{"id":1915,"date":"2025-08-18T09:01:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T08:01:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/?p=1915"},"modified":"2025-08-18T09:01:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T08:01:16","slug":"parade-profile-lucy-thomas-bsc-management-with-marketing-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/2025\/08\/18\/parade-profile-lucy-thomas-bsc-management-with-marketing-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Parade Profile: Lucy Thomas (BSc Management with Marketing 2018)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lucy's \"work hard, play hard\" time at Bath saw her throwing herself into cheerleading, dancing the night away at School of Management balls and undertaking a placement with Ted Baker that changed her career trajectory forever.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lucy is now Global Insights Director at Ralph Lauren, a job she adores in a company that makes her look forward to going to work every day.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Read on to find out more about Lucy's life after Bath...<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why did you choose to study at Bath?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I figured if my brother could get into Bath, then surely I could do the same! Joking aside, Bath was genuinely the perfect fit. Not only did it top the charts for my chosen course, Management with Marketing, but it was also one of the rare universities offering a combined degree that blended the strategic side of business with the creative spark of marketing and branding. That unique combination really stood out to me.<\/p>\n

Beyond the course itself, Bath\u2019s reputation was outstanding, especially with the fantastic placement year in industry, which promised invaluable real-world experience. Let\u2019s not forget, Bath as a city is absolutely lovely and<\/em> safe, which is always a bonus! I just knew Bath was where I belonged.<\/p>\n

Did you have a particular career in mind when you chose your course?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Absolutely not \u2013 to be honest, I had no clue what I was doing! Luckily, Bath was fantastic at guiding me in the right direction and opening doors. I remember getting an email from the careers team about a marketing intern placement with Ted Baker \u2013 one of my favourite brands at the time \u2013 and I knew I had to apply. That placement turned into a two-and-a-half-year adventure, including my placement year and returning after graduating.<\/p>\n

I quickly realised that marketing was just one piece of the puzzle. What really fascinated me was consumer insights \u2013 diving into consumer psychology and data, and then translating that into smarter, optimised marketing strategies. It was more challenging and rewarding than I expected, and it\u2019s where I found my true passion.<\/p>\n

Even without a clear career plan when I started, Bath\u2019s support and those incredible opportunities helped me find my way. I\u2019m still so grateful for that Ted Baker email!<\/p>\n

Can you tell us about your experience of studying here? Any favourite memories, or places to go on campus and in the city?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Studying at Bath played a huge role in shaping the woman I am today. I grew up a lot \u2013 learning not just\"\"<\/a> academically, but about myself. It was tough at times, but an amazing journey that I look back on with a whole lot of pride and many fond memories.<\/p>\n

I probably spent far too much time in the Sports Training Village! Whether it was cheerleading practice or gym sessions. If I wasn\u2019t there, I was most likely in the SU for Happy Hour on a Friday, Score on a Wednesday, or grabbing a coffee between lectures. It was definitely a work hard, play hard kind of vibe. The Management Balls at The Roman Baths and the Summer Balls on campus were absolute highlights!<\/p>\n

Around town, I loved escaping to The Crescent for some much-needed thinking space. And for dining, The Circus remains my all-time favourite spot in Bath. Oh, and you can\u2019t go wrong with cocktails at The Dark Horse either!<\/p>\n

Were you a part of any societies or sports clubs during your time at Bath? What did you enjoy most about them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I started at Bath, I had it in my head that I wanted to be a cheerleader. I honestly can\u2019t tell you why \u2013 my brother mentioned it to me in passing, and for some reason, I just decided that\u2019s what I\u2019m going to do<\/em>. I hadn\u2019t even seen a cheer routine before! But then I watched them perform at the Opening Ceremony of Freshers\u2019 Week and thought, I want to be up there<\/em>.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Being on that stage myself was one of the best experiences of my time at Bath. Cheerleading became such a huge part of my university life, not only did I make brilliant friends, but I learned discipline, pushed myself physically in ways I never expected, and discovered I was actually good at something totally new.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d recommend to anyone starting at Bath to throw themselves into a society or sports club. You never know what you might end up loving \u2013 I ended up cheerleading throughout my placement year and for a few years after I graduated as well.<\/p>\n

