Harbour Collective Ramps up Production Capability with Katie Bayley as Head of Project Management and Production

Independent communications consultancy Harbour Collective has ramped up its production capability with the appointment of Katie Bayley to the newly created role of head of project management and production. 

Bayley joins Harbour Collective from full-service marketing agency Cheil, where she spent more than seven years, most recently in the role of head of project management. During this time, she implemented a number of key processes and platforms to aid the smooth running of the agency. She also delivered integrated campaigns for the agency’s Samsung business and acted as client and project lead on Absolut Vodka, overseeing the delivery of campaigns for numerous product launches and special edition bottles. 

The appointment follows a period of growth for Harbour Collective, which has seen it take on a number of new clients, and also reflects a growing need for a strong in-house production capability as its creative output increases, with several major above-the-line campaigns currently in the works.  

In her new role, Bayley is tasked with ensuring excellence in the management and coordination of Harbour Collective’s creative output, and with delivering industry-leading creative work.  

With over 14 years’ production and project management experience, Bayley has worked at Apple as well as agencies including J. Walter Thomson and (Beta). Her previous projects include the award-winning Royal Mail Olympic Gold Medal Stamps campaign in 2012, which ran around the clock throughout the Olympics and involved putting multiple, personalised media formats live within two hours of every Team GB Gold medal win. 

At Harbour Collective, Bayley will report to Mick Mahoney, creative partner, and oversee a team of two production assistants, as well as managing the coordination of freelance talent. 

Mick Mahoney, creative partner, Harbour Collective, said: “As Harbour grows, our output is rapidly expanding in many different directions. Katie will make sure that everything happens beautifully and on time. She is ultra-calm, and incredibly good at finding solutions for even the most challenging productions.  

“The quality of our creative product, regardless of the form it takes, is the single most important thing to me, so having someone of Katie’s calibre to rely on is invaluable.” 

Katie Bayley, new head of project management and production, Harbour Collective, added: “Since the moment I walked through the door at Harbour, it has felt like home. It’s a place that respects both what I do and the way I want to do it.  

“I love what the team here are trying to do, and I love their commitment to developing new and better ways to deliver excellence to clients whilst not compromising on how they treat people whilst doing so.  

“My job is to ensure that the quality of output remains world class and I’m looking forward to making that happen for clients both here, and with our Collective partners.”  

Harbour is a collective of independent specialist agencies connected around a central strategic and creative consultancy hub. It was launched in 2017 by Paul Hammersley (Managing Partner) who was joined by Mick Mahoney (Creative Partner) and Kev Chesters (Strategy Partner) in 2019. Its unique structure and client offering are designed as a contemporary alternative to the large legacy agency groups. Clients include McCarthy Stone, Tilney Smith & Williamson, The Athletic, BT, Match.com, Fitbit and John Lewis.