Meet the Team

Paul Douglas – Managing Director

Paul has been the driving force behind Palladian since it was founded in 1995, and it’s under his leadership that the company has become one of the UK’s leading print firms and won an enviable reputation for quality and customer service.

Paul believes in combining investment with innovation to make sure Palladian has the edge over its competitors, but knows above all that the company’s greatest asset is high calibre staff who share in the firm’s vision and success.

In those all-too-rare spare moments, Paul is a devoted Colchester United fan, keen digital photographer, golfer, angler and passionate CD and vinyl collector.

Steve Green – Sales and Marketing Director

Steve not only wins new business for the company, but he also looks after new clients and makes sure Palladian maintains its enviable position in the local and regional business communities – and further afield. Often the first point of contact with customers, Steve is well known for getting to know clients' businesses back to front and helping them use Palladian’s creative and print services in ways that give them the edge over their competitors.

Also a Colchester United fan, Steve’s other interests include travel, restaurants and fronting a well-known punk band.

Mark Raven – Operations Director

Mark directly manages 26 production staff and he’s also responsible for product quality, stock purchasing, the technical department, health and safety, performance monitoring, planning and much, much more. Since joining Palladian in 2005, Mark has distinguished himself by a complete dedication to the company’s ethos of quality and service, realising that it is the key to the firm’s continuing expansion and success.

Mark’s also a keen sports fan, backing Essex at cricket and injecting a little rivalry into the company with his support of West Ham. A dedicated family man, he enjoys spending time with his wife and teenage children as well as continually improving the skills and knowledge he brings to his job.

William Pretty – Customer Services Manager

William’s long-standing career in the print industry gave him the perfect background for his present role as Palladian’s Customer Services Manager, to which he was appointed in 2004. William schedules work, organises staff working patterns and ensures deadlines are met. He loves the challenge and variety of his job, which requires frequent problem solving and decision-making. He believes it’s Palladian’s duty to get things right – first time, every time.

In his spare time, William is an avid follower of West Ham and is an occasional golfer. Above all, though, he loves spending time with his family.

Nick Finch – Customer Services

Nick is a key point of contact for customers; and with a background in production management and an apprenticeship in the industry, he is brilliant at translating the technicalities of printing into practical help for clients, enabling them to get the product they need.

An ex-football referee, Nick is a keen sportsman who also enjoys gardening, DIY and walking.

Lucy King – Customer Services

Lucy prides herself on anticipating the needs of her customers, and enjoys working with them face-to-face, by phone or by email. She can supply estimates, advice, guidance and – above all – reassurance when a job is in progress. For her, pulling out all the stops for each and every client, and working as part of a dedicated team, is what makes Palladian such a great place to work.

In her spare time, Lucy enjoys swimming, travelling and spending time with her family. She’s always up for a new challenge too: she’s busy taking golf lessons at the moment and she actively raises funds for charities that include St Elizabeth Hospice and Cancer Research UK.

Susan Burling – Receptionist and Administrator

Susan has one of the most varied roles at Palladian. She answers calls, greets customers, processes stock orders, gets involved with the accounts and helps out Mark, our Operations Director. She particularly likes the fact that no two days are the same and that everyone she works with is so quality conscious and customer oriented. It’s an ethos she finds inspiring.

Susan likes to relax by walking her dog Henry, and by spending time on her sketches or paintings.

Nick Nicklin – Studio Manager

Nick Nicklin has worked in the printing trade for 30 years and has been with Palladian Press since 1997. In his role as Studio Manager, he’s responsible for guiding customers’ artwork through the technical processes needed to make the perfect lithographic plate. It’s not always easy, but Nick shares the team’s commitment to high standards and will never settle for second best.

Nick has lots of interests that he pursues in his free time, including computer gaming, squash, football, swimming and diving.

Dean Allen – Senior Designer

Dean is one of Palladian’s senior creative designers and has experience in graphic design, advertising, video graphics and computer animation. He works closely with Steve Green to form what could be termed an "ideas factory", tailoring clients’ requirements, industry and budget to the best possible design solution. Dean enjoys direct contact with his customers and believes their input is vital to the flow of ideas. He gains enormous satisfaction from seeing them thrilled with a completed project.

A Liverpool fan, Dean also enjoys music, playing bass guitar, photography, watercolour painting and film.

Kim Allen – Designer

Kim joined Palladian Press early in 2006 after spending 14 years in the advertising industry. New to pre-press, Kim had a steep learning curve but enjoyed every minute of it. Kim likes the diversity of her role, and she shares her time between one major client and other, smaller projects. Kim has been struck by the commitment to service and quality that is Palladian’s hallmark.

Like her brother, Dean, Kim is a keen film buff. She also loves reading about the supernatural, playing badminton and swimming. She also adores animals, and would have a houseful if she could.

Michael Greenwood – Designer

With almost 20 years' experience in print, Michael is involved in every aspect of design. He is very aware of how the print industry is evolving, and keeps abreast of developments that affect him on a day-to-day basis. As deadlines get shorter, Michael believes that pushing out the boundaries of what's possible, nurturing relationships and finding new ways to tackle problems are the only ways to deliver the service customers want.

