David started his career in advertising in the early nineties, when the industry in the UK was flourishing and leaders who could sustain enormous pressure and still think on their feet were in high demand. David held senior positions at Grey Advertising and Ogilvy & Mather for over a decade. 

During the BRIC economic boom of the early 2000s, David was Head of Country for Ogilvy Russia, where he achieved more than a 500% revenue growth in just four years.

David Meikle | The How to Buy A Gorilla Company

In 2009, David launched his consultancy, later known as The How to Buy a Gorilla Company (HTBAG). The consultancy focuses on improving client-agency dynamics, fostering efficient processes, and enhancing marketing ROI.

David’s insights have benefited organisations such as Freemans, Vision Express, TSB, and the European Commission. His innovative approaches have made a mark across diverse sectors, from transport to healthcare.

Having experienced first-hand extreme stress at work and a consequent mental health crisis, David looked for ways to make internal and external relationships less stressful and more productive for everyone involved. 

David Meikle | Business Author

In 2019, David published his first book, How to Buy a Gorilla. The book explores how marketers can get better-value advertising ideas from their agencies and offers a new approach to collaborating more productively and effectively. 

It introduces tools and strategies to tackle common agency sourcing and management issues, using real-world case studies to offer clarity and direction.

His second book, Tuning Up (2023), builds on the concepts introduced in his first book and delves deeper into the dynamics of responsibility and control in professional relationships.

The centrepiece of this book is the “Meikle Matrix,” a model designed to reduce workplace friction while enhancing performance, satisfaction, and productivity. Aimed at transforming relationships in high-pressure industries, it also addresses often overlooked mental health challenges. 

It is also a vital handbook for those seeking to improve team cohesion and company performance and create a better culture, business, and happier workplace.

David Meikle | Speaker & Trainer

David’s talks remind us that there is often a huge amount of untapped potential in an organisation’s existing assets – its people. David explores this through his innovative yet simple business model, The Meikle Matrix, introduced in his book Tuning Up. He demonstrates how this approach can be applied across multiple themes and objectives.

His talks cover leadership, growth, performance, teamwork, burnout, mental health and stress.

Workshops, training and talk titles:

Tuning Up Leadership

Using the Meikle Matrix and the lenses of responsibility and control, delegates learn how to enhance their performance as a leadership team and cascade these principles as drivers of organisational culture transformation and growth.

Tuning Up for B2B relationships.

Drawing on years of client service experience in the UK and four years in Russia during the BRIC boom of the 2000s, David shares captivating and insightful stories to demonstrate how the Meikle Matrix can be leveraged to build successful client relationships.

Tuning Up for Life

The inspiration for Tuning Up came from advice David received from a GP over twenty years ago when he was dealing with extreme work-related stress. In this compelling account, David reveals how he overcame these struggles and shares with audiences a fresh perspective on cultivating more fruitful, fulfilling, and happier relationships—not just at work but throughout life.

Why Book David Meikle?

David’s expertise is rooted in decades of hands-on experience, but his focus on innovation and human connection ensures his ideas resonate with modern audiences. He has a track record of delivering actionable insights that drive measurable results, from global corporations to local enterprises.

Booking David is more than securing a speaker; it’s an opportunity to bring transformative ideas, tested strategies, and dynamic energy to your event.

To book marketing innovator David Meikle for your next event, contact Great British Speakers at +44 1753 439 289 Contact Us