Nelson Bostock's Holly Hunter on Harnessing B2B Expertise

Nelson Bostock (part of Accenture Song's Unlimited Group) prides itself in building brand, belief and business; Holly Hunter is one of the important coggs in its machine - a specialist force in B2B marketing and communications, residing in the role of managing partner. 

Hunter’s career has seen her work both in-house and agency side, having led communications for a range of clients from early stage start-ups to world-leading companies, such as Uber, Workday and Canon, all the while having experienced leadership within an agency. 

Joining Nelson Bostock in October 2024, Hunter has ambitions to boost its growth and client leadership. She sat down with Creative Salon to discuss her new role, what drew her to Nelson Bostock, and overall industry insights.

Creative Salon: While still in your first year of your role, how have you settled in?   

Holly Hunter: So far, so good! I’m eight months in and have already had the chance to work on game-changing work for global brands like TikTok and Canon; I’ve met many brilliant people; and biggest of all, I’ve been a part of the amazing transition into Accenture Song. I’m grateful for having joined at such a pivotal moment in our growth journey – there are still plenty of unknowns, but it’s part of the magic and the future is so bright.  

As managing partner, what are your top priorities for Nelson Bostock?  

I have a few things on my list, the first of which is to ensure we deliver the best client service in our industry. Thanks to the strong relationships we’ve built, some of our clients have been with us for twenty or even thirty years. We need to continue to give clients the love they deserve as we grow.  

We’re also doubling down on our areas of B2B expertise, and driving more success in enterprise tech is a personal focus for me. We have amazing creds in the space and see a huge appetite for large global technology brands wanting to be more creative, work with influencers, and try new things to change the conversation within their space.  

Finally, how do we grow the team – but importantly, how do we grow a happy and engaged team? As we continue to win business we’ll continue to scale, but need to do so in a way that retains the brilliant culture the team has built over the years.  

What’s that one skill that the best account people you know have?  

Being able to think like a client. I think the best account people have spent some time in-house – even a secondment is enough to give you the perspective you need to put yourself in the client’s shoes. You ask the right questions, get better answers, and find the right solutions for clients.  

Tell us about one experience you’ve had across your career that made you really proud. 

I remember my first piece of print media coverage. It was a byline article I’d written about secure file storage systems on the back page of a life sciences trade magazine …and I couldn’t have been prouder. As were all my family, friends, neighbours – I showed everyone for the next fortnight.  

Small wins matter, especially when you’re first starting in the industry. I think it’s important we remember to celebrate those.  

 
What makes Nelson Bostock different to any other agency you’ve worked for?  

We know B2B audiences better than anyone.  

Our Human Understanding Lab – a team of 120+ data and behavioural scientists – gives us direct access to data, B2B insights and expertise, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. This means all the work we do – from media relations to creative campaigns – is grounded in audience understanding and brings our clients closer to their audiences.  

How would you describe the culture of the business?  

Nelson Bostock strikes the balance between a high-growth, ambitious scale-up and the security of a well-established business. It’s fast-paced, we’re using technology to try new things and deliver great work, but there’s a feeling of support. You’re free to try new things and you’re safe to fail.  

The industry is ever-evolving - and as a result, agencies are having to adapt to keep-up. Is this changing the client-agency relationship? What does that look like nowadays?  
 

It’s no longer enough to rely on sheer hard graft. In fact, clients increasingly want us to relieve the pressure on teams and give people the space to deliver quality, strategic work. This means using technology to alleviate admin tasks, finding ways to streamline project management, and having open discussions about how technology can make us an even better partner.  

This is non-negotiable today – but it only works when complemented by meaningful client-agency relationships. Working as true partners through the good and bad, celebrating, commiserating and adapting, is just as important as ever.  

How does Nelson Bostock best support its clients? What does it do best?  

We deliver consistently great work, powered by Human Understanding. This consistency is one of the reasons clients stick around for so long, and why our colleagues do too. Across the Group, our employee tenure is 4x the industry average, and our top 25 clients have an average tenure of 4x the industry average.  

What still takes you by surprise in the industry? 

Measurement is still an afterthought in PR and comms, but it’s so important to prove the value of what we do to the business. We’ve made huge progress in being able to show real business impact for the brands that are invested in measurement and would love to see more brands making it a priority. It helps us all do more brilliant work in the long run!  

And finally, what advice would you have for someone wanting to get into the industry?  

Many people want to get into marketing or communications, but if you can find a niche early doors, it will set you apart. I’m so glad I found B2B early in my career. You don’t need to be a subject matter expert right away, but showing a passion for a space – whatever that space is – can really make a difference.