Describe your career journey since graduating. What is a typical day like in your current role?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a bit of a journey \u2013 and in the grand scheme of things, I\u2019m still only a few years in! After graduating, I went back to Ted Baker, joining as a Marketing Assistant. I loved the brand and the people, but as my role evolved, I realised it wasn\u2019t quite what I wanted to be doing anymore.<\/p>\n

A friend of mine was working in insights at a market research agency called Kantar, and it sounded really interesting. I made the move and learned so much there \u2013 from the fundamentals of market research to the importance of data in decision-making. It was a brilliant learning experience, but I realised agency life wasn\u2019t for me, and I missed working in an industry I was truly passionate about.<\/p>\n

Next, I made the jump to L\u2019Or\u00e9al, joining the Consumer & Market Insights team working on skincare, makeup and fragrance. It was amazing \u2013 such a dynamic, fast-paced environment, and I picked up loads of experience.<\/p>\n

After about 18 months in insights, I decided to give marketing another go and joined the digital marketing team for some of our top fragrances. It was great to get a 360\u00b0 view of the business, applying insights directly into marketing strategy. I loved my time at L\u2019Or\u00e9al \u2013 it truly is such a fantastic company, and I\u2019ve made friends for life there.<\/p>\n

But if I\u2019m honest, I fell out of love with marketing. I spent some time properly reflecting on what I\"\"<\/a> actually enjoyed doing, what I was good at, and realised my heart was in insights. That led me to my current role at Ralph Lauren, where I\u2019ve genuinely landed on my feet. The brand, the work, the people \u2013 it\u2019s all brilliant. I genuinely love going to work every day.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve recently been promoted to Global Insights Director at Ralph Lauren, and it\u2019s without doubt my best role and company yet. I love that there is always so much going on in the company, and there are so many inspiring people to learn from.<\/p>\n

My main responsibility involves looking after our Global Brand Health Tracker. It keeps me challenged and motivated, and having learned from all those career moves along the way, I can confidently say that finding something you enjoy and<\/em> that plays to your strengths makes a world of difference.<\/p>\n

What do you enjoy most about your career? Has anything surprised you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

What I enjoy most is that I\u2019ve genuinely found something I love doing, at a brand I\u2019m passionate about. It honestly surprised me that I ended up working in data and insights \u2013 it\u2019s quite a niche career, and not something I ever saw myself doing when I was at university. I didn\u2019t even know about it then!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s incredibly interesting, and I\u2019ve realised just how vital it is for businesses today. It might not be as \u2018glamorous\u2019 as I once imagined my career would be \u2013 there are no big marketing events or glossy launch parties \u2013 but it\u2019s absolutely the right fit for me. The beautiful clothes definitely help!<\/p>\n

How did your studies help to develop you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bath prepares you in every possible way. It sharpens your problem-solving skills, and it\u2019s incredible how often the things you learn at university come in handy in real-life situations, both at work and outside of it.<\/p>\n

My placement year was where I probably grew the most. I\u2019m not the textbook example of how it\u2019s supposed to go. I left my first placement after three months because it wasn\u2019t right for me, which at the time felt like a big deal but ended up being an important lesson. I learned how to navigate a difficult professional situation, how to leave a job properly, and what kind of environment I didn\u2019t want to work in.<\/p>\n

After that, I joined Ted Baker, and it was the best decision I ever made. I absolutely loved it: the people, the culture, the creativity. I genuinely believe that experience shaped my career and eventually led me to where I am today.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d genuinely recommend the university experience to anyone. It\u2019s not just about the degree, it\u2019s about growing up, figuring out who you are, and collecting stories you\u2019ll be telling for years.<\/p>\n

What advice would you give to prospective students thinking about studying your course at Bath?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Management with Marketing is a brilliant, well-rounded course. It gives you a solid foundation in all areas of business while letting you deep dive into marketing \u2013 from brand building and storytelling to consumer behaviour and digital strategy. You come away with a really versatile skillset that\u2019s valuable in so many industries.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the great things about studying at Bath is how respected the university is among employers. From my experience, companies love hiring Bath graduates, and the course structure \u2013 especially with the placement year \u2013 means you finish your degree with both academic knowledge and practical, real-world experience, which gives you such an advantage when applying for jobs.<\/p>\n

Make the most of everything on offer. Get involved in group projects, challenge yourself with modules that might seem out of your comfort zone, and take advantage of the placement opportunities, as well as the societies on offer.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth remembering that not everything will go exactly to plan, and that\u2019s okay! Every experience teaches you something useful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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