About NDAS
NDAS is Nicky Doran Advisory Services. We help organisations make better decisions about brand, culture, communications and marketing strategy, especially when the stakes are high and the path forward needs to be clearer.
NDAS was founded in 2024 by Nicky Doran, a senior adviser with more than 35 years’ experience in all things brand and marketing related, helping organisations strengthen their position, sharpen their message and connect strategy with practical delivery. NDAS’s work is grounded in commercial judgement, shaped by real business experience, and tailored to the needs of each client.
How We Work
We work closely with clients to understand what matters most, where the real challenge sits, and what good looks like in practical terms. Sometimes that means helping to clarify strategic direction. Sometimes it means strengthening leadership communication, aligning culture with brand, or bringing more focus to marketing effort and investment.
Our role is not to add noise. It is to bring perspective, simplify complexity, and help clients move forward with greater confidence.
NDAS was founded in 2024 by Nicky Doran, a senior adviser with more than 35 years’ experience in all things brand and marketing related, helping organisations strengthen their position, sharpen their message and connect strategy with practical delivery. NDAS’s work is grounded in commercial judgement, shaped by real business experience, and tailored to the needs of each client.
We work closely with clients to understand what matters most, where the real challenge sits, and what good looks like in practical terms. Sometimes that means helping to clarify strategic direction. Sometimes it means strengthening leadership communication, aligning culture with brand, or bringing more focus to marketing effort and investment.
Our role is not to add noise. It is to bring perspective, simplify complexity, and help clients move forward with greater confidence.
How We Work
What Makes NDAS Different
Clarity
We cut through complexity and make the path forward easier to see.
Alignment
We connect brand, culture, communications and marketing so they work together, not in silos.
Impact
We focus on outcomes that matter: stronger positioning, better internal alignment, clearer communication and more effective marketing.
Pricing
We keep pricing simple, clear and fully transparent. Scope and fees are agreed up front, so there are no surprises later. You will always know what is included, what it costs and where things stand.
Our Model
NDAS combines senior advisory support with a trusted network of independent specialists. This means clients get experienced strategic counsel, with the flexibility to bring in the right expertise when it adds real value.
It is a model designed to stay focused, agile and efficient, while maintaining a high standard of thinking, execution and care. Depending on the nature of the project or brief, we may also introduce other trusted independent collaborators with the right experience and specialist capability for the task at hand.
Selected Independent Collaborators
We work with a small number of trusted independent collaborators across brand, design, digital, media and partnerships. They are experienced, credible and chosen carefully for the value they bring to client work.
The point is simple: when broader or deeper support is needed, we can build the right team around the challenge, without unnecessary layers or overheads. The people featured here are selected collaborators we work with regularly, but they are not the only specialists we may bring in. The mix will always depend on the client, the brief and where the greatest value can be added.
Nicky Doran
Nicky Doran is the Founder and Director of NDAS, a brand, communications, culture and marketing strategy advisory business he established in 2024. He is known for his transformational marketing work across Ireland’s Energy, Sustainability and Financial Services sectors, having held senior roles in large B2C and B2B organisations including Bank of Ireland, Bord Gáis Energy and Davy. Over more than 35 years, Nicky has worked across brand, sponsorship, communications, customer experience, culture and commercial strategy. Today, through NDAS, he works with CEOs, CMOs, founders and leadership teams who need practical advice and support to join the dots through customer-led thinking.
The teams Nicky has been part of have won more than 90 awards across all marketing disciplines, including ‘Marketing Team of the Year’ at the All Ireland Marketing Awards with two different organisations, as well as a Grand Prix and two Golds at the AdFX Awards. Nicky is a Fellow of the Marketing Institute of Ireland, a founding member of the Effie Ireland Steering Group, a former Effie judging chair, a European Effie judge and a former Honorary Treasurer of the Marketing Society of Ireland. His most recent qualification is a diploma in AI for Business from UCD. He remains obsessive about customer needs, what works, what does not, and why.
Irene Gowing
Irene has played an important role in the development of NDAS, helping shape the offer, the standards and how we show up, particularly where brand and partnerships intersect. She is a highly experienced senior marketing leader with a strong track record across major sponsorships, partnerships and commercial programmes. Her experience includes high-profile naming rights and sponsorship platforms such as the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, the Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling Championships and The Laya Arena. She brings strategic judgement, commercial awareness and a practical understanding of how brands can create stronger visibility, relevance and connection.
Aisling Doyle
Aisling is a senior independent design specialist who helps turn complex thinking into clear, engaging visual communication. She has supported organisations including Davy, Fordel and Lanthorn, and is particularly strong at bringing clarity and cohesion to brand-led communications. Her work spans presentations, websites and wider visual expression, always with a strong eye for detail and a clear understanding of how design supports business credibility. She brings calm judgement, creative discipline and the ability to make strategic ideas feel tangible and compelling.
Brian Wilson
Brian is the Founder and Creative Director of Wilson Creative. He supports NDAS on projects where brand identity needs to be sharper, more distinctive and built to last. His experience includes work for organisations such as Bord Gáis Energy, Global, Transport for London, Cycling Ireland, Standard Life and Dublin Zoo. He has also been involved in multiple award-winning projects, including seven All-Ireland Marketing Awards across a range of brands and sectors. Brian’s strength lies in creating visual identity systems that are both creatively strong and commercially useful, helping organisations show up clearly and consistently.
Breda Flanagan
Breda is a trusted collaborator on website and digital projects, especially where clarity, credibility and performance matter. She is the founder of Hive Design and brings deep UX and digital design experience, particularly across financial and professional services. Her past work includes projects for Davy, IBM and VHI, giving her a strong understanding of how to create digital experiences that feel intuitive, polished and fit for purpose. Breda blends strategic UX thinking with strong visual judgement, helping organisations create online experiences that are clear, effective and easy to navigate.
Declan Kelly
Declan is a trusted independent collaborator who brings senior experience across media, advertising and digital strategy. He supports NDAS on projects where stronger media thinking, sharper channel planning and better commercial return are needed. His strength lies in helping organisations make smarter decisions about where to invest, how to reach the right audiences and how to get more value from marketing spend. Declan combines strategic judgement with practical experience, making him particularly valuable on briefs where effectiveness, efficiency and measurable impact matter.
Emma Ward
Emma is the founder of The Content Canvas and an independent marketing specialist with over 15 years’ experience across marketing and communications. She specialises in B2B LinkedIn strategy and campaign delivery, helping organisations strengthen their visibility, connect with the right audiences and generate meaningful business opportunities.
Her strength lies in translating marketing objectives into practical, effective activities that build credibility and drive engagement. Emma combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution, helping businesses show up consistently, clearly and with greater impact.