Peter Yarnold: Meet the Showcase Commercial Leadership Team

In our ongoing series with Showcase’s new Commercial Leadership Team, we’ve been catching up with the people helping shape what’s next, from new business to creative direction, and everything in between.

So far, we’ve heard from Will Pearce (Head of New Business) and Lina Olsson (Creative Director). Soon we’ll be hearing from our Head of Key Accounts, Paula Curness. Today, we’re catching up with Peter Yarnold, who’s stepped into the role of Head of Strategic Accounts as part of our expanding Commercial Leadership Team.

With over a decade at Showcase under his belt, Peter brings a broad, cross-sector view to client delivery and a strategic focus that helps the team see the bigger picture. His new role focuses on deepening client partnerships, especially across large-scale, multi-location accounts, and making sure we keep evolving alongside their needs.

Peter, congratulations on the new role! What does it look like day to day?

At its core, the role is about leading a new department within the Commercial team, with a real focus on strategic growth. I’m working more closely with larger corporate clients — ones that often have real estate portfolios across the UK and EMEA — and helping them understand the breadth of what Showcase can offer across different regions.
There’s also a shift toward building more structure within those relationships. We’re looking at how we can support clients with consistency across multiple sites and countries, ensuring their brand and values are reflected wherever the project happens to be. No two days are the same, and that’s the exciting part!

What are you most excited about as you step into this position?

It’s definitely the opportunity to build something new… to start a team, shape it, and grow it. It feels like a really natural progression of the work I’ve been doing over the last few years, and now there’s a real chance to formalise that into something that scales. That’s what I’m really energised by.
I’m also incredibly excited to work with the new owners and see how we’re going to shape the future of Showcase together. There’s a real sense of momentum, and I’m grateful for the trust and opportunity they’ve given me to be part of it!

How do you see this role supporting Showcase’s growth, and our clients’ needs as they change?

Over the last three years, I’ve had the chance to deliver a variety of projects through different procurement routes, across different types of businesses and locations. That’s given me a strong foundation to support clients who are working at scale, with portfolios in multiple cities or even countries.
Often those clients are looking for consistency – not just in how their spaces look, but in how their brand is experienced. We’ve been able to deliver that by staying flexible, understanding their philosophy, and translating it no matter where the site is. I think that ability to adapt, while still holding a clear strategic thread, is something clients really value, and something we’re definitely going to build on even more!

What’s a key focus for you over the next 6 to 12 months?

Growing the team. That’s the big one! I want to build something bigger that is proactively bringing ideas to the table — offering suggestions to clients early in the conversation, not just when a brief lands.

It’s about creating space to be more consultative, discussing approach and potential even before a project is formally live. That kind of foresight makes a huge difference, both for the client and for us internally.

What’s something you’ve learned at Showcase that you’ll take into the next chapter?

That flexibility and adaptability are two of Showcase’s greatest strengths. I’ve seen it time and time again over my 11 years here — the way we respond to client needs, adjust our thinking, and stay agile without ever losing sight of quality.

That mindset is something I carry with me into this new role, especially as we start looking at how to scale that same level of service across more complex, multi-site accounts. It’s not about rigid processes; it’s about thoughtful structure that still leaves room to flex.

Great! And finally, what’s something you’re personally excited about this year?

There’s a new client I’ve started working with, through an existing relationship, and they’ve got a multi-site opportunity that’s in a sector I haven’t worked in before. That’s always a bit of a buzz, stepping into something fresh, learning a new space, and seeing how we can bring value to it.

It’s a great example of how this role is evolving. The work we’re doing with strategic accounts has been developing organically over the last few years, and now it’s becoming something much more defined. We’re creating structure around it, and that’s when real growth can happen!