© søster
We research, strategise, reposition, build and define how to communicate a brand’s message for maximum impact.
We design, photograph, film, write, and create award-winning multimedia campaigns that leave a lasting impression.
We craft immersive experiences, meaningful incentive travel, and unforgettable rewards that connect brands with people.
Our Services
“Their ability to bring Charleston to life through compelling content and story telling ideas has been a joy to watch ever since we began working with them. They take time to understand our needs, ensure we deliver on our campaign objectives and have a truly special talent for capturing the soul of our destination. Always a pleasure to work with, the team are a much loved extension of the Explore Charleston family, helping tell our stories in magical ways.”
Catherine S. Dority, Director of Marketing, Explore Charleston
“I am delighted to be a long standing partner of the agency. The work produced for us has been extremely successful. The team really understand our brand, positioning and what makes our properties unique. This insight always shines through in the fantastic creative and strategic work that they design for us.”
BRETT ARMITAGE, CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, KERZNER INTERNATIONAL
“I would like to thank you and your team for the great organisation of this trip. Our group was challenging […] however all our participants were absolutely delighted with the programme and organisation in Japan. Everyone noticed the little touches. They were very impressed with the service you provided.”
Mazda C&SEE, Marketing & Communications Manager
“All the feedback coming in both from distributors and staff is very positive, people have had what we wanted to give them – the time and trip of their life. Thank you for all you have done to make this happen, for being an amazing team, professional, fun, service-minded… all at the same time.”
Nu Skin EMEA, Head of Events
“The team at the agency proved a fantastic agency partner in the running of this promotion, putting together a beautiful prize package. They were really accommodating in meeting the needs of this less-than-usual brief […] And when we came up against inevitable challenges, they were always on hand to help solve these immediately so as not to jeopardise the consumer experience.”
Stella Artois, Category Brand Manager, AB InBev
“It is getting harder and harder to deliver something with wow factor but that’s where the agency seems to have the edge. They get the brief, understand the audience and deliver a seamless end-to-end programme with minimum intervention from the client.”
BMW UK, General Manager
“The feedback we’ve received has been incredibly positive. Guests wanted to stay longer at the magical sanctuary that is Borgo Egnazia – and have commented that it’s been the most enjoyable trip they’ve joined! We simply couldn’t have done it without the support of the søster team so a sincere thank you once again.”
Mitsubishi Motors, Event & Sponsorship Manager
“Having unique experiences from biking in Kathmandu, having our own bespoke campsite for an overnight stay and our own traditional ceremony on a sectioned off major square in the middle of Kathmandu in front of a historic temple were just a few experiences that will never be forgotten.”
MINI UK, Sales Operations & Strategy Manager
“I just wanted to say a huge thank you, once again, for the non-stop work you and the on-the-ground team put in. For all of us, the experience created memories that will last a lifetime – and that really is what we hope for, but do not always achieve. So, mission accomplished!”
Softcat, Managing Director
Our Team
Agency
Experiences
Industry Insights
Albert House 256-260 Old Street London EC1V 9DD
hello@sosteragency.com
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had an overwhelming passion for travel and experience (my 2 favourite books growing up were both atlases!) and I’ve encountered some of the best things in my life while exploring the world. I met my best friend and now wife Amy in Queenstown, New Zealand, and the only people I know who share the exact same feeling about travel as my own – Co-Founders James and Tom – on Magnetic Island, Australia. We set up Black Tomato 16 years ago with very little travel industry experience and have always tried to do things with creativity, humility and thoughtfulness, for our colleagues and fellow travellers. Although my day-to-day role is broad and strategic across søster, driving and directing the business from a sales and operational perspective, I still dedicate a significant portion of time to creative and ‘deep’ thinking. This time is my ‘happy’ place and gives me the space I need to reconnect with my passion for travel regularly, and ensure that everything we bring to our customers is fresh and relevant.
