A GLOBAL marketing success story in Australia and New Zealand has popped back to thank her first boss and company in the UK who helped launch her soaring career.

Kirstie Wood, former student at Worle Community School Academy and Weston College, is now the founder of recently launched Campaign Core consultancy, based in New Zealand’s capital, after a high-flying career; where she serves both nationally and across the pond internationally in Australia.

With the core aim of delivering innovative marketing strategies from the UK, to business throughout APAC and harnessing key learnings from a career that began at The Ascot Group.

She recently popped back to see Andrew Scott, CEO of the Ascot Group in Weston-super-Mare - a firm which gave Kirstie her first apprenticeship and encouraged her to become brilliant in her field.

Kirstie met up with Andrew at the Ascot Group’s new state-of-the-art HQ Worle Parkway, Worle where expanding numbers of talented, passionate people are seeing their own careers flourish.

Andrew’s innovation, entrepreneurship, encouragement and passion for excellence and developing people has built a world-class marketing and technology business out of the local area.

Kirstie is one of hundreds launched out of Ascot Group since 2004.

Kirstie said: “I joined Andrew as a young buck, full of confidence and ambition, eager to get stuck into learning anything put in front of me.

“Andrew took a chance on me, offering me a PR Apprenticeship - an opportunity that changed the outcome of what is now, a global career in marketing.

“Working at Purplex Marketing, Insight Data and Business Leader, allowed me to gain the foundations of business and marketing insights that would be pivotal to my career.

“Then, Andrew took a second chance on me. Before I knew it, I'd been promoted to heading up the Email Marketing Department of a marketing agency.

“Leading a team of designers and developers, analysing data, and implementing strategies for a vast variety of clients across all three businesses.

“A position that would provide me with invaluable learnings, and I’d continue for the next five years. Playing a core part in building an all-round marketing skillset.”

She added: “The Ascot Group's ability to adapt and move quickly ahead of its competition, was an attitude that always came from the top level.

“The innovation of a start-up environment, ready to hear new ideas and implement them quickly, has never left as the business expanded and continues to set them apart.

“To be welcomed back like I'd never left was amazing, and something I will always remember.”

The Ascot Group is a huge success story out of Weston-super-Mare since Andrew launched it in 2004.

It has created hundreds of high-skilled quality jobs with even more planned in future years.

Its high-tech and eco-friendly HQ is next to a Bristol and London direct train station in Worle, spanning three sites.

Andrew said: “It was wonderful to have Kirstie visit and a huge delight to see the soaring global marketing career she has. The world is her oyster!

“Since I started the Ascot Group twenty years ago, I’ve passionately believed in the huge potential of Weston-super-Mare and its people.

“We are passionate to nurture, encourage and release talent and ambition.”

The Ascot Group is a fast-track, high growth company that continuously innovates and defies traditional business thinking.