25 years in built environment marketing strategically
advising leading firms.

A woman with short curly hair smiling and sitting on a green armchair beside a large potted plant with long green leaves.

I'm Ayo Abbas, founder of Abbas Marketing.
I've spent 25 years working in and around the built environment, in-house and independently. I set up Abbas Marketing because I kept seeing the same thing: good firms, doing great work, losing out because they hadn't got clear on where they wanted to compete or how to talk about it.
Since 2020, I've worked with five of the top ten UK engineering consultancies as well as growing practices, mid-sized firms and specialist consultants. What they tend to share is ambition and a recognition that what got them here won't necessarily get them where they want to go next.

Clients.

Who I work with.

My clients are typically directors, partners and senior marketing leaders at both small and large architecture, engineering and construction firms. They don’t tend to be starting from scratch and want to work with someone who understands where they are and provide ideas on relevant ways they can unlock real work. They want to work with a marketing consultant who understands the sector, can have a peer-level conversation about growth, and will tell them what they actually need to hear.

Many of the firms I work with are at a point where the market has shifted around them. Frameworks that used to deliver are running their course. Procurement is changing and in truth, the phones that used to signal referrals, aren't ringing the way they used to. My clients know they need to be more deliberate about where they focus their marketing efforts and how and where they show up.

I also work with marketing teams and built environment professionals through training and masterclasses, helping them build the skills and confidence to make marketing a consistent part of how the whole firm operates, rather than something that happens as and when people have a spare hour.

How I work.

I always start by understanding your situation properly before recommending anything. That usually means a discovery workshop with your team, and at times, conversations with your existing clients too. In my experience, clients often see strengths that firms don't see in themselves, and that's worth knowing before you decide where to focus and what to change.

From there I work with you to get clear on the realm you want to own. This isn’t at the exclusion of everything else, but is about giving your team focus and giving the market a reason to think of you first for the right things. That clarity tends to change how people feel about business development as well as how they do it.

Depending on what you need, I offer strategic consultancy, advisory support, training and speaking. Some clients want a focused piece of work. Others want ongoing support as they implement. For teams, I run practical programmes built around what actually works in this sector, including the kind of accessible, realistic tools that make marketing something people do consistently rather than something they dread.

I know how to mesh strategy with the practicalities of getting things done. That is probably the thing clients mention most.

Awards.

Digital Woman of the Year 2022 - Overall Winner

Archiboo Shortlist 2022 - Cundall Best Consultant website

Who I am.

My background includes senior roles and project work with Arup, WSP, Mace, Ramboll, AECOM and Buro Happold. Before founding Abbas Marketing I led marketing for one of Mace's fastest growing divisions, where revenue doubled from £31m to £61m in three years. A lot of what I learned there, particularly around having a clear BD focus and knowing which rooms you need to be in, shapes how I work with clients now.

Working inside large firms, often with specialist teams who needed to operate like a small business within a big one, taught me a lot about being nimble, making a case for marketing to people who are sceptical of it, and finding the angles that actually get traction.

I am a Non-Executive Director at ReLondon and Make An Impact CIC. I host The Built Environment Marketing Show podcast, now past its 100th episode. I was named Digital Woman of the Year 2022, inducted into the Architizer Trailblazer Hall of Fame and serve as a jury member for theArchitizer A+ Awardsfor the past three years. I am based in South West London and work with firms across the UK and internationally, in person and remotely.

"Ayo is a true integrated marketing and communications talent. She is adept at strategy, fluent in the built environment sector and can be relied upon to build effective campaigns."

Cath Green, former Marketing Director, Mace
"Ayo listened and understood our requirements, challenged us when needed, and put forward a comprehensive and achievable plan. She made me excited about where the business can go and what I can personally achieve."

Stefanie Stead, Partner, Stead and Co
“Ayo worked with me to launch my executive search and recruitment agency Curio. She created a marketing plan and content strategy relevant to my architectural target audience. I’ve had positive feedback from industry peers. Her work has given me a wider social media presence, generated new clients and given me a business development approach where inbound opportunities come to me directly."

—Hazel Whittaker, Director, Curio
“Ayo's ability to put our product in an industry context and dwell on our emerging value proposition. Our discussions around processes and changes happening in the market have had a direct effect on our ability to communicate our product to our target audience, thus supporting our sales and investment operation."

—Noam Naveh, CEO and Co-founder, Stylib
“Ayo worked with us on the copy for our new industrial-focused website. She was able to listen to what we wanted and work with us to create short succinct text that encapsulates the key messages we want to get across to our clients.”

Hasan Dikme, Managing Director, Stonna Limited

Featured in.

Named as architectural trailblazer by Architizer Magazine

Article featuring my comments on why the Construction Industry Model Is Broken

Article featuring my comments on why the Construction Industry Model is broken. May 03 21.

Podcast cover art featuring a dark background with a neon green border, title 'the interchange podcast' in white text, and a subtitle 'with Ayo Abbas' in green text. In the bottom right corner, the logo of ARCADES is partially visible.

Graphic promoting an AI in Marketing event on Wednesday, November 19, featuring six women speakers with headshots, session topics including AI-powered marketing and social media, and logos for Canva and Digital Girls.

800-word comment piece in EG Magazine
on what companies should do to manage crisis communications - August 2021. — 800-word comment piece in EG Magazine on what companies should do to manage crisis communications - August 2021.

On ITV news part of Music In Offices City of Women 2024

Changing the Face of Architecture - Women in Architecture

A speaker at Architizer Future Fest talking about storytelling

Let’s figure out your next marketing steps together

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Frequently asked questions

DescripI focus on marketing as a business growth driver, not just tactics. While others might suggest "more social media posts," I ask: "What business outcomes do you need?" Then I create integrated strategies that align marketing with your growth objectives, whether that's entering new markets, repositioning for higher-value clients, or doubling revenue.
Having worked with 5 of the UK's top 10 engineering firms and countless other firms in the industry, I understand your unique challenges - long sales cycles, complex procurement processes, and technical audiences. I speak your language and know how to translate technical expertise into compelling client-focused messaging that wins work.
The bulk of my work is with established firms ready for strategic transformation. My sweet spot is companies with £3K-£20k marketing budgets who want board-level strategic thinking, not just implementation. I also provide strategic guidance to smaller practice who need clear direction on growth.
Through business outcomes, not vanity metrics. Recent results include doubling a consultancy's UK turnover from £31m to £62m, and creating strategies that generate measurable ROI. I focus on metrics that matter to your bottom line so more meetings, proposals secured and getting in front of a tight target list. Focusing on measurement that shows the needle is moving forward.
Absolutely. I provide fractional CMO services and sit on boards as a Non-Executive Director. I'm comfortable operating at director level, contributing to strategic business decisions beyond just marketing.