Who we are
Together we are Zoocha - independent and innovative digital specialists in Drupal web development and multi-channel retail.
Will Huggins
Managing Director
Zoocha is collaboration between the very best people I have come across in the digital industry – I believe passionately that there is no agency out there with the capability, energy or client insight to offer better quality or value.
Having established early in life that a digital business model was the way forward, Will took the logical step of moving to Hull to study Environmental Biology.
After learning as much as he could from North Sea plankton, he moved into the commercial world of consumer goods and retail, including a stint running Tesco’s online wine business. As head of the parenting website, Bounty.com, he fathered three new sites before heading up online marketing for Dixons.
Mike Smith
Operations Director
Here at Zoocha we are dedicated to delivering the very best; we have a proven track record of success working on large scale projects for clients such as Argos, Multiyork and iNTERTAIN.
Mike has impressed at the likes of Tesco.com, Oracle, Ri3K and Sorriso Technologies with his natural project management and client facing skills.
Adding depth to Zoocha’s technical capability, having worked and delivered a wide range of implementations from online retail, financial systems and telco solutions.
Dave Pratt
Technical Director
From inception to execution through to delivery, each new project presents the opportunity to push limits creatively and technically. Whether it is a Drupal content managed website, Facebook application or bespoke web app, you can be sure it will be put together with a fastidious attention to detail and embrace the latest standards and thinking on the web. Anything we put our name to is going to be fast, future proofed, standards compliant, accessible, innovative and search friendly.
Dave has been developing websites for over 10 years and has worked for some of the biggest names in the industry (Tesco, Oracle, Steak). In this time he has learnt a broad range of programming techniques and languages on various platforms.
Daniel Reeve
Designer
Zoocha is a funky, fresh agency that will always put in that extra mile to blow your expectations out of the water!
If you happen to see any bright, colourful (big eyed!) illustrations on our site or any we have worked on; these were probably created by Daniel. From a young age he has been drawing in his “cartoon” style, upon discovering digital design he knew where his future career was headed.
While studying at University he undertook part time work as a Junior Designer for Bounty over the summer periods, while also taking on various freelance projects to boost his portfolio. After leaving University with a high BA Honours in Digital Design, he joined the Zoocha team!
Hayley Smyth
Design Director
Zoocha is a vibrant, imaginative, full service digital agency comprising of individuals with the expertise to produce fantastic results. We are dedicated to helping clients develop their businesses, the key to achieving this is creating successful communication through clever design and development.
Always knowing design was in her blood, Hayley decided studying web and graphic design at Hertfordshire University was the way forward. She left there with a high-class BA honours degree and started work in a web and graphic design agency.
From there, Hayley was recruited into a big commercial/retail brand – Tesco.com, where she learnt the fundamentals of brand identity and e-commerce design. When it was time to move on to the next step in her career Hayley became lead designer at Bounty.com, the parenting site, designing integrated campaigns for names such as Andrex, Boden, Dettol, Fisher-price, LoveFilm, NHS, PhotoBox, Playhouse Disney, Samsung, Vtech and many more.
Owen Williams
Senior Web Developer
Zoocha is a front runner in providing you with the most modern websites and applications. Utilising Social media websites such as Facebook, we can really put you on the map.
Our newest.. second newest.. more established member of the team hails from "over the bridge" in the valleys of South Wales - instead of shepherding sheep and mining coal Owen graduated from Swansea University equipped with a Computer Science degree and was quick to get into Web Development soon after.
With over 3 years experience, he has gained excellent programming techniques whilst working at various leading companies. Somewhat sponge-like, he is extremely quick to absorb the latest and most innovative web development methods - essential to give your website that extra edge.
Brian Merttens
Account Director
Zoocha have many points of difference over other agencies and just one of those being that the entire team all come from client side backgrounds. So when it comes to understanding the needs of their clients Zoocha are uniquely placed.
Having cut his digital teeth with several start ups in the late 90s Brian spent over 6 years as Senior Online Product Manager at Bounty before joining Confetti as Head of Online in 2008. Now something of an online veteran Brian brings his years of web content, online marketing and e-Commerce experience to Zoocha and their clients.
Reece Marsland
Drupal Developer
Zoocha have a superstar lineup of staff that are smart and driven. This high ability across the team means your project runs smoothly.
Reece graduated from the University of Northampton with a first class degree in Internet Programming. Since graduating he has continued on to gain over 4 years experience working with Drupal. He also likes to keep a keen eye on bleeding edge technologies that impact his field of work. When not working with Drupal he’s walking his 5 dogs in the middle of the countryside – Yes 5!
Jenny Cumming
Drupal Developer
Zoocha will go above and beyond, pulling out all the stops along the way to deliver top notch products to their clients.
A graduate fresh out of University with a degree in Computer Science, Jenny was ready to dive into the world of Web Development. After realising her passion for programming throughout her degree, when it was time to hit the real world, she got accepted to kickstart her career with Zoocha.
Denise Spangler
Drupal Developer
Zoocha is a first-class company composed of quality people who are committed to doing what they do best. You can be sure to get great results from working with us.
Denise is a California girl who has spent 9 years studying astrophysics before settling down to a life of web development in Hertfordfordshire. She spent the last 2 years developing digitaldemocracy.org.uk from scratch, gaining valuable programming and practical experience of building something out of nothing.
With her insatiable appetite for solving problems and keeping her analytic mind active, she is ready to tackle any project or problem thrown at her.
Rod Volpe
Drupal Developer
Zoocha is a deviant and inspiring team, redefining standards for e-commerce and web applications.
Rod wanted to be a footballer like any kid in Brazil, but resembling pubs conversations around UK he will tell you "I did not make it because I got injured!"
With a passion for how IT and Web applications can enhance businesses, Rod has just finished his Masters degree reading E-business Systems focusing his dissertation on Drupal Commerce. In his spare time he tells stories about his football career, and really thinks that people believe him.
