We are delighted to share that Jonah Gillam has graduated with Distinction from Durham University Business School, completing his Master’s degree in MSc Management (Entrepreneurship).
This milestone marks the culmination of a four-year journey at Durham University – three years as an undergraduate, followed by his master’s year at the Business School. It is an achievement that reflects not only academic excellence, but focus, discipline, and ambition.
“I am particularly proud of my final dissertation and business project, titled ‘Market Entry into India: A Strategic Approach.’ The project explored how a premium UK gin brand could successfully enter India’s fast-growing but highly complex alcoholic beverage market.”
– Jonah Gillam
In his dissertation, Jonah analysed regulatory challenges, cultural differences, and advertising restrictions. He ultimately recommended a phased market entry strategy supported by local partnerships and creative marketing approaches, including influencer collaborations, experiential events, and point-of-sale activations.
The project brought together academic theory and commercial reality, delivering practical recommendations for a real-world business challenge – something that strongly aligns with how we operate at Digital Ink.
Alongside his studies, Jonah immersed himself in university life. He played cricket for Durham University and football for John Snow College Football Club, serving as Vice President during his final year. These experiences shaped his leadership style, resilience, and team-first mindset – qualities that now translate directly into his professional role.
Today, as Commercial Strategist at Digital Ink, Jonah plays a critical role in bridging clients and the strategy team. He ensures smooth onboarding, manages dashboards and Trello workflows, and oversees performance tracking to optimise results. His work combines strategy, project management, and communication, underpinned by strong data analysis that enables smarter decisions and measurable growth.
“Jonah is one of the many young, talented individuals we’re proud to work with at Digital Ink and Smart Elephant. He embodies exactly what we believe in: a strong work ethic, responsibility, passion, compassion, and sensitivity toward others, coupled with a mindset forged on the sports field. Watching his growth over the past few years has been a pleasure.
In his role, his data analysis has elevated our decision-making, allowing us to pivot quickly and adjust customer strategies based on real insights. His impact spans both commercial and operational decisions. And who said you can’t win anything with kids? Oh yes, Alan Hansen – and that story aged well.”
– Christopher Minn, CEO & Founder – Digital Ink
At Digital Ink, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of talent in print and technology. We actively invest in young professionals entering the industry from university and early-career pathways. Our collaboration with Smart Elephant, known for driving automation and innovation in print, supports this vision by combining commercial strategy with technical capability.
Jonah’s journey from student to strategist reflects what is possible when opportunity, mentorship, and ambition align. We look forward to seeing the continued impact he will make – both within our team and across the wider industry.
