LADBible, TikTok, Jellycat, Pinterest and TUI leaders named among the UK’s 30 hottest names in social media

The inaugural Pepper Hot 30 celebrates the people shaping the future of social media across brands, platforms, entertainment, travel, retail and culture.
EMBARGOED UNTIL 12PM BST, TUESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2026
London, UK - 1 September 2026: Social media leaders from LADBible, TikTok, Jellycat, Pinterest, TUI, Sky, Vinted, MyProtein and Transport for London have been named among the Pepper Hot 30 UK 2026, a new list recognising 30 of the people shaping social media in the UK right now.
Launched by social-first agency Pepper, the inaugural Hot 30 puts the spotlight on the people behind the campaigns, communities, creator partnerships, content and strategies influencing where the industry goes next.
The final 30 were selected following an open nomination process that attracted hundreds of nominations from across the industry, with nominees assessed on the strength of their work, their impact on the wider social landscape and the contribution they are making to its future.
Rather than focusing solely on seniority or the biggest consumer brands, the Hot 30 was created to recognise talent across the breadth of modern social media.
The 2026 list spans B2B and B2C brands, platforms, publishers and entertainment businesses, with expertise covering organic social, paid social, influencer and creator marketing, community, content, performance marketing and social strategy.
Among those recognised are Rachelle (Thompson) Denton, Global Head of Social Media at Jellycat; Robert Leather, Creator Marketing Lead at TikTok; Alex Hick, Creator Program Lead at LADBible; Chloe Farkas, Social Campaigns Lead at Pinterest; Hayley Shortman, Senior Influencer Marketing Manager at TUI UK; and Mathieu Couret, VIP, Partnerships and Influencer Lead at Vinted.
The list also highlights the increasingly diverse range of organisations investing in social expertise, with individuals representing businesses spanning financial services and transport to music, travel, retail, entertainment, technology and FMCG.
The Pepper Hot 30 UK 2026
Alex Hick - Creator Program Lead, LADBible
Chloe Farkas - Social Campaigns Lead, Pinterest
Dani Pisciottano - Head of Marketing, LEAP Enterprise
Duncan Vicat-Brown - Social Media Manager, UKTV
Elliott Smith - Head of Social, PR & Activations, MyProtein (THG)
Emily Grisewood - Social Media and Influencer Coordinator, White Stuff
Emma Martell - Head of Social Content, Avanti West Coast
Evie Braithwaite - Performance Marketing Manager, Financial Times
Greg Baxter - Senior Product & Marketing Manager, Octopus Energy
Hayley Shortman - Senior Influencer Marketing Manager, TUI UK
Holly Gazzard - Social & Influencer Manager, Sky
James Allinson - Communication & Marketing Specialist, Ferrari
Jennifer Howlett - Social Media Manager, Merlin Entertainments
Kate Whitaker - Music Marketing Manager, Live Nation
Lee Scarratt - Senior Social Media Manager, VMO2
Mathieu Couret - VIP, Partnerships and Influencer Lead, Vinted
Megan Rowlands - Senior Creative Strategist, Tripadvisor
Milly Tuck - Head of Brand Marketing, Little Moons
Palmer Sperau - Global Creator Marketing Coordinator, Logitech
Rachelle (Thompson) Denton - Global Head of Social Media, Jellycat
Rebecca Youngs - Social Media Manager, Hotel Chocolat
Robert Leather - Creator Marketing Lead, TikTok
Saleha Rahmani - Marketing Manager, The O2
Sam Sage - Social Media Manager, Ascot Racecourse
Tuanni Marshall - Social Media Manager, Transport for London
Vitor Correia - Creator Digital Marketing Lead, Monster Energy
Wardah Sempa - Senior Creative Content and Influencer Marketing Manager, Columbia Records
Yasmin Baker-Marshall - Social Media Consultant, All3Media International
Yusuf Aleem - Senior Social Media & Influencer Marketing Consultant, Experian
The Hot 30 forms part of a wider initiative from Pepper to give greater visibility to the people working behind the scenes of social media - not simply the brands, agencies or campaigns receiving industry recognition.
The inaugural shortlist was celebrated at an industry event in London in August, bringing together nominees and peers from across the social media industry.
The announcement of the final 30 is only the beginning. Over the coming months, Pepper will publish individual interviews with members of the Hot 30, exploring their careers, the work they are proudest of, their perspectives on the state of the industry and what they believe is coming next for social.
Alice Jones, Co-Founder at Pepper said:
“Social media is one of the fastest-moving parts of marketing, but so much of the recognition still goes to the brands and campaigns rather than the people making them happen.
“We created the Pepper Hot 30 to change that. We wanted to recognise brilliant people across the full spectrum of social - from creators and community to strategy, content, paid and influencer - and across different levels of seniority.
“The response to our first year has been incredible. Hundreds of nominations made selecting 30 people genuinely difficult, but it also showed just how much talent there is driving social forward in the UK.
“This isn’t intended to be a list that disappears after launch day. We want to keep telling these people’s stories, sharing their perspectives and creating a platform that celebrates the individuals shaping where our industry goes next.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
About the Pepper Hot 30
The Pepper Hot 30 is an annual initiative created by social-first agency Pepper to recognise 30 people shaping social media in the UK.
The inaugural list was created following an open industry nomination process, with hundreds of nominations received. The final 30 were selected based on the strength of their work, their impact on the industry and their contribution to the future of social media.
The Hot 30 spans professionals working across organic and paid social, influencer and creator marketing, community management, content, performance and social strategy, representing organisations across both B2B and B2C.
The full Pepper Hot 30 UK 2026 will be published on Pepper’s website at 12pm BST on Tuesday 1 September 2026.
Media enquiries
For interviews, additional commentary, high-resolution imagery, event photography or further information about the Pepper Hot 30, please contact:
Bethan White
bethan@pepperagency.com
+44 02071007222