About Us
The No-Nonsense
Growth Partner for SMEs
We're not here to sell you services. We're here to help you grow your business with creativity, technology, and strategy that actually works.
No jargon. No fluff. Just results.
Two Forces. One Mission.
T40 Associates was built on a simple premise: growing businesses deserve senior-level expertise without the agency bloat.
We operate at the intersection of The Soul and The System. Mark brings 25+ years of creative craft and brand strategy — the instinct, the story, the emotional connection that makes brands unforgettable. Ben brings 20+ years of technical leadership and systems architecture — the infrastructure, the automation, the operational backbone that makes businesses scale.
The 10-80-10 Framework
We believe the "Golden Age of BS" in marketing was fuelled by inefficiency — busy fools doing low-value work. Our approach flips that:
Human Input
Strategy & direction
AI Execution
Automated grunt work
Human Refinement
Craft & quality control
We don't automate people out of work; we free them up to do their best work. AI handles the repetitive 80% so humans can focus on the 20% that actually needs a brain — judgment, creativity, relationships, and the strategic decisions that move the needle.
We'd rather be clear than clever.
And we'd rather be effective than expensive.
Small Team, Big Impact
We're a lean team of specialists who love what we do. No layers of account managers — just direct access to the people doing the work.
Ben Macdonald
Co-Founder | AI Strategist & Systems Architect
"I don't deal in hype. I deal in implementation."
Strategic, hands-on technology leader with over 20 years' experience building businesses, leading teams, and implementing systems that actually work.
My career is defined by a refusal to separate vision from execution. I operate at the intersection of strategy and systems: The What and The How.
Where others see AI as either existential threat or magic wand, I see it as a tool. A powerful one, but a tool nonetheless. The businesses that win with AI automation understand its boundaries. They automate the 80% that's repetitive so humans can focus on the 20% that actually needs a brain.
My perspective is distinct because I've built from both sides. From security industry operations managing physical assets and teams, to SaaS product development, to running AI consulting engagements with SMEs. I've been the MD making the hard calls. I've been the technologist building the systems. I've been the consultant explaining why most of what you're being sold won't work.
The Practical Technologist...
I specialise in the unsexy work that makes businesses run: CRM systems, marketing automation, process workflows, and AI implementation that survives contact with reality. Not proof-of-concepts that demo well but die in production. Not theoretical frameworks that require a PhD to understand. Working systems.
I've built compliance dashboards that replaced entire teams of spreadsheet jockeys. I've architected AI workflows that cut research time from days to minutes. I've implemented automation that let businesses scale without proportional headcount growth.
The question I always ask: "What happens on Monday morning?" Because a strategy that can't be executed is just an expensive daydream.
Core Capabilities
- Fractional CTO & Technology Leadership: Senior technical leadership for businesses that need CTO-level expertise without the full-time cost. Bridging board-level strategy with hands-on execution.
- AI Strategy & Implementation: Turning AI curiosity into practical systems — chatbots, automation workflows, content engines, and process optimisation that deliver measurable ROI.
- Sales & Marketing Systems: Building the operational backbone for revenue growth — CRM, marketing automation, lead pipelines, and sales enablement tools that drive conversions.
- Systems Architecture: Designing scalable infrastructure — data pipelines, integration layers, and tech stacks that talk to each other and grow with your business.
- Process Automation: Identifying the repetitive 80% that machines should handle, then building the systems to make it happen.
- Human-in-the-Loop Design: Keeping humans where they add value — judgment, creativity, relationships — while letting systems handle the rest.
Now, as co-founder of T40 Associates, I bring senior technical firepower to businesses that can't afford (or don't want) a full-time CTO. I ask the questions others avoid. I build what I recommend. And I stay accountable to outcomes, not activity.
I'd rather ship than polish.
And I'd rather build systems than manage chaos.
Mark Ingleby
Co-Founder | Brand Architect & Storyteller
"I don't deal in fluff. I deal in results."
Strategic, hands-on marketing leader and brand strategist with over 25 years' experience delivering brand and campaign strategy across multi-channel environments.
My career is defined by a refusal to choose between creative craft and commercial rigour. I operate at the intersection of the two: The Soul and The System.
Unusually for a creative leader, I do not fear the machine. I run towards it. I believe the "Golden Age of BS" in marketing was fuelled by inefficiency — busy fools doing low-value work. At T40, we use AI and automation not to replace human creativity, but to liberate it. By letting the system handle the 80% of "grunt work," I free myself and my teams to focus purely on the top 10% of strategy and the final 10% of craft.
My perspective is distinct because I have sat in every seat at the table. From the high-volume demands of major retail organisations like SPAR UK and Coop to the Pharmaceutical Industry, to the precision engineering of B2B manufacturing, and from agency Creative Director roles to independent consultancy.
The Commercial Realist...
I specialise in the complex orchestration of multi-brand portfolios. I have managed UK marketing strategies for premium international brands, balancing the rigid demands of global consistency with the agility needed for local market relevance.
I am a builder of brands, not just a manager of them. I have led comprehensive relaunches for a leading motorsports apparel brand, transforming their market presence from the ground up. This wasn't just about aesthetics; it was about engineering fame. By integrating high-impact digital campaigns with tier-one media coverage, influencer partnerships, and major event activations, we drove triple-digit growth in digital reach and engagement.
I understand the pressure of the in-house P&L and the agility required of an external partner. This breadth of experience allows me to solve problems that single-discipline specialists often miss.
Core Capabilities
- Fractional CMO & Creative Leadership: Senior marketing leadership for businesses that need CMO-level expertise. From strategy to execution, without the full-time overhead.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Managing in-house teams alongside external agencies and suppliers to ensure seamless delivery across all touchpoints.
- Commercial Cultural Engineering: Transforming business objectives into distinctive visual and verbal assets ("The Code") that replace the need to read with the instinct to recognise.
- Integrated Campaign Delivery: Delivering fully integrated campaigns across digital, retail, media, and live events to drive physical and mental availability.
- Budget & Strategy Ownership: Allocating six-figure annual marketing budgets to align spend strictly with commercial goals.
- Human-in-the-Loop Innovation: Leveraging AI tools to accelerate research and workflow, ensuring budget is spent on thinking, not admin.
Now, as co-founder of T40 Associates, I bring this senior-level firepower without the agency bloat. I listen with intent. I diagnose with honesty. And I build the systems that help you grow.
I'd rather be clear than clever.
And I'd rather be effective than expensive.
Our Values
These aren't just words on a wall. They're the principles that guide every decision we make.
- 1
Radical Transparency
Clear pricing. Honest timelines. Realistic expectations. We'd rather lose a deal than overpromise.
- 2
Results-Obsessed
Every strategy, design, and system is built to drive measurable business outcomes. If it doesn't move the needle, we don't do it.
- 3
Built for SMEs
We understand the reality of running a growing business. Our solutions are sized and priced for businesses like yours.
Why We Exist
We started T40 because we saw a gap in the market. Growing businesses need strategic partners, not just vendors.
One Team, All Solutions
Creative, marketing, systems, and growth strategy all working together. No silos, no handoff headaches.
Senior Expertise, SME Pricing
Get the quality of a premium agency at prices that make sense for growing businesses.
Partners, Not Vendors
We're invested in your success. When you grow, we grow. That's the relationship we want.
Contact us
Get In Touch
hello@t40digital.co.uk — We respond within 24 hours, usually much faster.
Schedule a free 30-minute strategy call. No pitch, just honest conversation about your business.
Ready to grow?
We're selective about who we work with because we want to make a real difference.
If you're serious about growth and ready to put in the work, we'd love to chat.