Michael’s a keen guitarist, mountain biker, drag racer and loves family barbeques and having water fights with his son!

Natalie Griggs – Designer

Natalie went straight into the print industry after completing her A-levels in 2003, joining local firm Masterprint as a designer. When Masterprint merged with Palladian in 2007, Natalie continued to look after her original clients as well as building up a portfolio of work with new customers. She particularly enjoys direct contact with her clients and makes excellent customer service her number one priority.

The hallmark of a good designer is a keen eye for composition, shape and detail, and Natalie won’t even go for a night out with her friends unless she has her camera with her. She also enjoys swimming, working out, film, music and helping out her local sports club by producing advertising for its events.

Rick Smith – Print Room Supervisor

Rick’s week is divided between the time he spends running the Heidelberg CD 74 press, and the work he does to help Operations Director Mark Raven keep the machine room running smoothly. So if he’s not busy printing customers’ jobs, he’s solving technical problems, making sure stock levels are properly maintained or supervising activity on the busy shop floor. He likes the variety his job throws at him, and is proud that Palladian has a highly skilled team, excellent training opportunities and the very best machinery available.

Rick’s main hobby is motorsport, and he’s particularly interested in Superbikes and MotoGP. He also enjoys DIY, gardening and playing games on his Xbox.

Darron Hart – Press Minder

Darron has been in the print industry for 15 years and, when he joined Palladian as a Number 1 5-colour press minder, he was instantly impressed by the professionalism of the company, the excellence of its equipment, and the painstaking way in which jobs are handled from start to finish. He particularly likes the fact that he has all the right tools and information he needs to achieve the high standards our customers expect – bang on time, every time.

When he’s not at work, Darron likes to keep active. He plays football and enjoys cycling and swimming. He also watches most sports, especially if the England team is playing, and loves spending quality time with his young son.

Nick West – Press Minder

Nick works night shifts as a Number 1 5-colour press minder. He’s not only responsible for making sure it runs smoothly, but also for ensuring that jobs are produced to the highest possible standards of quality. After 20 years in the print industry, Nick knows that the three things that make Palladian stand out are quality, customer care and state-of-the-art equipment. As he says, “It’s a pleasure to work for a company that operates in this way.”

In his free time, Nick is a keen footballer who also enjoys many other sports. He also likes online gaming, walking his dogs and socialising with friends.

Troy Murray – Press Assistant

Troy is a Number 2 5-colour press minder and is also responsible for making sure the pressroom is kept tidy. He likes working with Palladian’s state-of-the-art equipment and enjoys the challenges of his job. He’s always looking for ways to improve his skills, and particularly appreciates the in-house training he receives. What impresses him most is the way Palladian staff will climb mountains to achieve the best quality work for their clients.

An active person, Troy enjoys cycling, badminton and many other sports. He also likes to try different foods, spend nights out with his friends and fine-tune his expertise on the dance floor.

Paul Neill – Bindery Manager

Paul manages the staff and production in Palladian’s busy bindery. With over 15 years' experience at the firm, he has played an important role in developing the company’s trademark insistence on quality. Paul uses daily production schedules to plan workloads and manages all incoming stock and despatches. He describes the most important aspect of his job as making sure the customer is satisfied, no matter what it takes.

When he’s got some free time, Paul loves mountain biking and training his Dalmation dog. He also enjoys gardening, entertaining and socialising with friends.

Andrew Bennett – Bindery Operative

Andrew is devoted to high-quality print and is skilled in all aspects of finishing including cutting, folding, dye-cutting, stitching and laminating. Working a system of shifts, the bindery is normally manned from early morning to late in the evening; but as Andrew says: "we'll come in at one in the morning if that's what it takes to get the job done. We always react to our customers' needs."

Andrew’s hobbies include digital photography, architecture, walking, reading, football and computing.

Stephen Warren – Bindery Operative

Stephen has spent his entire working life in the print industry and has experience in many different areas on the factory floor. Now a print finisher in Palladian’s bindery, he particularly appreciates the pleasant and friendly atmosphere that inspires him to put the maximum amount of pride and effort into his work.

Stephen counts badminton, squash, reading and DIY amongst his many hobbies and interests.

Nicola Bateman – Bindery Assistant

Nicky has worked in the printing industry since she was 18, joining the Palladian team in September 2007 to help with bench work and mailing. Sometimes, when the drivers are on holiday, she’ll deliver finished jobs in one of the vans and get to meet the customers. She loves being able to put faces to the names she’s familiar with.

Most of Nicky’s spare time is spent with her friends and their babies, though she also enjoys going to the gym, taking part in Pilates classes and internet shopping.

David Webb – Driver

David is responsible for delivering proofs and completed work to Palladian’s clients. A keen driver, he particularly enjoys meeting customers and likes the fact that he can rely on the support of helpful and friendly colleagues.

In his spare time, David enjoys walking, cricket, reading about crime and sport, vegetable gardening and DIY.