Ally Young

Background

About Ally Young

When I was a kid, I dreamed of designing the coolest rooms as an interior designer. But one uninspiring work experience day quickly taught me that lounge perfection wasn’t my thing. Instead, I jumped into studying sport science & psychology before shifting gears into sales & marketing for sports nutrition, apparel, & marine brands across the UK, USA and NZ. I eventually landed a role at Vodafone NZ in Retail Communications. There, I shaped strategies for major device launches. It was during this time that I discovered my true passion: connecting with the hearts and minds of consumers. Next stop? Skinny - Spark NZ's subsidiary mobile brand. I was headhunted to drive brand credibility in an ultra competitive market, and together our small team turned it into NZ’s most loved & awarded low-cost telco provider. After 8 years at Skinny, to further challenge me Spark moved me into video gaming where I led the brand launch and NZ's largest gaming event in 2024. These days I bring over 20 years of branding, marketing & sales expertise to build brands & teams that aren’t just seen - they’re impossible to ignore. What drives me True brand success goes beyond clicks & trends. It’s about creating deep, lasting emotional connections. My mission is to help businesses shine in crowded markets, become the top choice & build enduring legacies & loyalties. Cool things I’ve done • Relaunched the Skinny brand:+50% customer growth-20% churn,+12% brand consideration • Award-winning leadership: 100+ global marketing awards, including Global CMO of the Year & NZ Effective Marketer of the Year • Epic Campaigns: Skinny's Famous Names, Friendvertising, Phone It In • Event Success: Hosted NZ’s largest gaming festival with 20K engagements, 88% satisfaction rating • DE & I Advocate: Engaged 68% of Sparks’ workforce through the 'All In' initiative, generating ideas and driving Closed Captions NZ legislative action • Awards Judge & Speaker: Intl Judge for Drum Marketing Awards & Festival of Media Awards (APAC), Judge for NZ Effies, Beacons, Marketing Awards. Speaker to marketing teams & marketing conferences in NZ & Singapore. I’m not your average brand marketer - I take the risks others hesitate to, by ensuring research backs each bold move & by convincing stakeholders. I execute by partnering closely with teams & advertising agencies. I love cultivating high-performing teams & nurturing the next generation of marketing talent. When I’m not doing this work, you’ll find me travelling, watching Formula1 races & researching the latest trends in branding, marketing & AI.