About

A little bit about me… 👋

Hello — I’m Fred Beatson-Hird, founder of You Not Me. I help ambitious brands deliver complex change without losing momentum, clarity or their identity.

For the last 15+ years I’ve worked across luxury, retail, finance, publishing, VC and digital transformation — leading global rebrands, eCommerce and omnichannel modernisation, customer experience redesign, digital product development and major technology programmes.

My through-line is simple: bridging the gap between vision and delivery.

Strategy is everywhere. Execution is rare.

I built You Not Me to solve that — as an embedded senior partner who aligns teams, accelerates decisions and delivers complex change with confidence and calm.

“Strategy is everywhere. Execution is rare.”

Change only works when it’s owned from the inside.

My role is to support your mission — not impose mine — and ensure change strengthens what already makes you successful.

What I Believe

Identity matters.

Change shouldn’t dilute what made you distinctive — it should amplify it. The best transformation protects the core while modernising the parts that need to evolve.

Strategy is everywhere. Delivery is rare.

Companies don’t struggle with ideas; they struggle with turning ideas into reality. My job is to create clarity, alignment and momentum so progress actually happens.

AI and rising complexity demand orchestration, not more noise.

When everyone has tools, opinions and strategies, the real value is someone who can cut through the noise, join the dots and keep teams moving together.

Why work with me

I bridge strategy, teams, technology and delivery

Most consultants sit in one lane. I operate across all of them — giving you joined-up decisions, momentum and clarity across teams.

I turn complexity into something executable

I simplify what’s noisy, cut through competing agendas and unblock progress so programmes move forward with purpose.

I integrate quickly and work well with senior teams

I understand how cross-functional leaders think — brand, digital, eCommerce, ops, tech and finance. That means faster onboarding, better alignment and smoother execution.

I make change feel calm, not chaotic

You get structure, clear governance, and steady communication — without unnecessary noise or disruption.

I deliver, not just advise

You don’t need another strategist. You need someone embedded enough to move work forward, challenge constructively and ensure outcomes actually land.

I protect what makes you unique

Modernisation shouldn’t dilute your identity. I help you evolve without losing the core that made you successful.

My Experience

I bring the depth of a senior in-house leader with the flexibility of a consultant, helping organisations make connected decisions across brand, digital, commerce and technology so major programmes land smoothly and strengthen the business.

    • Luxury

    • Retail

    • Banking

    • Insurance

    • Venture Capital & Private Equity

    • Property

    • Travel

    • Publishing

    • Digital transformation

    • eCommerce replatforming

    • Brand evolution & rollout

    • CX redesign

    • New product & service development

    • Operational change

    • Subscription, retention & CRM

    • Programme & project management

    • Product management

    • Service & product design

    • Digital & eCommerce consulting

    • Customer journey optimisation

    • Vendor & technology evaluation

    • Technical architecture awareness

    • Cross-functional alignment

    • Governance & workflow design

  • Most major eCommerce platforms

    Most major CRMs

    Headless front end & CMS

    Subscription & loyalty platforms

    CDPs & analytics tools

    Google Cloud and Analytics

    Native and hybrid app development frameworks

15+ years

Leading digital, brand, eCommerce and transformation programmes.

20+ Organisations

Across retail, luxury, financial services, property, travel and publishing in UK, US and EMEA.

Agency & In-house

Leadership roles at HAVAS and Matter Of Form; hands-on with large and scale-up companies.

Multi-disciplined

Brand, UX, product, technology, operations and marketing.

Facing a specific challenge?

If you’re wrestling with a difficult programme, project, or decision, I offer a focused half-day to help you get unstuck. After a short intro call, I’ll dive into the problem and return with clear, actionable recommendations tailored to your organisation.

Send an Email