Welcome to Kharisma UK
Kharisma helps businesses to grow through sustainable brand expansion.
We unlock growth by understanding how best to expand your brand proposition. We are passionate about helping brands to build a winning strategy, and most crucially how to execute and deliver it in the marketplace.
With significant FMCG experience, we are experts in creating complimentary brand extensions which stretch your brand into new directions such as new packaging formats and new consumer usage occasions, whilst maintaining your brand equity and meeting shopper needs.
We have a track record of success in delivering brand stretch through our extensive Licensing programmes. We are experienced in working with Global brand owners, we can lead workshops to stretch thinking, identify potential partners and support you to build your brand equity into exciting new categories.
What we do
Gifting
Find out about our Gifting service, including Proposition and Design and Product Execution.
Licensing
Find out about our Licensing service, including Partnership, Sourcing Options and Concept Development.
Meet the team
Our team has over 40 years experience combined in the FMCG industry.
Matt Burgess
CEO & Founder
Having worked in gifting for nearly 10 years, Matt leads creative direction for the giftpack ranges.
Matt says: “Gifting is the most fantastic category for a brand to be in. Working in 3D design & curation enables me and my team to create propositions which bring true joy to givers and recipients.”
Chloe Irwin
Licensing Director
A classically trained Marketer, with extensive blue chip sales and marketing experience. Chloe brings a wealth of commercial knowledge, having worked in eCommerce, Account Management, Category Development and Trade Marketing with secondments at Tesco and Waitrose Head Offices, before moving into the Licensing world.
Chloe says “After 20 years in FMCG, I think I have finally found my dream job! I am passionate about expanding the potential of brands; developing an idea from concept through to launch, whilst getting to work alongside some fantastic companies and brands. I am constantly on the look-out for new Licensing opportunities to drive brand growth!”
Mike Miller
Gifting Category Development Director
He managed the gifting activities of Lynx, Dove, Dove Men+ Care, Impulse, Vaseline , Radox, Simple, VO5, Tresemme and Toni & Guy by seeking creative solutions and market leading growth strategies.
Mike’s experience spans customer management, category management and marketing functions where Mike has developed a deep understanding of the gifting category.
Previously, Mike was sales controller for Marmite, Pot Noodle , Peperami and Colman’s where those roles gave Mike a unique insight into differing category dynamics and their specific needs.
Mike’s philosophy is simple “ Everyone buys presents for their family and friends, and it’s our role to find solutions that meet their needs for every occasion”
Jolanda Wells
Licensing Manager UK & Ireland
With over 18 years’ FMCG experience spanning health, foods and personal care, Jolanda has worked across the Unilever business in Sales, Category Management and Marketing. A classically trained marketer with a passion for growing brands, more recently a brand manager within Unilever the Spreads Business.
Jolanda says “ I am passionate about growing brands through expanding them into new and exciting channels, and seeing projects come to life. I see my role as facilitating new launches and innovation via complimentary routes to market, adding value to retailers, consumers and licensees”
Sally Fokes
Gifting Manager
Sally says: ‘In my job every day really is like Christmas Day. I love the challenge of taking a pack from concept through to reality. Seeing something you have developed on shelf in store is a great feeling.’
Melissa Wimble
Category & Shopper Marketing Manager
Melissa is one of the new recruits to join the Kharisma business and brings over 17 years FMCG experience within Unilever across a variety of different functions.
She says “I am excited to be part of a vibrant team and company where I can implement ideas and insights to maximise our clients Gift packs in store”
Carly Race
Gifting Manager
Carly says: ‘My mission is to create the best market leading gift packs that everyone wants to give & receive’.
Helena Cavalheiro-Schofield
Gifting Manager
With her cool calm manner, and years of experience in Customer Service, Helena is the ‘Angel’ on our tree.
