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.

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.

What I Believe

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 advice, decisions, momentum and clarity across teams.

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 protect what makes you unique

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

I’m embedded enough to feel like part of your team, but independent enough to bring clarity, challenge, and momentum. My approach is structured, transparent, and designed to keep complex programmes of work moving without adding noise or disruption.

HOW I WORK

01.

Clarity First

I get to know your team, customers, product and goals — and clarify why change is needed, what’s driving it, and what success should look like. This gives everyone the same starting point.

02.

Practical Strategy

I refine direction, test assumptions and map the most achievable path forward — defining scope, partners, risks and sequencing so the programme is deliverable, not just ambitious.

03.

Collaborative Delivery

I work hands-on across marketing, brand, digital, tech and external agencies to coordinate (and often lead) delivery — removing blockers and keeping the programme aligned with your goals.

04.

Transparent Progress

I bring structure, reporting and momentum so everyone knows what’s happening, why it matters, and what comes next — ensuring the programme stays on track as it scales.

My Experience

    • Luxury

    • Retail

    • Banking

    • Insurance

    • Venture Capital & Private Equity

    • Property

    • Travel

    • Publishing

    • Programme & project management

    • Product management

    • Service & product design

    • Digital & eCommerce consulting

    • Customer journey optimisation

    • Vendor & technology evaluation

    • Technical architecture awareness

    • Quality Assurance

    • Cross-functional alignment

    • Governance & workflow design

    • Digital transformation

    • eCommerce replatforming

    • Brand evolution & rollout

    • CX redesign

    • New product & service development

    • Operational change

    • Subscription, retention & CRM

  • 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, delivery, UX, product, technology, finance, procurement, operations and marketing.

Need a hand?

If you’re wrestling with a difficult programme, project, challenge, 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.

Book a call