I was born and raised in Sydney. I studied painting at Southern Cross University in Lismore before — like so many Australians — setting off around the world with a backpack.

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Eventually washing up in London, I spent several years in the UK music industry working in marketing roles for various record labels before setting up a consultancy specialising in creative management and marketing from which I launched several cross-over albums for artists such as Primal Scream, Todd Terry and U.N.K.L.E.

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In 2002 I formed London-based creative agency This is Real Art. With Business Development Director, Georgina Lee and later joined by former AMV Creative Director, Paul Belford, we developed TiRA into a full-service communications agency providing strategic, creative and production services to a wide range of international clients. 

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During my time at TiRA, I oversaw the rebrand of MTV UK Network, the design of NOKIA’s retail communications strategy and reconstructed the brand architecture of European satellite giant SES ASTRA. As well as many other projects across fashion, publishing, financial services, the arts, retail and non-profit sectors.

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After selling my share of TiRA at the end of 2009, I took a year’s sabbatical between London, Paris and New York.

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In 2011, I took a role at Wolff Olins NYC as project lead for the launch of Google Fiber and the radical re-imagining of the USA Today brand and newspaper.

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In 2013, I took a somewhat sideways step into my husband’s long-term dream of running an eco hotel in the Caribbean. Together we developed and ran Manicou River on the small island of Dominica for five years until a catastrophic hurricane brought that dream to an abrupt end.

 

After a couple of years fighting with the insurance company and trying reopen the resort, we took the decision to move to Sydney, where I have set up Leury Nielsen Consulting, working both directly with clients and teaming up with agencies.

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My expertise is in strategy, brand building and customer experience.

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My writing has been published by Design Assembly, Process Magazine, The Design Management Institute, Desktop Mag, IDPure and Online Opinion.