matt.smith@sosteragency.com
The journey my family had taken through the 20th century to finally arrive in the UK created incredibly evocative imagery in my mind of far-off lands, and demonstrated first-hand how mind-blowing a shared travel experience can be. I barely left the country until the age of 16, and this fuelled my wanderlust as I poured over old maps, TV documentaries and books. My chance to travel came with a visit to an elderly aunt in Mount Maunganui who had been awarded an MBE in WWII, and I then stopped in Mumbai on the way home to meet my cousins for the first time. The contrast in travel experience, what I gained, how it made me feel, and most importantly what we shared together set me on a path through 25 years in the events and travel industry, eventually culminating in søster. Every day I enjoy bringing a diverse team together and facilitating for them so they utilise their different points of view, experiences and attributes to create a solution for our clients which generates genuine cut-through and a magical, once-in-a-lifetime moment for our partners.
alex.james@sosteragency.com
I have over a decade of experience in luxury travel, hospitality and immersive B2B events through which I’ve built up an extensive global network. I have a history of establishing solid partnerships to identify collaborative, creative and commercial opportunities, and have worked with notable luxury and lifestyle brands throughout my career. As Strategic Account Director at søster, I drive forward client partnerships and new business with a focus on creative content and strategy projects. I’m passionate about working closely with our clients to identify creative solutions to the challenges they are facing, and deliver impactful and meaningful work.
jemma.uglow@sosteragency.com
Since joining the Black Tomato Group nearly 15 years ago, I’ve been privileged to witness the company’s journey from initial vision to the internationally recognised brand we are proud to be today. As the Head of Product for the group, I oversee our global travel offering. My team is responsible for forging relationships with the best partners around the world, tracking the latest openings and emerging trends, and ensuring we are offering the planet’s most remarkable travel experiences to our corporate and leisure clients. As a London-based American ex-pat who’s travelled to dozens of countries across all seven continents, I’m a firm believer in the power of travel to forge connections, educate, and inspire.
carolyn.adison@sosteragency.com
My career as a graphic designer and photographer has brought me to live and work in Toronto, Hong Kong and London. Since joining the company in 2011 as a designer, I’ve brought that international perspective to our projects and have had the privilege to work with many of the world’s leading luxury hospitality brands to build and strengthen their visual identities through logo, print, web design and photography.
alex.chan@sosteragency.com
I’m a videographer with varied experience within the travel industry. My passion lies in storytelling through cinematography and editing, and I take pride in maintaining a clear focus on detail no matter the project I’m working on. My affinity for travel and photography is matched only by my love of surfing – a pursuit which, being based in Bournemouth, is happily fulfilled!
tom.hall@sosteragency.com
Whilst completing a Psychology degree at University, I took an interest in the psychology of workplaces which resulted in me completing my dissertation on the topic of quality of working life. This led me to develop a career in Human Resources. With 9 years of experience in the field, having the opportunity to join the Black Tomato Group in 2019 allowed me to work for a company that strives for remarkable work and encourages people to develop themselves both professionally and personally. The work and experiences delivered by the agency around the world is truly inspiring.
lydia.challis@sosteragency.com
I am delighted to bring to Soster a wealth of experience planning campaigns, conferences, and incentives worldwide for clients across a variety of sectors. I love feeling inspired by new destinations, trends, and unique experiences (especially those off the beaten track) to create engaging programmes to exceed expectations! Outside of work you will likely find me planning my next trip, some of my favourites so far include ice caving in Iceland, wine tasting in Franschhoek and kayaking with the seals in La Jolla.
steph.oakey@sosteragency.com
I had a unique introduction to the industry. After being the lucky winner of a prize experience, not just once, but twice (ask me about the exciting curated brand trips I took!), I networked with the team here and discovered that the world of bespoke experiences was my calling. Having been with the company since 2014, I’m now our Head of Experiences, and ready to hear from clients for all things related to prizes, incentives and brand experiences. My favourite part of the role is researching the world (from my desk when not out and about), creating ‘never-been-done-before’ travel experiences for our client brands and companies, and then bringing these experiences to life like magic.
harriet.kendall@sosteragency.com
I joined the company back in 2009, initially working on exciting prize campaigns, with a personal highlight being running a campaign at the World Cup in Rio 2012. I then lept over to the groups team in 2013 to deliver complex worldwide incentives and conferences for some iconic brands and largest corporates. With a decade of delivery knowledge and events expertise, I’m now Head of Experiences – Operations, working with the best team in the industry to ensure we offer the world-class delivery which we pride ourselves on. Travel-obsessed, having visited 61 countries and counting, I’m happiest when meeting people and getting under the skin of a new destination.
