Kerris Bright’s route into marketing is unusual. She started life as a scientist and has a PhD in molecular neuroscience but it has put her in good standing. “That combination of art and science is a strand that runs through my career. I was a scientist so I’m pretty analytical but I think – and hope – I have quite a strong creative flair,” she said in an interview with Marketing Week earlier this year. Prior to joining Virgin Media, Bright earned herself a reputation as a ‘fixer’, having worked at brands such as British Airways, Dulux owner AkzoNobel and Ideal Standard, all of which were in need of a strong marketing hand when she joined. “I’ve had my greatest successes and most fun when I have been bold and taken risks but it’s not always a comfortable place to be,” she says.