And we are completely focused on delivering amazing results for our clients.
We are Combustion Marketing.
Who We Are
We are dreamers. We are wordsmiths. We are artists. We are risktakers. We are creative. We are problem solvers. We are data-driven. We are master tacticians. We are detail-oriented. We are pragmatic. We are marketers. We are passionate about what we do.
Beth Morrissey
Partner
Whether it’s creating a multi-faceted communications campaign, developing a thought-provoking C-level conference program, writing an in-depth impact report, crafting executive speeches and messaging, or stemming a rapidly evolving crisis situation, Beth has done it all. With more than 35 years’ experience delivering outstanding marketing programs for major brands such as Microsoft, the GSMA and Citrix, along with startups including Sonus Networks and mTech.Academy, Beth is a hands-on marketing professional with a perfectionist streak.
Michael O’Hara
Partner
With a unique background combining the technical and creative, Michael is a visionary marketing leader who has challenged the status quo in a career that has spanned more than 35 years. He was instrumental in establishing the GSMA as the voice of the mobile industry, driving innovations such as Mobile World Live and Mobile World Live TV, the Mobile Economy report series, the Mobile 360 regional conferences and the company’s “Better Future” industry purpose initiative. Michael reinvigorated Microsoft’s communications service provider offering through the “Telco 2.0” strategy, raising the company’s industry perception rating and growing the sector business to $2.5 billion. And as co-founder of mTech.Academy, he worked to transform the Northern Ireland education system, helping students to build the real-world employability skills they need to succeed in the digital world.
Matt Ablott
Director
A former journalist, Matt has retained a reporter’s instinct for a good story—he knows what works (and what doesn’t), constructing communications campaigns that cut through the noise to deliver measurable results. In a career spanning 20 years, Matt has become an expert in telecoms, technology, and sustainability, working with companies including the GSMA, Telstra Ventures, Qualcomm, TM Forum, Bridgewater Systems, Orga Systems, and Informa, among others.
Helen Hughes
Director
Throughout her 20-year career developing high-impact PR and communications programs for leading technology brands, Helen’s true passion has always been great storytelling. Having worked in-house at Microsoft and at Weber Shandwick supporting industry powerhouses such as CA, Intel, Monster.com, and Sprint, she brings deep expertise in content strategy and development across web, social, email marketing, and events. Helen thrives on new challenges; her rich experience also includes founding a luxury womenswear label and spending six years living in Hong Kong.
Sarah Hutchinson Spalvins
Director
With a passion for data and an eye for detail, Sarah brings deep expertise in branding, corporate communications, digital marketing, events, lead generation, sales enablement, and partner/sponsor management. Throughout her 15-year career in the tech and telecoms sectors, Sarah has honed her marketing skills, driving high-impact programs at companies as varied as the GSMA, Southface Institute, Apple, and Forest Laboratories.
Nicola Smith
Director
A seasoned events professional, Nicola brings 16 years of experience in event operations, project management, and marketing. With next-level organizational skills and a remarkable ability to remain cool under pressure, Nicola has delivered flawless events across a range of industries. She has a true passion for events, whether she’s corralling thousands of athletes participating in marathons, triathlons, and cycling events, or managing the build and operation of conferences and exhibitions attended by 100,000+ tech professionals. Nicola has developed her event and project management skills at organizations including the GSMA, the Grounded Events Company, Informa, and LimeLight Sports.
Nick Spencer
Director
Nick has spent more than two decades at the intersection of mobile, technology, and the events that bring the industry together. As Head of GSMA Ltd Marketing & Event Content, he helped shape the experiences that tens of thousands of people showed up for at MWC every year (and yes, he knows where all the good meeting spots are). Before that, he built serious analytical firepower at ABI Research, Yankee Group, and Canalys, helping define the emerging smartphone market before most people knew what a smartphone was. Throw in a senior role at BlackBerry and stints in B2B tech PR, and you have someone who has seen the industry from just about every angle imaginable.
Mark Stevens
Director
Mark is a digital marketing alchemist, with nearly 20 years’ experience driving high-impact programs for companies serving businesses and consumers across a wide range of industries. He is a data scientist at heart, leveraging business analytics to maximize marketing performance, accelerate return on investment (ROI), and enhance the customer journey. Working with organizations including Emerald, the GSMA, Aptar – France, and LCA Vision, Mark has amassed unparalleled expertise in developing holistic digital marketing strategies, leading digital-first revenue generation initiatives, and building robust analytics and reporting functions.
Marisa Marzano
Consultant
A seasoned communications professional who has worked with a variety of high-tech companies over the course of her career, ranging from startups and medium-sized enterprises to global Fortune 50 companies. Marisa has held both agency and in-house positions in progressively senior roles, driving content strategy and development, customer marketing and advocacy programs, media and analyst relations, and other strategic communications initiatives in close collaboration with key stakeholders.
Sarah O’Regan
Consultant
Sarah brings extensive logistics and operations expertise to event planning and project management, with a track record of delivering seamless, high-impact events across diverse industries. Over the course of her career, Sarah has developed a reputation for meticulous planning, creative vision, and a collaborative approach. She excels at building strong relationships with clients, suppliers, and internal teams, and is known for her dedication to every project from concept to completion.