Case Studies

Client Profile

Distilled is one of Ireland’s leading digital media companies, based in Dublin, and best known for its portfolio of popular online marketplaces including Daft.ie, DoneDeal.ie, and Adverts.ie. With a fast-paced, innovative culture and a strong focus on people and performance, Distilled is committed to nurturing talent and building leadership capability at every level of the organisation.

Recognising that strong people management is essential to scaling sustainably, Distilled has invested consistently in leadership development. For over 10 years, Rostrup has been a trusted partner in supporting the growth and capability of Distilled’s people managers and wider teams.

Challenge

As the business has scaled so too have the demands placed on its managers. Many were high-performing individual contributors promoted into leadership roles, often without prior experience in people management. There was a clear need to equip managers with the skills and mindset needed to lead confidently and consistently in a dynamic, tech-driven environment.

Additionally, as Distilled matured and brought different businesses together, the company aimed to develop a cohesive management culture — one rooted in strong communication, emotional intelligence, and performance accountability. There was also a need for regular learning touchpoints to maintain momentum and respond to changing organisational priorities such as goal setting, giving feedback, and managing change.

Solutions

Over the course of a decade-long partnership, Rostrup has designed and delivered a comprehensive suite of development solutions, tailored to meet Distilled’s evolving leadership needs:

• People Manager Academies – Two full-cycle People Manager Academy programmes were developed and delivered to support both new and more experienced managers. These programmes focused on core leadership skills including performance management, coaching, emotional intelligence, goal setting, feedback, and leading change. The content was practical, relevant, and built around Distilled’s values and real-world scenarios.
• 1:1 Coaching – A series of coaching assignments have supported individual leaders with personalised development goals. These ranged from transitioning into new leadership roles, to improving team dynamics, communication style, and strategic thinking.
• Quarterly Management Forums – To sustain development and foster shared learning, Rostrup facilitates quarterly Management Forums, providing space for reflection, learning new tools, and discussing live leadership challenges.
• Topical Workshops – In response to organisational needs, Rostrup delivers a range of topic-specific training sessions to staff and managers alike. These have included sessions on emotional intelligence, feedback conversations, goal setting, and navigating change, helping to build a shared language and leadership toolkit across the business.

Outcome

The long-standing partnership between Distilled and Rostrup has had a transformational impact on the company’s management capability. Managers now operate with greater confidence, consistency, and emotional intelligence, contributing to stronger team performance and a more cohesive leadership culture.

The People Manager Academies have created a strong pipeline of capable leaders, while the coaching and forums have embedded continuous learning into the leadership journey. The wider team has benefitted from targeted training that reinforces the organisation’s values and people-first approach.

Rostrup’s tailored and responsive support has helped Distilled maintain a high-performing, human-centred culture — supporting its ongoing success as one of Ireland’s leading digital businesses.