Hope&Glory Founders To Receive Outstanding Individual Achievement SABRE

(MENAFN- PRovoke) LONDON - Hope&Glory founders Jo Carr and James Gordon-MacIntosh will be honoured with the Outstanding Individual Achievement SABRE Award at the EMEA SABRE Awards in London on 21 May, in recognition of a partnership that has built one of the most successful, admired and distinctive consumer brand agencies in the UK.

Since launching Hope&Glory in 2011, Carr and Gordon-MacIntosh – now chief client officer and chief creative officer respectively – have built a business that consistently punches above its weight, combining standout creative work with a fiercely independent spirit. The agency has become synonymous with ideas that travel, campaigns that cut through, and a culture that prizes both ambition and humanity, a balance that has helped it earn both industry recognition and long-standing client loyalty.

That success has been hard-earned and sustained. In a challenging market, the agency has continued to grow to a £12 million business, while maintaining its position as one of the most-awarded agencies in the UK. It has also built an enviable client roster spanning brands such as Pepsi, IKEA, Netflix, Toyota, Oxfam and the FA, with long-standing relationships that in some cases stretch back more than a decade.

Carr and Gordon-MacIntosh first worked together at SeventySeven PR, where they developed the partnership that would go on to define Hope&Glory. From the outset, they combined complementary strengths – strategic rigour and creative instinct – building a shared belief in earned-first ideas that could genuinely move the needle for clients. That founding philosophy has remained central to the agency's success, shaping both its output and its culture over the past 15 years.

That chemistry is evident not just in the work, but in the culture they have created. Hope&Glory has long been recognised as one of the UK's best places to work, with policies and benefits that have consistently pushed the industry forward and provided a benchmark for other agencies, from profit-sharing bonuses paid for 14 consecutive years to progressive parental leave, flexible working, menopause support and industry-leading investment in training and development.

The agency has also been notable for its commitment to inclusion, transparency and long-term talent development, with a significant proportion of its senior team having started their careers there.

Nicola Green, chief communications and corporate affairs officer at Virgin Media O2, has worked with the agency since its earliest days:“We've worked with Hope&Glory pretty much from the very beginning when Jo and James first opened their doors and have gone on to be their first and longest-standing client,” she says.

“The reason we've stayed with them and they've held the account so long is simple: they've consistently delivered great work and balanced that with caring about the relationship. They're never complacent, they're always restless and they care about the small details that make a difference in a long-term partnership.”

Internally, that same balance of drive and generosity is frequently cited as the defining force behind the business. Don Ferguson, deputy MD at Hope&Glory, says:“Jo and James are so much more than industry leaders; they've spent fifteen years redefining the landscape entirely. And since joining way back in 2012, I've had a front-row seat to the logic and magic of their partnership, a chemistry of opposites fuelled by a relentless passion for the work and an equal measure of caring for the people who do it.

“That passion, balanced with genuine kindness and endless generosity, is the fundamental DNA of Hope&Glory. It is the reason people join, the reason so many of us stay, and why this agency consistently allows everyone to do the very best work of their careers. As you can imagine, their trophy cabinet is getting pretty crowded now, but this one is special, and although they'll likely joke that 'it's all downhill from here,' the truth is they've just built a higher mountain for the rest of us to climb.”

Beyond their own agency, Carr and Gordon-MacIntosh have also played a broader role in shaping the UK PR industry, championing creativity, backing new talent, and supporting initiatives aimed at making the sector more inclusive. Carr – known for her warmth and empathy – has been a powerful advocate for women in the profession, most recently through her leadership of Women in PR, where she helped drive the conversation around equity, progression and support for the next generation of female leaders.

Sheeraz Gulsher, co-founder of People Like Us, which advocates for equitable workplaces and is one of the agency's partners, says:“Jo and James' remarkable consistency, humility and excellence is the gold standard in UK PR. Outside of their record breaking awards hauls and winning the biggest briefs, there are two generous human beings that care deeply about making our industry fairer and will always make time to help. Their legacy in being the best in class is equally matched by their big hearts.”

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