LONDON — Octopus Group has hired its first strategy director, Tom Upfold, to lead on consulting engagements with its B2B tech clients.

Upfold joins the agency after 10 years at The Marketing Practice, where he ran an international strategy team working on clients such as Oracle, Microsoft, ServiceNow and Sage.

The role has been created in response to technology client demand for strategic consultancy. In his new role, Upfold will also help Octopus Group evolve its “brand to sales” proposition.

Octopus director Billy Hamilton-Stent said: ‘Tom joining the agency represents an exciting milestone for us as we look to expand our consulting and strategy work with clients. Clients are increasingly looking at different ways of developing and applying marketing strategy in more agile and creative ways. Tom brings tons of experience and tech market knowledge which will allow us to expand this side of our business and benefit our whole client base.”

Upfold added: “Octopus Group’s growing profile in the industry and its Brand to Sales approach is winning, creative, campaign and workplace awards, so it’s a really exciting time to join. Its clients are an amazing mix of scale-up and blue chip tech innovators, all doing something fascinating in their chosen market, presenting all kinds of strategy and planning opportunities. I can’t wait to get involved.”