Stephen Bates

Stephen Bates is an accomplished Co-founder and Head of Strategy and Content at AFFINITY, a design consultancy focused on branding, experience design, and culture change since September 2020. Concurrently, Bates serves as a Director at Affinity Holdings and a Marketing Communications and Content Consultant for Artgym, a consultancy specializing in learning and culture transformation. Previous roles include Founder of Red Hyphen Consulting, where strategic marketing communications were provided to various creative and B2B service businesses, and Marketing Director positions at Studio Output and Found Studio. Bates has also held significant roles in business development and marketing across several reputable firms, including Harkess-Ord and Rosie Lee. Bates holds an MSc in Social and Political Theory and a BA (hons) in Politics and Sociology from the University of the West of England.