiors, weddings and education titles, helping to establish them as leading titles in their respective markets.
Fun Fact:
During his early years in Japan he pushed what he thought was the flush on a toilet and mistakenly called security.
Rochelle Streater, Commercial Director, World of Cruising
Rochelle started her career 10 years ago at Zest Media, where she helped grow the business from one London publication to 27 international print titles, recognising gaps in the market and potential revenue streams. Through the years, she worked her way up to eventually becoming Commercial Manager and then Director. During this time, she developed a passion for sales and business development.
As Zest Media embraced the world of digital, Rochelle worked on developing digital campaigns which worked in harmony with her clients’ print campaigns. She has loved working in the lifestyle, baby, education and interior sectors, but wanted to embark on a new adventure and so decided to enter the dynamic world of cruising and travel. Rochelle joined Real Response Media in 2019 as the Commercial Director.
Fun Fact:
She once accidentally booked herself into a naked spa hotel where clothes were strictly not allowed.
Zarina Kapasi, Advertising Manager, Real Response Media
Zarina has worked in publishing for the past fifteen years. After graduating in Entertainment Industry Management, she worked at an independent media house for two years in London, before relocating back to the Midlands. After a brief period in recruitment, she returned to publishing with Centaur, working on their consumer home interest titles, Homebuilding and Renovating, Real Homes and Period Living. After spending eight years at Centaur, she turned her hand to something new and moved into an Operations/Training role in the public sector. While this was a rewarding role, she missed the dynamism of publishing and returned to work for Zest Media in London on their parenting and wedding titles. Zarina is working across Cruise Trade News and World of Cruising on specialist projects both in print and digital.
Zarina is a voracious reader and is known to be able to finish a book in a day and is now doing her own book reviews via Instagram. She is well-travelled and as she has a very large and international family, has no trouble finding accommodation in most of the places she visits. Zarina is a real foodie and has a particular love of Italian and Middle-Eastern food. She is a cricket fan and supports England and Warwickshire County Cricket Club.
Fun Fact:
It took Zarina ten attempts to pass her driving test, and once failed it before even before getting out of the test centre after a reverse parking manoeuvre went disastrously wrong!
Kellie McLaughlin, Event Manager, Real Response Media
Kellie has worked in publishing for nearly 20 years and began her career as an Editorial and Journal Assistant at Centaur Media before moving to their events department. After 15 years at Centaur, she was freelance for a few years which included a maternity cover for Partnerships Bulletin.
With over 17 years experience, Kellie is passionate about events and is responsible for running all of Real Response Media’s events including The Wave Awards, the Cruise Stars Awards and the Cruise Challenge roadshows.
Fun Fact:
Kellie can fall asleep on the sofa with a full glass of wine in her hand and never spill a drop.
Barnaby Moore, Production Manager, Real Response Media
Barnaby started his career at Haymarket Publishing in 1986 as an office junior and then moved into the production department after six months working across the motoring titles. He moved to Haymarket Media in 1994 as the Production Controller for Marketing magazine and various other titles.
Barnaby next joined Emap Fashion as Production Manager for Drapers Record magazine in 1995, and shortly after took on Menswear and Fashion Weekly and oversaw the merger of Emap Fashion and Retail. He joined The Clear Agency (a fashion sales and marketing company) in 2006 as the Logistics and Office manager where he helped to grow the company for 12 years. Barnaby joined Real Response Media in 2019 as Production Manager.
Fun Fact:
Barnaby loves tea more than life itself.
Contact Us
If you would like to contact us please telephone on 0208 444 2554