Our History - That's Nice | A Science Agency

2025

Company: That’s Nice celebrates its 30th anniversary and looks back on three decades of creative execution and strategic support for a diverse range of clients and collaborators.

2024

Company: That’s Nice embarked on the sixth in the ‘Road To’ series with The Road to the Max: Australia, focusing on exploring biotech innovations in oncology in the skin cancer capital of the world.
Client: That’s Nice began working with CRO and Pharmacovigilance sibling companies, Ergomed and Prime Vigilance, as an AOR account.
Staff: Prof. Daniel Smith, Ph.D., joined the company as Chief Scientific Officer.

2023

Company: The Road To Launch saw Nigel join the crew of a client’s yacht racing in TransPac 2023 from California to Hawaii. Unfortunately, a broken mast shroud ended the adventure earlier than expected.
Client: We conducted a large rebrand and launch of Scorpius BioManufacturing, becoming the agency of record for this Texas-based entry to the CDMO market.
Staff: April Stanley joined the company as Scientific Research Director.

2022

Company: The road came to us – after the success of our first three in the Road To series, we were invited to conduct The Road To Ireland, throwing the spotlight on the thriving life sciences and new modalities sector in the Emerald Isle.
Client: We supported the launch of Wheeler Bio as the agency of record for this different type of CDMO.
Staff: Sophie Lutter, Ph.D., agreed to join the company as Scientific Strategy Director.

2021

Company: We embarked on our third and largest scale road trip yet with The Road To 50 States, covering all 50 of the United States in 50 days, once again visiting life science companies and discussing the Future of Healthcare with their executives and operational staff.
Client: We became the media agency of record for Millipore Sigma – a fully Integrated CDMO.
Staff: Jason Rahal joined the company as Advanced Therapies Sales Director.

2020

Company: We embarked on The Road To CPhI, covering 25 European countries in 25 days for our 25th anniversary during the COVID-19 pandemic, which influenced the discussion theme, The Future of Healthcare.
Client: Our largest project in 2020 was a research project for pharmaceutical technology OEM Sartorius, which guided the future of its technology investments and acquisitions.
Staff: That’s Nice began a fruitful partnership with Jon Holt and his team of web & SEO experts in the UK.

2019

Company: Founders Nigel Walker and Mark Allen made an angel investment via private placement in Arranta Bio, founded by Mark Bamforth. The company was acquired by ReciBiopharm in 2022.
Client: We embark on our third project for Mark Bamforth with his launch of Arranta Bio, becoming agency of record for the CDMO and branding / launching the business.
Staff: Cynthia Challener, PhD, joined the company as Scientific Thought Leadership Director.

2018

Company: We take on our first advisory project for UPM Pharmaceuticals.
Client: We began working with CMC Biologics, beginning a long association with Gustavo Mahler, who was CEO, and that relationship still thrives today. CMC was acquired to become AGC Biologics.
Staff: David Alvaro, Ph.D., joins the company as Scientific Editor in Chief.

2017

Company: We began our now legendary ‘Road To’ series with the Road to BIO – a road trip from Cambridge, MA to San Diego, CA, visiting life science companies and talking to them and the public about their journeys.
Client: That’s Nice did a rebranding for Federal Equipment Company, the leader in used pharmaceutical and biologic processing equipment that became an AOR account.
Staff: The average age of our staff reached 42 years old, with 20 years of post-academic experience.

2016

Company: We completed our 18,000th project and celebrated publishing one million words of life sciences content in 12 months since the launch of Pharma’s Almanac.
Client: We repositioned the Capsugel CDMO brand, changing market perceptions of the leader in empty shell capsules. It was acquired by Lonza that year for $5.5B.
Staff: We welcomed our 250th employee in 20 years during 2016.

2015

Company: Pharma’s Almanac was launched as a platform for thought leadership written for clients.
Client: Another AOR account saw the launch of the Alcami CDMO brand, integrating the former AAIPharma Services and Cambridge Major Labs.
Staff: Founders Nigel Walker and Mark Allen made an angel investment via private placement in Brammer Bio, founded by Mark Bamforth. The company was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2019.

2014

Company: We expanded the Nice Insight research team to eight people, which was its peak size up to now.
Client: We began working in temperature-controlled clinical trials logistics for the first time, embarking on our 6-year AOR relationship with Marken.
Staff: Kshitij (TJ) Ladage joined the company as Associate Research Director and would stay for a subsequent seven years.

2013

Company: We moved to our current headquarters at 89 Fifth Avenue in New York City. We sold the real estate we owned at a profit and returned to renting. Nice Dwelling is closed at this point.
Client: We worked with Mark Bamforth for the first time with his launch of Gallus Biomanufacturing – a mammalian cell culture biologics CDMO that became an AOR account.
Staff: Laetitia Gales joined the company as Senior Designer, becoming a key long-term creative.

2012

Company: We revisited having an office in the UK, having pulled back on the previous one. Strong links with the UK were always inevitable though, with the founders, many clients, and many collaborators.
Client: We worked with Abbott Laboratories – AbbVie during its split and the formation of AbbVie. That’s Nice was responsible for the launch of AbbVie CDMO, which became an AOR account.
Staff: Salvatore Fazzolari joined the company as Sales Director.

2011

Company: That’s Nice opened an office in China, led by Wei Gao and located in Shanghai.
Client: We worked with our first CRO, MPI Research as an AOR account. It was the largest single-site preclinical CRO in the world and was later acquired by Charles River
Staff: Kate Hammeke joned the company as Research Director with Nice Insight continuing to expand.

