Get to know your local IoD Ambassador Lydia McKeown
Lydia Mckeown is the Managing Director and Founder of We Do Marketing Ltd, a Kent-based agency that partners with ambitious UK business leaders to deliver strategic, results-driven marketing.
One of only 3,000 professionals in the UK to hold Chartered Marketer status, Lydia brings over 14 years of experience, combining forward-thinking digital insight with big-picture strategy.
Previous roles:
Lydia McKeown is a leading strategic marketing and communications professional with experience across retail, logistics, construction and global consumer brands. Over her career, she has developed expertise in strategy, brand, campaign management, and digital marketing, combining creativity with commercial insight. While progressing through senior marketing roles and furthering her studies, Lydia has successfully built her own marketing agency helping businesses create impactful strategies and authentic brand stories.
Other information (eg. Other positions held, charity roles):
Tutor & Mentor – Professional Academy
Mentor – CIM
Outside work (hobbies/interests):
Outside of work, Lydia is passionate about keeping fit and staying active, enjoys exploring experiential food and theatre, and is a devoted mum to a young boy – family time is everything. She loves skiing in the winter and discovering new sunny destinations in the summer.
How long have you been an IoD member?
1 year
As an Ambassador/Chair for Marketing and Communications, I help communicate the events and key initiatives across the Kent region. I support strategic messaging, raise awareness, and engage stakeholders through clear, consistent, and impactful marketing and communications. In this role, I also act as a representative for the region, building connections, promoting initiatives, and ensuring the region’s activities reach and resonate
with the wider community.
What part of IoD membership do you value most?
Access to advice, peers and events that are relevant to Directors.
What are the top three things about your branch area?
Kent is known for being a good place to network. Our Kent IoD events are a level up on the other events happening, we bring a diverse range of people across industries with a aligned
title of ‘Director’. The ambassador team is strong, we are very good at working together, supporting each other, but also the endeavours of the members. The Chair, Sweena Badhan is a force to be reckoned with – she brings an energy and enthusiasm that drives the team to deliver more for the members.
If you could give one message to the Prime Minister, what would it be?
Just stop, think and consider the real impact, please.
What are you most looking forward to in the next 12 months?
2025 has been a year of huge change. I hope for stability and renewed faith in the economy.
Looking back, what advice would you give yourself when you started out in business?
Immerse yourself in the knowledge of those who have done this before, listen but don’t lose sight of what you started for.
