Fold7 Appoints Dave Billing as Executive Creative Director

Fold7, the entrepreneurial creative agency, has appointed Dave Billing as their Executive Creative Director, following an industry-wide search for a broad reaching talent. He will head up the agency’s creative department, leading work across all channels, including social, digital and content, for clients as diverse as Audible, Carlsberg, CoppaFeel! and Rightmove. He will report to the agency’s Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Ryan Newey. 

Dave brings over 25 years’ experience across a diverse spectrum of creative industries including advertising, PR, film and music. He is best known for his mischievous and disruptive work for leading brands, such as: Amazon, Boots Walgreens, Pilgrims Choice and Subway.

Billing has been on gardening leave until now, writing a novel and a sitcom. Previously, he was the founding partner and group chief creative officer of Above+Beyond and The Beyond Collective, where he grew the business from a start-up creative agency to a micro-network of companies, over the course of eight years.  

Before entering the advertising industry, Dave worked more broadly in the creative sector as a songwriter and music producer - working with artists such as Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen, The Verve and Gorillaz, via Universal Music. From there he began making music for film and commercials, which took him into a creative role at the entertainment marketing specialists Creative Partnership. There, he headed up the creative department, where he launched global entertainment properties for clients across film, gaming, and brand, including Disney, PlayStation and 20th Century Fox.

Ryan Newey, founder and chief creative officer, said: “Dave has an invaluable omnichannel outlook, and his entrepreneurial mindset is a great fit for us. His background in entertainment and advertising means clients benefit from a highly strategic creative who understands how consumers are experiencing and enjoying brands.” 

Dave Billing commented: “It’s really exciting to be part of a growing agency with a genuine entrepreneurial streak, excellent strategic thinking and a vibrant culture. The agency is laden with amazing briefs, from great brands, across every channel imaginable. Fold is on an exciting trajectory, and I am delighted to be joining this very talented, very lovely team at this time.”