Helena says: ‘I love gifts, whatever the occasion and if I could shop every day I probably would, but what I love the most is the reaction on the face of a friend, sister or parent when I have managed to buy them exactly what they wanted or having surprised them altogether’
Alex Wilkinson
Gifting Manager
Alex says: ‘I wasn’t sure what path my career would take when I left college, but now I have a real direction. Joining the Kharisma team has enabled me to learn on the job & develop my marketing and customer facing skills. I really do feel a great sense of pride when I see packs that I have been instrumental in developing on shelf in store’
Becky Sims
Gifting Manager
One of the new additions to the Kharisma family, Becky brings with her a wealth of packaging design experience across multiple brands.
Becky says: ‘’Joining the Kharisma business was a great opportunity and really gives me a platform to utilise my skills and experience”
Daria Korochina
Gifting Manager – European Regional Deploy
Daria says: ‘There is never a dull moment in Gifting and this is what I find most exciting about the business. Being responsible for European region within the Kharisma team, I am first point of contact for more than 20 countries. Dealing with different cultures and contributing to their local business growth has not only become my job, but my hobby too.”
Sonja Hill
Associate
Sonja has joined Kharisma as an associate and is bringing over 15 years of Marketing, Supply Chain and Procurement experience to the team.
She says: “Working with such an enthusiastic team of gifting professionals inspires me to support and help grow the Kharisma business further!”
Amanda Needham
Office Manager
Following a career break to bring up her children, Amanda now runs all of the office and business administration functions for Kharisma.
Amanda says: “I get on with the ordinary stuff required to run the business, so the team can get on with creating something extraordinary”.
Emma Payne
Assistant Gifting Manager
After completing her Apprenticeship within Unilever’s Marketing Department, Emma has now joined Kharsima to support the team and accelerate gift pack evolution.
Emma says: ‘I was fortunate enough to complete my Apprenticeship and have now got the opportunity to develop and learn new skills in the Kharisma Team. I am looking forward to being part of the development stages of the giftpack process and seeing our giftpacks come to life from concept to delivery.’
Fudge
The Dog
Fudge the Dog is a regular visitor to the Kharisma Studio.
He has a nose for detail and can sniff out many opportunities!
The Brands
Listed below are a selection of the brands we’ve partnered with to create tailored gifting packs and licensing products.
Testimonials
Listed below is a selection of testimonials from the people that we’ve worked with.
“It has been great dealing with Kharisma over the past couple of years, they really understand customer needs in terms of differentiation, they have great insight on the gifting category and on Unilever Brands. On Simple Skincare it has been a lot easier with Kharisma in developing facial skincare packs in a creative way. At all stages of the process they have involved the brand team, making the gifting process a lot more streamlined.”
“Kharisma really understand what makes a great licensing deal – mutual business benefit. I think that it is this insight that ensures the licensing partnerships they have helped Unilever establish are so enduring and successful. With a strong delivery culture and client service approach, Kharisma have been a real asset in Unilever’s ambition to grow its global Licensing footprint.”
“I’ve been delighted with Kharisma’s service delivery on the gifting business. They are real experts who understand the gifting category and how to maximise the growth of my Personal Care Gifting business. Because of their intimate knowledge of how the category works they save Unilever lots of time avoiding the normal mistakes that new brand managers make. We’ve also seen the crafting of gift propositions improved. Since outsourcing Unilever has increased its growth rate”
News
Kharisma Christmas Wrapathon 2019
What an amazing evening we had at our annual Kharisma Wrapathon in November 2019 at Brunswick House, London. Please click on image to find out more.
Iceland & Marmite Join Forces to Save Brussels Sprouts!
An exciting new launch developed for our client Marmite in partnership with Iceland. A joint mission to ‘Save Our Sprouts’ by introducing Marmite Sprouts to freezer aisles from Monday 19th November.
Kharisma Christmas Wrapathon 2018
Find out about our charity Christmas celebration in aid of the Royal Marsden Children’s Hospital.
Contact
We love talking to new people about their projects and what we can do to help. If you wish to contact us you can do so using the email address provided below or entering your details on our contact form.
Email:
- info@kharismauk.com
Correspondence Address:
- 26 West Street, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 9BX
Registered Address:
- Wellesley House, Duke of Wellington Avenue, Royal Arsenal, London, SE18 6SS