Helping agency founders & scale-up leaders unlock growth and meet their ambitions.
Lived experience, not theory. Having built, scaled and exited an agency myself, and worked with countless technology companies on their growth journeys, I bring that judgement to every board seat, advisory engagement and comms strategy.
CAREER
“13 years founding and scaling CubanEight: from a standing start, building an award-winning team, to a successful acquisition and exit.”
HOW CAN I HELP
Clarity, context & focus
Growth rarely fails for lack of ambition. It stalls when the pace picks up: a reputation that hasn't caught up, a team that's outgrown how you run it, a market that's too noisy to stand out in.
I work with founders, business leaders and agency owners who are building, scaling or navigating their next chapter, and want a strategic partner they can trust.
As a founder, I have lived experience of building a profitable business from scratch, scaling teams, winning and losing clients, making hard commercial calls, leading through uncertainty, and navigating and integrating an acquisition. I know what it takes - not from the sidelines, but from the leadership table.
I've spent my career at the senior leadership level across PR agencies - from Weber Shandwick and Hotwire, to founding and running CubanEight for 13 years, through its acquisition by Tyto, to Board Director. I've led amazing teams and invested heavily in shaping agency culture, marketing and leadership.
I’ve partnered with ambitious tech companies on their path to global brand status, unicorn valuations, acquisition or IPO.
I know what it takes to successfully launch brands into new markets or territories, shift industry narratives, build executive profiles and engage stakeholders, with campaigns audiences remember and act on.
Board Advisory & NED
An experienced, independent voice at your board table, challenging assumptions, sharpening strategy and supporting the commercial decisions that shape growth.
Who it’s for
Founders and leadership teams at a growth or transition point - scaling fast, facing a major decision, or wanting independent perspective at board level.
What it looks like
An ongoing board seat or NED role, or a periodic advisory arrangement - bringing outside perspective to strategy, governance and the commercial calls that shape how and where the business goes next.
Strategic Business Advisory
A trusted sounding board on scaling teams, winning and retaining clients, leadership, culture and navigating change, including the pathway to acquisition and beyond exit.
Who it’s for
Founders and business leaders building or scaling a team, preparing for acquisition, or integrating after a deal - anyone navigating a stage I’ve been through myself.
What it looks like
Regular advisory sessions or a structured engagement around a specific challenge - from leadership and culture questions to acquisition readiness and post-deal integration.
PR, Comms & Content Strategy
An expert working with tech companies on the scale-up journey. I build integrated campaigns with context, audience-first messaging that change perceptions, shift industry narratives, build discoverability and deliver measurable business impact.
Who it’s for
B2B tech companies on the scale-up journey who need their reputation and market presence to catch up with their ambition.
What it looks like
Strategic counsel, campaign direction or hands-on integrated comms strategy - built around audience insight and tied to measurable business outcomes, not just coverage.
ABOUT
My Story
I didn't set out to become a founder. I started out at Channel 4 Schools, in marketing and PR, and worked my way up to Head of Marketing and PR there - my first taste of what it takes to build a brand’s reputation from the inside.
From there I moved into international agency life - Weber Shandwick, then Hotwire in its first five years, learning what great comms leadership looks like at scale.
In 2009, I founded CubanEight. What started as a standing start became, over 13 years, an award-winning B2B tech PR agency - recognised as UK PR Agency by the UK Agency Awards, Outstanding Consultancy by CIPR & PRCA, and named by Forrester among the top tech PR firms globally.
Running CubanEight meant doing all the things founders do: building a team from nothing, winning clients, losing some too, making commercial calls with imperfect information, and leading through the kind of uncertainty that doesn’t show up in a business plan.
In 2022, CubanEight was acquired by Tyto, one of the fastest-growing pan-European B2B tech PR agencies. I stayed on as Board Director and Managing Partner, leading the integration of Tyto's services and the agency’s marketing, launching Tyto’s Content Studio, and directing campaign strategy hyperscalers including Wasabi, Klaviyo, Contentsquare, Five9, Yext and Similarweb.
That journey - founding, scaling, exiting, integrating - is what I now bring to the founders and business leaders I work with. Not as theory, but as lived experience.
Today, I work as a board advisor, business advisor, NED and strategic PR and comms consultant - helping agency founders and scale-up business leaders bring clarity, context and focus to their own next chapter.
01
Early career
Channel 4 Schools
Head of Marketing & PR
02
Agency life
Weber Shandwick & Hotwire
Multi-market comms leadership at scale
03
2009
Founded CubanEight
13 years building an award-winning agency
04
2022
CubanEight acquired by Tyto
Board Director & Managing Partner
05
Today
Advisor, NED & strategist
Siân Gaskell Consulting
What People Say
“
I’ve been lucky enough to work with Siân for over 20 years. What truly sets Siân apart is her knack for taking big business goals and turning them into brilliant, real-world communication plans. She has a rare gift for storytelling, taking complicated company messages and making them genuinely connect with reporters and stakeholders alike.
Beyond her sharp instincts for media and corporate communications, Siân is a fantastic mentor. She builds great teams and handles high-pressure situations and executive relationships with total grace.
I highly recommend Siân to any organisation looking for a top-tier communications expert who knows exactly how to deliver results and protect a brand’s reputation.”
— Bhavesh Vaghela, Chief Marketing Officer, ActiveOps
“
I've worked with Siân across a couple of technology businesses, and she brings a strong understanding of the UK market and a thoughtful, creative approach to PR. She understands the context, knows how to shape a story and brings a valuable strategic perspective.”
— Sylvie Tongco, VP Corporate Communications, BlueVoyant
“
One of the strongest agency partnerships I’ve experienced. Siân and her team brought an intelligent, contextual approach and real energy to our PR campaigns, always keeping our audiences front of mind. She listened closely to our goals, from the founder to sales and investors, and delivered creative, strategic campaigns that matched our ambition.
I’ve recommended Siân time and again to scale-ups who want a partner, strategist and advisor who will understand their business and deliver.
— Helen Attia, Chief Growth Officer, Idealis
Let’s talk about what’s next for your business
Whether it’s a board seat, a comms strategy, or advice on scaling - I’d love to hear where you’re headed.
CONTACT
Let’s talk
If you’re building, scaling or navigating your next chapter and want a strategic partner who’s been there, I’d love to hear from you.