Absolute Nexa strengthens digital capability with key team appointments

On the delivery side, Gabriella Sarkies-Holloway joins as Digital Project Manager, bringing over 14 years of experience across ecommerce, digital marketing and customer growth. With a hands-on background as Co-Founder of a fashion brand she scaled into a £1m business, she brings a strong commercial perspective to digital delivery, ensuring platforms don’t just look good, but perform.

She said: "I've always believed that good digital work has to earn its place commercially, whether that's a website, a platform or a campaign, it needs to actually move the business forward, not just look impressive. Having built and scaled my own brand, I know firsthand what it takes to make a digital experience actually work commercially, not just visually. I'm excited to bring that mindset to the team here and help deliver platforms that genuinely perform for our clients." 

Strengthening the development team, Jonathan Baines joins as Senior Front-End Developer, bringing 16 years of experience, including nearly seven years at McCann Manchester. His expertise will support the delivery of fast, scalable and user-focused digital platforms.

He adds: “It’s been exciting helping the team explore new technologies to improve Absolute Nexa’s offering, and build unique, engaging user experiences for our clients. I’m looking forward to helping expand Absolute Nexa’s already impressive portfolio.”

Meanwhile, Emma Gough joins as Design Director leading UX and UI across all website and digital platform projects. An internationally experienced design leader, Emma has worked for leading agencies such as WPP, Landor, Digitas and Ogilvy across London, Hong Kong, Sydney and Melbourne, delivering digital experiences for global brands including Cathay Pacific, Tourism Australia, Qantas, Pernod Ricard and Stellantis.

She added: “Great digital experiences come from truly understanding users. I’m looking forward to helping Absolute Nexa continue to raise the bar in how websites and platforms perform not just creatively, but commercially.”

Chris Hodgen, Managing Director of Absolute Nexa, welcomed the new hires: “Each of these appointments strengthens a key part of our digital offering. It’s about bringing together the right expertise to deliver better outcomes for our clients. As demand continues to grow, this puts us in a strong position to keep pushing forward.

We took our time to find the right people who can help our clients reach their goals. All three have been working with us for a number of months and it's great to see the work that's coming through. The agency landscape is constantly evolving, and so are the expectations of our clients. In 2025, we made the strategic decision to split the business into two dedicated agencies, allowing each to focus on its own specialist expertise.

This enables us to deliver greater depth of knowledge, clearer positioning and a more tailored service for our clients. It also forms part of our long-term strategy to attract and retain the very best talent, bringing together specialists who are passionate about their craft and committed to delivering exceptional results."

The expanded team will play a pivotal role in supporting clients across sectors including housebuilding, automotive, sport, education and technology, delivering digital platforms and experiences that not only solve complex challenges but also unlock growth, strengthen customer engagement and create a lasting competitive advantage for our clients.