Leeds Agency ThinkOTB Expands Global Reach with Royal Recognition

ThinkOTB has celebrated a major international client win in the same week it was officially presented with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.

The Leeds-based innovation and marketing agency received the award in recognition of its outstanding international growth, following on from its previous success with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2020.

ThinkOTB has also announced its appointment as creative partner to Croda Pharma, the pharmaceutical division of Croda International Plc – a global leader in specialty chemicals and sustainable solutions.

Croda Pharma develops and supplies high-performance excipients, vaccine adjuvants, and lipid systems to pharmaceutical and life science companies worldwide. As Croda Pharma enters a pivotal stage of global growth and brand evolution, ThinkOTB will provide
strategic and creative services to support its teams across Europe, the US, and Asia Pacific. This will include brand positioning, creative campaigns, digital and print design, motion and film, social media, and content development – with the aim of building unified marketing communications that resonate globally while respecting local market nuances.

Jo Waddington, director of ThinkOTB, said: “Croda Pharma sought a partner capable of transforming complex scientific and technical content into clear, engaging storytelling for diverse international audiences. We are delighted to be extending our international portfolio and to be working as an extension of Croda Pharma’s in-house marketing team.”

ThinkOTB is one of just 197 organisations nationwide to be recognised with a King’s Award this year. The agency operates in 21 countries, working with global clients across the financial services and energy sectors.
Founded by Mark Davies, Tina Catling & Jo Waddington, the agency has built a reputation as a trusted partner to some of the world’s most recognisable organisations, including Google, Siemens Energy, Visa, The National Trust, Benenden Health, and National Grid.

Mark Davies added:
“It’s a huge honour to follow on from our Queen’s Award five years ago with this King’s Award. We’re proud to be one of the UK’s leading creative consultancies operating internationally. Our mission has always been to combine creativity with strategy, helping global organisations to innovate and thrive.” The Award was formally presented by HM Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Ed Anderson CBE, at a ceremony at ThinkOTB’s Headingley offices on Monday 15 September.

Director, Jo Waddington, has been instrumental in driving its global expansion, said: “From a small office in Leeds, we’ve grown into an international organisation that has not only survived but thrived through decades of change. Our strength lies in the same foundations we
started with – creativity, ideas, and long-lasting client relationships – combined with an agile, collaborative model that embeds alongside our clients’ teams.”

Now in its 59th year, the King’s Awards for Enterprise – formerly the Queen’s Awards – remain the UK’s most prestigious business accolade. Winners are entitled to display the emblem for the next five years.
This latest recognition adds to ThinkOTB’s strong track record of awards, including the Drum Award for Digital Innovation and the CIM Marketing Excellence Awards