hello!
I’m Nicky

I’m a London-based brand strategy consultant and visual identity designer with over 20 years’ experience in the publishing industry, specialising in academic and scholarly publishing.

I’ve worked in senior in-house creative roles for Palgrave Macmillan and Nature Portfolio, and with a wide range of clients including CSIRO, American Physical Society, BMJ Group, Bristol University Press, COUNTER Metrics, Class Professional, LSE Press, University of London Press, New York Academy of Sciences, RightsZone, and UCL Press.

I help publishers, journals, and knowledge-led organisations articulate their brands – from strategy and values through to visual identity – creating consistent, thoughtful, and striking design systems that support content, credibility, and audience connection. Whether it’s a Brand Kickstart, full brand strategy consulting, or a bespoke visual identity, I work with clients globally to develop brands that truly stand out.

I’ve also shared my expertise beyond client work: I was a guest on Liz Mosely’s Building Your Brand podcast, have spoken about design and brand in publishing at St Bride Foundation and on Bookmachine‘s Campus, and led lectures and workshops for students at the University of the Creative Arts and the London College of Communication – and am a tutor on Brand Fundementals for a forthcoming ALPSP course. If you’re looking for an industry speaker for an event or course, I’d love to hear from you.

You can read more about my experience on LinkedIn.

Read more about how we can work together to strengthen your brand.

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testimonials
Nice things clients have said.

“Nicky is a highly talented, inspiring designer who has the ability to take nascent ideas and develop them way beyond what you could envision. I know my authors and their books are in excellent hands. For me, Nicky has established a new standard for academic book designs at a time when many academic publishers use a standard template design. She flies the flag for these books as equally worthy of bespoke, striking covers. I always feel she is just as invested in the book project as I am.”

Philippa Grand, Head of Publishing, LSE Press

“[Nicky’s work] has had a huge impact on the business, guiding and shaping our approach on everything from product development to customer support as well as sales and marketing. I can’t recommend working with Nicky highly enough and would encourage any business to sit down for a cup of tea with Nicky to find out how she can elevate your brand.”

Clare Hodder, RightsZone

“Nicky has regularly come to LCC to run workshops with our students on publishing and design. She is great at getting them talking and making them think, while presenting ideas and concepts brilliantly. Her hands-on approach has been very much enjoyed by the students who really like the real-world case studies she explores with them.”

Frania Hall, Course Leader, London College of Communication

“Working with Nicky was such an energising, enjoyable experience: she took the time and trouble to understand our ambitions . . . and the way she helped us articulate our values and personality has benefited us in every aspect of marketing. The design process was collaborative and clear: at each stage Nicky sought our feedback and listened deeply, refining her ideas, until we had a visual identity that simply delighted us and encapsulated the brand perfectly. I cannot recommend Nicky highly enough.”

Alison Jones, Practical Inspiration Publishing

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