David Amstel, head of campaigns at the Cabinet Office, dies aged 52

David Amstel, the Cabinet Office’s head of campaigns, has died at the age of 52. Amstel had an illustrious 30-year career in marketing and advertising, spanning roles at brands, agencies and at the heart of UK government.

Friends and former colleagues have paid tribute to Amstel, describing him as “much loved and respected”, an “extremely generous and loyal friend” and a compassionate, energetic man with an “extremely loud laugh”.

Paul Knight, the chief executive of OmniGov, said Amstel’s untimely death was a “huge loss”, adding: “His enthusiasm, support, wit and intelligence have been invaluable over the past four years, as we have collectively worked through some of the biggest communication challenges this country has ever faced, such as [the UK’s] EU exit and Covid. He remains in our thoughts and will never be forgotten.”

A lifelong love for ads

Amstel was born in 1969 in Watford and was an avid radio listener from an early age with a particular love for ads and a penchant for the jingles that rang out on Capital Radio.

After reading politics at the University of Nottingham, where he further enhanced his passion for advertising while DJ-ing on campus radio, he graduated in 1991 and embarked on his career in advertising.

He cut his marketing teeth as a graduate trainee at then-United Distillers (today known as Diageo) in London. It was here Amstel met friend and future best man Thomas Veit, with whom he “overlapped the first few years”.

“But on that score he was already a great mind on advertising planning, meticulous detail and great execution, as we both worked on some fantastic brands such as him on Gordon’s and me on Pimm’s,” Veit said.

Amstel headed overseas, travelling to Africa and the Caribbean as brand manager for Bell’s Whisky, moving to United Distillers’ Perth HQ, before moving agency-side at Edinburgh’s Leith Agency, where he managed accounts including Grolsch. He returned to the UK capital in 2000 to help launch Leith London.

Amstel subsequently worked freelance at agencies including radio specialist Eardrum, Meteorite, Billington Cartmell, Springer & Jacoby and Doner Cartwell Hawkins. He spent 12 years at the latter as group account director working with clients including Fuller’s London Pride, Alfa Romeo and Nikon. It was here that he met childhood hero Ronnie Corbett on a Wiltshire Farm Foods ad shoot. He also worked with pop duo The Cheeky Girls.

Back to Number 10 

Amstel’s first main foray into government communications began in 2015 upon joining Breakthrough Media (now Zinc Network), where he worked for various government clients and departments. He later moved to the Crown Commercial Service and helped create the Crown Marketplace.

It was in 2018 that Amstel started in his most recent role as head of campaigns for the Cabinet Office – a position that played to his love for both advertising and politics – advising government departments and working on public campaigns.

Amstel’s boss at the Cabinet Office, director of campaigns and marketing Conrad Bird, said: “David’s tragically early death has deeply affected us all in government communications, as well those in the industry…