2010

Company: Having successfully launched Nice Gift, Nice Exhibit, and Nice Insight companion brands, we began marketing multiple That’s Nice business units.
Client: We began working with FMC Lithium, producing an award-winning Safe Handling Guide.
Staff: Yiyi Liu joined the company as Nice Gift Project Manager. She eventually went on to serve as our Project Director, working with the company for over 14 years.

2009

Company: We published our fourth book, Established, which outlined our approach to successful marketing.
Client: Having acquired Rohm & Haas, Dow Chemical hired That’s Nice to rebrand its coatings division. This became an Agency-of-Record (AOR) account.
Staff: Victor Coker – a former client – joined the company and helped to launch Nice Insight, which answered the need for market research among our clients and validated our marketing strategy services.

2008

Company: Doubling in size necessitated a move to new headquarters on West 20th Street. Nice Dwelling was formed as a real estate holding company as we bought two floors of a building.
Client: We won our first pharmaceutical Agency of Record account, DSM Pharmaceutical Products. This business was eventually acquired by Patheon and subsequently by Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Staff: Wei Gao joined the company as Accounts Director and would go on to become a Partner at That’s Nice.

2007

Company: Having always specialized in environmental space design and with Life Sciences being such an event-driven industry, we formalized our trade show offering by launching Nice Exhibit.
Client: We began work with Norwegian company, Borregaard Synthesis, which did wood pulp chemical synthesis and produced excipients and APIs.
Staff: Jonathan Sismey joined the company for his initial full-time tenure.

2006

Company: We launched subsidiary business, Nice Gift, seeing a gap in the market for quality branded promotional products. This was rolled back into That’s Nice in 2015.
Client: We began working with Rohm & Haas – the paint and coatings expert – visiting its scientific research center known as “The Farm”.
Staff: Erin Carney joined the company as a Designer and stayed with us for over a decade.

2005

Company: We published our third book of inspiration and client work, called Perspective.
Client: That’s Nice began working with Ampac Fine Chemicals, under the leadership of Joe Carleone and Aslam Malik. We are proud to still work with Joe, and worked with Aslam up to his retirement.
Staff: Albert Bruan, current Business Logistics Manager at That’s Nice, joined the company for his first tenure.

2004

Company: We published our second book of inspiration and client work, called View 2.
Client: We began working with Polymer Group, Inc., a company specializing in medical fabrics, on its sustainability report and rebranding.
Staff: Young Tae joins the company as a designer. Two decades later she is our Design Director with an unbelievable body of client work.

2003

Company: We changed the identity for That’s Nice for the first time, developing the logo we still use today.
Client: The launch of Honeywell Life Science was a landmark project, as it saw the first introduction of the phrase life science, and brought together multiple pharma divisions of Allied Signal and Honeywell.
Staff: That’s Nice worked with Jeff Bernstein, CPA, for the first time – a relationship that continues today.

2002

Company: That’s Nice began to shift its operations from solely marketing communications to a more strategic, science-heavy focus.
Client: We began work with Eastman Chemical Corporation on polyethylene titrate, a process that is used for plastic beverage containers.
Staff: Illustrator Elan Harris first walked in the door at 27th Street and still works with That’s Nice today.

2001

Company: We opened our first international location – in the United Kingdom – on September 10th, 2001.
Client: That’s Nice was involved in the launch of the Enovate 245FA molecule, a non-ozone depleting blowing agent for refrigeration and construction materials.
Staff: Rocco Mansbridge joined the company as UK Sales Director. He popped up again in 2024 on The Road to the Max: Australia – as a subsequent long-term resident of Melbourne.

2000

Company: That’s Nice partnered with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to promote the non-profit and its crucial work.
Client: We began working with Genetron Refrigerants to help the company market its zero ozone-depleting hydrofluorocarbon products.
Staff: Guy Tiene joined the company for the first time as Accounts Manager.

1999

Company: We moved our Headquarters to West 27th Street in New York City.
Client: We started working with Allied Signal’s Life Science division, including promotion of simulated moving bed (SMB) technology in Arklow, Ireland.
Staff: Ex-college friend of Nigel, Phill Evans, joined the company and became the agency’s third official full-time employee.

1998

Company: Nigel Walker designed a global traveling exhibit for UNFPA, highlighting its important work. After its tour worldwide, it was put on permanent display at UN Headquarters.
Client: That’s Nice started working with Astor Wax, an industrial wax and lubricants business at Allied Signal.
Staff: That’s Nice begins working with Richard Miller, an ex-DC Comics illustrator and subsequently long-term contributor at the company in various capacities.

1997

Company: We attended our first pharmaceutical trade show – Informex – in Nashville, TN.
Client: We embarked on our first pharmaceutical project for Allied Signal’s Hydrofil division, when Pamela Roach took a gamble on us. We are grateful to this day and still work with Pamela.
Staff: That’s Nice begins working with illustrator and photo retoucher, John Lee, one of our earliest collaborators. We are still working with John to this day.

1996

Company: An early feather in the cap of That’s Nice was being asked to develop the signage for Shea Stadium in Flushing Meadows Park, Queens.
Client: One of our significant clients in the early days was Pacifico, owned by Charlie Guthrie III. We produced packaging concepts for products sold by big-box retailers.
Staff: That’s Nice works with long-term photography collaborator Brian Pierce for the first time.

1995

Company: That’s Nice was established on May 15th in New York City.
Client: Our first client was New York City Economic Development Corp. We developed a navigational signage system and historical information signs for the East River Bikeway & Esplanade.
Staff: Nigel Walker launched That’s Nice LLC from his apartment in New York City, with Mark Allen working on project content from across the pond in the UK.