David Parkinson and Rich Rust, former Heads of Digital for Nissan, have joined forces to launch Brave & Heart. The team dubs it a new kind of consultancy with an agile organization at its core and a central mission to drive transformative digital activity for clients.
Founded on a principle of being the antidote to juggernaut consultancies, Brave & Heart will initially open with offices in London and Dubai, working with flexible teams and specialist global implementation partners, supporting clients across key areas of digital including strategy, transformation and experiential.
Brave & Heart’s UAE office will be based out of AstroLabs, a tech-hub partnered with Google for entrepreneurs and IBM in Dubai.
“We see a clear need for a new model–one that harnesses real-world expertise and is able to provide rapid, flexible support to brands and their partners to deliver disruptive digital. Amateur hour is over. Our clients need bravery and passion,” Mr Parkinson explained.
Using its proprietary methodology, Brave & Heart will support its clients at all stages of their digital journey, from capability bench-marking and strategy development to driving transformative change through innovation labs and rapid prototyping.
“Offering agile, remote teams and engaging specialist expertise where and when needed, is something that is critical to our approach. We provide expert digital firepower to our clients without the burden of expensive consultancy overheads and the associated bureaucracy,” Mr Rust added.
Mr Parkinson, a 25-year veteran of Nissan, led flagship digital programs and recently established digital organizations across Europe, Africa & Middle East regions, as well as leading cross-functional projects for the business. In 2013, he led the world-wide launch of the Nissan Qashqai to global success.
Mr Rust has a diverse background, having spent 12 years in brands, agencies and consultancies, including Jaguar Land Rover, Accenture and most recently Ogilvy. He has delivered consistently for clients across the technology, travel and tourism & finance industries. He spent four years working with Parkinson at Nissan – first in Europe and then in the Middle East where he became regional Head of Digital.
The duo forged a strong working partnership at Nissan. In 2015, the pair led the Shorty award-winning project to re-imagine digital experiences, resulting in the launch of Agent23, a disruptive project that blended physical and digital experiences and allowed participants to star in their own movie trailer at the Dubai Motor Show.
Brave & Heart launches with aviation, aerospace and automotive brand clients and is working with several global agencies.