hollie.ludlam@sosteragency.com
I joined the company in 2018 bringing a wealth of knowledge on the events and promotions industry. As Experiences Manager, I’m on hand to assist clients with briefs of all shapes and sizes, whether it be prizes, incentives or brand experiences, and always add some søster sparkle to elevate the brief. Molly loves to pepper your brand throughout each brief, whether that be your beer brand chilling in the snow at the top of the Rockies or your brand logo in the sand at your private Kalahari Desert camp.
molly.harrison@sosteragency.com
During my career in events so far, I have been fortunate enough to work closely with global names and companies – predominately in the world of sports, planning and delivering once in a lifetime experiences for their markets, employees, and prize winners. Bringing people from all over the globe together and helping to create amazing memories for them has always felt rewarding and motivating to me. Luckily, being a part of Søster means that this reward is constant as I work to bring clients’ visions to life across incredible destinations.
laura.crossley@sosteragency.com
I started my journey in the event industry on 19th July 1996, the same day that the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta started – my first gig. After Atlanta, I travelled South Carolina with friends that I’d made at the Olympics and created memories that still live in me today. And that’s the beauty of travel; It creates memories, it formulates friendship and it develops stories that can be recounted again and again. Over the course of the last 26 years that’s become my job. I create experiences that bond people, either to each other or to a brand and create memories that make an event live on in the people that attend it – long after their journey home.
paul.lake@sosteragency.com
I join the team with over 8 years of event industry experience and a BA (Hons) degree in Event Management. I developed my skills through managing and delivering a range of events, from exclusive high-end incentives to large scale conferences and exhibitions. I have had the pleasure of working with a number of clients across different industries, taking them and their audiences to incredible destinations all over the globe.
I find happiness in traveling and meeting new people – luckily enough my job allows me to do both. The thing that inspires me most about our industry is having the opportunity to create memorable experiences for others to enjoy.
hayley.green@sosteragency.com
My Administrative and HR background means I bring a keen eye for detail and a meticulous approach to creating proposals, ensuring each one is lifted from the page to be made a reality. Providing a flawless balance of personality and professionalism to each lucky winner is important to me, and I try to make this shine through in my day-to-day work by building on a winners’ experience so that each trip I fulfil is the trip of a lifetime for them and truly feels like their personal dream come true.
abigail.smith@sosteragency.com
Growing up, I was fortunate enough to be taken on trips to some of the most amazing places in the world – from sleeping opposite an elephant’s watering hole in a safari camp in Kenya to the beautiful beaches of Cuba. As I’ve gotten older, my love for travel seems to just grow stronger. My role as Operations Executive at søster allows me to combine my love of all things travel with impeccable organisation skills gained from years of admin and customer service experience to provide a smooth and seamless journey from start to finish for our lucky prize winners.
I’m an experienced finance professional with 18 years of work in the live entertainment and events industry. I’ve always loved being in the agency space and thrive off the fast-paced environment. As a child, I would visit family in Austria and New Zealand, often making stops in Asia along the way. It sparked a wanderlust in me and now, as a mother, my biggest motivation is creating travel opportunities for my children and showing them the beauty of our world. Being at søster allows me to combine my professional skills with this lifelong passion, and it’s inspiring to see our amazing team design and create incredible experiences for our clients, and build and strengthen brands through the power of travel.
emma.dotson@sosteragency.com
I join the søster family with over 16 years of event industry experience working in the corporate sector where I managed teams creating and delivering high-end global incentives, large conferences, exhibitions, roadshows and bespoke hospitality. From as young as I can remember I have been curious about travel and would sit for hours studying my parent’s globe, dreaming of exploring the world whilst pouring through travel brochures. My role at søster allows me to feed my love of travel whilst working alongside creative and inspiring people that are passionate about delivering unique experiences and creating lifelong memories for our clients.
sarah.howman@sosteragency.com
I’ve 12 years’ experience in orchestrating and delivering large, complex events for a top FTSE 100 company within the Financial Services industry. Everything from roadshows, exhibitions, live conferences, bespoke hospitality and luxury incentive travel – you name it, I’ve done it! I pride myself on building relationships with a calm and fun nature, and making events as stress-free as possible for everyone around me. I love all things travel, sport and adventure. I’m happiest exploring a new city, off the beaten track, with a plateful of food in front of me and a drink in my hand.