EQUATOR APPOINTS SI THOMPSON AS UK DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN MANCHESTER
Equator has appointed Si Thompson as UK director of photography at its Manchester studio, continuing to build on the role of in-house photography and styling as an integral part of the company’s under-one-roof design and delivery process.
A creative photographer with a background in fine art and a photography degree, Si worked as a freelance fashion, celebrity and lifestyle photographer for seven years in the UK and Copenhagen, where he worked with influential fine art photographer, Kenneth Rimm. After freelancing for brand agency, Hangar Seven, Si became a full-time photographer for the company 11 years ago. He rose to become UK director of photography at Hangar Seven, now owned by The Hut Group, and led a team of 11, working across a wide array of internationally recognised food, drink and lifestyle brands, delivering images for packaging, above the line campaigns and social media content.
Si’s appointment at Equator continues the packaging agency’s commitment to putting impactful, bespoke photography at the heart of the design process and collaborating with clients to articulate the brand in pack imagery. He will work closely with clients and Equator’s creative teams to be involved in the design process as early as possible in order to elevate the photography brief and ensure the outputs are aligned to the project concept and brand strategy.
His role also involves working collaboratively with Equator’s in-house photographers, stylists and home economists at the Manchester studio. He will also work closely with the photography and creative teams across the company’s international network in the UK, USA and Australia to marry up working processes and share best practice.
Si comments: “Equator has an extremely talented, multi-disciplinary team and it’s exciting to be joining a studio that is delivering inspirational work with a truly collaborative approach to working across departments and with our clients.
“The Manchester studio combines the muscle of our parent, SGK Group, with the passion and bespoke approach of a boutique agency, and it’s exciting to be part of such a creative and dynamic environment. I’m looking forward to being hands-on with the images we create while driving forward our ability to offer our clients images that help their products achieve stand out and adding to our portfolio of work for major retailers and brands, along with smaller names and independents.”
Howard Wright, executive creative and strategy director (UK, IE & Australia), adds: “We’re delighted to have attracted a director of photographer with Si’s creativity, experience and enthusiasm to Equator’s Manchester studio, building on an in-house photography team that is consistently delivering stunning shots for our client projects.
“As the need to integrate on-pack photography with online channel presence continues to gather pace, photography is an increasingly important part of our integrated strategy, design and production offering and Si has both the talent and the vision to help us leverage that potential.”
Welcome Si!
