Hi there, apologies if it bangs on a bit below…but i’ve been around a while.
Contact: bolton557@btinternet.com
1995-2001 Creative/Creative Director and Partner at HHCL.
2001-2003 Founder and Partner, Arkwright Advertising Ltd.
2003-2005 Creative Director HHCL United.
2005-2011 Deputy ECD and ECD Leo Burnett London.
2011-2016 Partner and Deputy ECD CHI And Partners.
2017- 2019 Deputy ECD a Y&R London
2020- Present day Partner at MFUSE agency
After attaining his post-graduate degree in Marketing in 1989, Jim Bolton worked in Building Maintenance at many post-production houses in London.
Switching to the more glamorous side of advertising in 1991, Jim started his career as a freelance creative, working at Grey, Saatchi and Saatchi, McCanns and BMP.
Jim joined HHCL in 1993, creating some of the agency’s most iconic work for Blackcurrant Tango, the AA, Mercury, Lego, BHS, Mazda and Birdseye. He was also part of the team responsible the launch of Go Airlines from British Airways.
Jim has won every national and international advertising award, including D&AD Gold and Silvers, BTAA Gold and Grand Prix, Creative Circle Golds and Platinum, and Cannes Silvers and Golds.
In 2000, Jim left HHCL to form Arkwright International, where he worked on Channel 4, Unilever Innovations, Ikea and Domino’s Pizza.
Jim returned to HHCL United in 2003 as Creative Director, he was responsible for Sky, Sky Sports, HMRC, Kiss and Georgia Pacific.
Then to Leo Burnett in 2005. As well as being Deputy ECD, Jim was responsible for all work on McDonald's. The brand saw quite a turn-a-round, with the ‘Favourites’ work winning many a Pick of the Week/Month/Year accolades. The Piccadilly poster site winning at Cannes and The Big Awards for most innovative use of outdoor media. All of this hopefully went some way to help Jill McDonald become Marketeer of the Year, and for sales to reach an all time high.
In 2010, Jim became Caretaker ECD of Burnetts. During this time he oversaw work for Kellogg's, Blackberry, McDonalds, Littlewoods, Homebase and Shelter.
2011. Jim goes to CHI & Partners as Deputy ECD and Partner. Where he works across many of CHI’s accounts, including Burger King, The Times, The Sun, Anchor, Samsung, Lexus, British Gas, Argos and many others.
The Agency was named Digital Agency of the Year 2016 in the Campaign Big awards.
The next chapter started in January 2017, where Jim joins Y&R London as Deputy ECD…working across all accounts, and responsible personally for Dft and THINK!, Center Parcs, Oxfam, Viagra and Premier League.
And latest chapter…2020…starting up an agency called MFUSE with the founding client being Virgin Money…and we’re adding new, wonderful clients all the time…the latest being Jeremy Clarkson and his beer range Hawkstone (The #1 selling beer on Amazon 2023, an the #1 Direct to Customer beer in the UK…tasty)
Now zoom forward to 2024 and mFuse has grown to 100 lovely people and a truck load of great clients….
…and it’s time for me to move on.
bolton557@btinternet.com