Meet the team
Jessica Gillingham | Founder & CEO
From her initial venture Triptoes, which was a 2015 Guardian Start-up of the Year, to an award-winning career in hospitality technology public relations and marketing, Jessica has become an established name in the lodging technology industry.
Since its launch in 2017, Jessica has successfully guided Abode Worldwide to a prominent position within the market. During this time, she has personally helped to nurture the next generation of innovative brands and thought leaders in property and hospitality technology, driving the industry forward and embracing new ideas and solutions as they emerge.
In 2019 she was awarded a prestigious Outstanding Independent Practitioner accolade by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and continues to be at the forefront of leading industry practices.
Highly respected and well known within the industry worldwide, Jessica is passionate about creating more opportunities for female thought leaders both on the client side and within her own team.
We are a team of strategists, hospitality technology and proptech public relations specialists, content creators, writers, marketing specialists, and change makers who have a passion for getting the best lodging technology solutions and individuals the limelight they deserve. We all embrace the same values and positive attitude, so that whoever you meet on our team you get the Abode Worldwide experience every time.
Neil Millard
Managing Director
Neil oversees all delivery for clients and brings Fleet St know-how and more than a decade’s journalistic experience to the way we elevate the businesses we partner with.
He is passionate about the property sphere, having worked with companies across the living sectors, and works tirelessly to help our experts become the most creative and insightful providers of high-level counsel and strategic public relations, with an exacting focus on growth and results.
Stewart Paterson
PR Account Director
Stewart is a strategic communications specialist and NCTJ-qualified journalist, with a strong track record working with clients across the property and real estate sector.
He has developed and delivered successful, high-impact communications campaigns for a range of developers, asset managers and regional governments.
Stewart has a keen interest in the alternative residential sector and has worked with leading firms across multifamily, single-family rental, student accommodation and later living.
Amy Deverson
Senior PR Account Manager
Amy Deverson is a seasoned communications specialist with over six years of experience creating successful, high-impact campaigns across diverse industries. Over the past two years, Amy has honed her expertise in the hospitality technology sector, working closely with clients to amplify their media presence and establish them as thought leaders in the industry.
Holding a degree in Journalism & English, Amy excels in transforming brand narratives into meaningful media content. Her strategic approach to PR and content creation has consistently driven visibility and growth for her clients, making her a pivotal asset in the evolving landscape of hospitality technology.
Victoria Ward
Senior PR Account Manager
Victoria brings a wealth of PR experience having started her working life in PR agencies, followed by successfully running her own consultancy business for the past 10 years. With a passion for writing engaging stories and a determined work-ethic, Victoria gets a real buzz from creating meaningful media content that makes a difference.
Astrid Kusumawardhani
Senior PR Account Manager
Astrid is a well-rounded communications specialist with six years of experience leading a corporate affairs team at one of Asia’s largest on-demand tech companies. She guided its growth from the startup phase through a historic merger and subsequent IPO.
Additionally, she has over three years of agency experience in public affairs, advising Fortune 500 companies on mitigating regulatory and operational risks across APAC.
Astrid is passionate about social impact and sustainability, having worked for global development agencies and the UK charity sector. Originally from tropical Indonesia, she enjoys traveling and scuba diving, exploring Edinburgh with her family and soaking up as much sun as possible.
Madeleine Parkin
PR Account Manager
Madeleine draws on more than five years of experience working with customers, owners, and press in the short-term rental sector to help the industry grow and shine. With a degree in Modern and Medieval Languages from the University of Cambridge, Madeleine is a strong and creative communicator and a reliable teammate, particularly motivated by environmental activism.
Based in Barcelona for more than six years, Madeleine speaks five languages and is passionate about personal connections and storytelling.
Aaron Finn
PR Account Executive
Aaron started working with Abode in 2021, bringing a wealth of knowledge and organizational skills to the team. Over the past 3 years, Aaron has built up a database of media contacts, podcasts, conferences and awards, all whilst sourcing media opportunities for our clients.
Aaron graduated in 2020 from the University of the West of England with a 2:1 in Journalism. He leans on his journalistic background and passion for communications to support our team with media relations and client services.
Outside of work, Aaron loves sports and going to the beaches in his home county of Cornwall.
Jenny Noad
Agency Coordinator
Starting her career in event organisation, Jenny managed various fundraising and leisure cycling events worldwide and across the UK, including the renowned London to Brighton bike ride. She then worked for many years in a client services team for a B2B tech PR agency and brings with her great administrative skills and a love of proofreading.
In her spare time, Jenny is a dedicated yogi, teaching people of all abilities in Bath and the surrounding area. She also has a passion for being in the water, whether that’s swimming, attempting to surf, or on her paddleboard!
Carrie Sewell FCCA
Finance Director
Carrie Sewell is Abode Worldwide’s fractional Finance Director and part of our leadership team. With many years leading the finance functions of agencies at different levels of growth, Carrie brings her expertise to the agency.
Pete Everett
Strategic Lead Advisor
With over 20 years of agency experience under his belt, Pete’s led projects for household names like BBC, ITV and Vodafone and his background and experience in corporate C-suite environments means he’s accustomed to big thinking and bold strategies.
Working at Abode Worldwide makes me feel proud of the work we achieve for our clients, hearing the glowing reviews of our team is always nice! Whenever the team is out on the road, they always say how many people have heard of Abode, that’s something really special.
Our values
Honest & open
We do everything with integrity. From fact checking the articles we publish to being honest and upfront with our clients and team members – saying what needs to be said, not what wants to be heard.
Progressive partnerships
We earn our partners’ trust by listening and understanding. Every query is a conversation, every problem is a shared challenge. It’s a modern, down-to-earth, people-first approach and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Free-range working
We’re not afraid to go off the beaten track. Our tried and tested processes are a guide, not a hard and fast rule. We give ourselves the freedom to go with our instincts and get things done. The same goes for our people too. We trust them to work from their homes, a short term rental in Italy, or wherever makes them feel most comfortable to be their best and most productive.
Creative thinking
We support each other to think beyond the brief we’re given. Our imagination and creativity are our secret sauce, the USP that our clients love and that brings extra value to their business.
Raising others up
We aim to be a breath of fresh air in the public relations industry. That means supporting equality by empowering more women to lead, and embracing and coaching the next generation of public relations and content specialists, from all walks of life.
