Marcus Allen, Board Advisor

A much sort-after guest speaker and presenter for many leading industry events such as Salon Smart, 365, Phorest Software, Data Driven for Salon Today, Kao Group and The Fellowship - Marcus Allen is a guest Judge for Creative Head Awards and over the last five years has been part of a team of designer preferred session stylists at London, Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks.

Working for the world’s largest Aveda distributor, Marcus was a founding member of the Paris Parker salon, and also a regular presenter at Quality College. During this time Marcus also had success in working as creatively as an educator and platform artist with other brands such as Rusk, Paul Mitchell and Aveda; and had the honour of being a guest artist at five Aveda Congress’.

Marcus helped to launch the original Urban Retreat business in Harvey Nichols Leeds, London, Edinburgh and Manchester. He was integral to the setting-up and managing the hugely successful Aveda Institute in Holborn before overseeing the reinvention of Urban Retreat in the world-famous Harrods in Knightsbridge - his biggest project to-date. Growing the business from £3million to £15million, managing over 200 staff members and co-ordinating nearly 15,000 treatments a month.

His next venture was with UNITE Haircare as the Global Educational Director where he developed brand educational programs and produced their outstanding annual global Sessions Show in the US. Whilst at UNITE, Marcus co-created the Paramount Business Course where over 1,000 salons attended from the US, Canada, Australia, UK and Ireland.

Moving to men’s grooming, Marcus was appointed Global Vice-President of The Refinery in Mayfair, overseeing two flagship salons as well as the product line that was featured in most major department stores nationwide. He then led the redevelopment and reformulation for the brands relaunch in 2022.

Before moving to the states, Marcus’s last project was a concept Soho in called the Electric-Space. This is a creative co-working space which has 25 hairdressing stations a barbershop; a 20 seat Cinema, bar and members lounge with a fully equipped photographic studio - Best described as WeWork meets Soho House for hair, Electric Space has been recognised with multi awards including Innovation of the Year for the salon design at the British Hairdressing Awards, and Award for Innovation from Creative Head - the industry’s most sort after awards.