Who we are
Impakt started in the spring of 2019, as a sister company of web agency Substrakt, based in Birmingham.
We’re a well-connected boutique consultancy and a team of marketing professionals, with decades of valuable experience mainly promoting the arts and culture in the subsidised and commercial sectors.
We also have familiarity in education, housing, festivals, destination marketing, property, conferencing, food & beverage, and retail.
We want to share this with you to advance your business.
Rob Macpherson
Managing Director and Lead Consultant
For the last three decades, I’ve worked with arts brands in marketing, PR, fundraising and ticketing.
Orchestras and concert halls, opera and ballet companies, theatres and arts centres, big West End producers, international touring companies and collaborative city-wide festivals.
I gained extensive experience in strategic business planning and campaigning, pricing and research, fundraising, team management, board reporting, brand building, copywriting and advocacy, and I commissioned many complex projects. I’ve felt first-hand the pressures of delivery, chasing massive targets on limited budgets with modest teams at a crazy pace, and tracking every step wherever possible. I can help you now with these challenges.
In addition to my BA from Bristol University, I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a Fellow of the RSA, and a Trustee at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. I’m part of the People Make It Work consultancy and on the mentoring programme with the Institute of Fundraising.
Andy Hartwell
Commercial Director
I lead on Impakt’s financials and business administration having founded Substrakt in 2006.
As Executive Chair I oversee Substrakt’s growth and development alongside Substrakt Health as we move all our businesses into The Jointworks. This community co-working space in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter will be in a fantastic building we are bringing back to life.
Ash Mann
Strategy Director
My main role as Substrakt’s Managing Director connects me to arts and cultural organisations across the UK, Europe and North America where we build creative digital solutions.
For Impakt, I focus on strategy and planning, sparking new ideas and partnerships. I’m also a Trustee at Northern Stage.
Associates
We don’t pretend we can do everything at Impakt. But we know associates who can.
From graphic designers and web developers, to photographers, film-makers and illustrators, researchers or PR specialists, staff trainers and technical analysts, we have a track-record of working with talented people on a range of projects.
So we can flex to meet your needs, bringing in relevant experience, advice or skills wherever required.