FEATURE
KEEPING YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE Rogo Scott’s rapid rise continued throughout 2017, culminating in the appointment of UKTV’s Tim Goff as partner. James Groves revisits the media consultancy’s Soho offices to talk broadcast management, cross-skilling and US expansion
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he honeymoon period is something we’ve all had to contend with at one time or another. Be it a new city, a new job or a new home, those first steps and experiences gift us a unique pleasure that is often difficult to replicate. That’s why, when returning to Rogo Scott 14 months on, it’s refreshing to see that absolutely nothing has changed. Growth is as rapid is ever, and smiles are equally as wide as they were in 2016. Back then, the media and entertainment consultancy was planning an official launch in February 2017, with eyes on a rebrand. “We actually never got to that launch party!” smiles Peter Cook, COO, Rogo Scott. “We did launch the new branding about three months ago, but we were so inundated with new work coming in that we didn’t find the time to do anything more than a soft launch.” The business has continued to flourish, culminating in the appointment of Tim Goff as a new partner. Formerly UKTV head of technology and infrastructure, Goff has been brought in to lead Rogo Scott into the broadcast management sector. “I think the appointment speaks for itself,” says Cook. “We wanted to bring in someone more senior within the business that could, on the one hand,
“Ultimately, I was never going to come here and change too much, because clients already love the way we work” TIM GOFF
help with the running of the business, but also really focus on the broadcast management side and take that forward.” A CHANGE OF SCENERY Goff took his first steps towards the working world studying business at the University of Sheffield – or at least, that was what it was called at the time. “It was actually an accounting degree, but I don’t tend to tell people that because it sounds enormously painful!” says Goff. “I went off to Australia following university, and gained some really valuable – and unexpected – experience out there in banking, at an age where many people go and get a job picking fruit!” He continues: “I moved to London when I returned to the country, and continued with banking. And to be honest, it was just dreadful! It really wasn’t for me, which is when I broke into media with UKTV. Prior to his move to Rogo Scott, Goff had spent most of his career at UKTV, rising from senior systems administrator in 2003 to head of technology and infrastructure from 2014 to 2017, navigating six job titles in the process. “I had to learn the media ropes from the ground up,” says Goff. “I replaced virtually everything that UKTV used in my time there, and that’s where all my background and experience comes from.” “It’s certainly a change of scenery. I’ve known Ben [CEO Ben Clasper] for a long time. He pitched a rights system to me way back when he was working for Counterpoint, and we’ve stayed in touch ever since.” Rogo Scott collaborated with UKTV in early 2016, which is where Goff met Cook. “Peter and I got on very well, and one day, Ben was talking about how Rogo Scott was looking for someone to lead an expansion into broadcast management.
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