Genuine Humans

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Kirsten McPherson, Marketing Director at Mondelez International. Kirsten takes us through her career, highlighting her roles at Procter & Gamble and Mondelez, as well as her membership of the Marketing Academy.  Kirsten reflects on the impact of influential individuals and programs, such as the Fulcrum Challenge, on her development and touches on the need for human-centric leadership in the industry to combat burnout and improve engagement. She also shares the Marketing Academy leadership rebellion manifesto.

Join Tamara and Wendy as they sit down to chat with Gaelle Comte, Senior Vice President of LIONS Learning at Cannes Lions. Gaelle shares her journey from growing up in the French Alps to playing a leading role in digital innovation in the advertising industry. Gaelle takes us through her career that’s spanned household names like Debenhams, News UK, Virgin and Carphone Warehouse. We hear about how important social mobility and empowering women is to Gaelle as she explores ways to help others gain access to the industry.

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Nicola Young, CMO of soon-to-launch skincare brand, Genaura. Nicola started her marketing career at Scottish Television before switching to radio, where she worked for stations like Jazz FM, Magic, and Global Radio. She later joined Estée Lauder Companies, overseeing the marketing of 29 brands. Nicola also touches on the importance of resilience, networking, mentorship and her competitive spirit.

Join Tamara and Wendy as they discuss the power of community with this week’s guest, Jayvee Nava Brady, Director of Community at Bubble. Jayvee started out managing spin studios and moved on to be the Vice President of Studios and then the Vice President of Community at Peloton. Jayvee talks about building thriving and engaged communities for brands.

Tamara and Wendy are joined by Abbie Hickman, Head of Restaurant Marketing for UK and Ireland at Nando’s. We also hear about Abbie’s time at i2C (now Nectar 360) and her work at Alpro. Abbie talks about the importance of being seen as a defender. Of using your power to stand up for people and of the desire to make a significant impact on the lives of those around her.

Tamara and Wendy are joined by experienced Chief Marketing Officer, Gareth Abel. Gareth honed his marketing expertise working for Orange, Samsung & Etisalat, and he works with organisations to deliver sustainable profit growth through highly effective marketing. Gareth talks about the importance of understanding market dynamics when working internationally and continuous education. We also hear about his framework for sustainable profit growth.

Senior brand marketing specialist, Mays Elansari, joins Tamara and Wendy this week to discuss her fantastic career in marketing, which includes roles at McCann Erickson, MasterCard, and Tiffany & Co as well as strategic roles at Penhaligon’s and Subway. Mays talks about her experience working in B2C and B2B brands and the differences in working for agency and client-side marketing. She emphasises the importance of flexibility, agility, and resilience in her career and shares her passion for problem-solving and advocacy for gender equality.

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined from New York by Aretha Sabeng, Director of Marketing at Garnier at L’Oreal. Aretha shares her journey from aspiring engineer to marketing professional, detailing her early career challenges and pivotal moments, including a management training program that sparked her passion for marketing. Aretha emphasises the importance of genuine human support in her success and reflects on her childhood experiences that shaped her resilience and curiosity.

Tatiana Canessa, Innovation Activation Manager at Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS, joins Tamara and Wendy this week to talk through her career journey.  From working in social media in her home country of Uruguay, to working for the World Health Organisation in Washington D.C and now in her role at Johnson & Johnson, Tatiana has always believed in fostering cultures of innovation and supporting her teams in following their passions and talents.

Rachel Moss, Head of Marketing Strategy at Allwyn, joins Tamara and Wendy this week to talk about her career journey, from her time at Storck to her role in brand management at Kraft and her work at Premier Foods. Rachel discusses the impact that great leaders and supportive networks have had on her life and talks about her commitment to authenticity in leadership.

Nik Keane joins Tamara and Wendy to share his career journey, starting at P&G, and working his way up to a Global Brand Director position at Diageo before joining Stoli as its Marketing Leader of Ultra Premium Brands. Nik is now the founder and CMO of non-alcoholic drinks company DioniLife. Nik talks about the importance of personal curiosity and resilience, as well as the crucial role diversity plays in teams.

Brand consultant and TikTok creator, Lauren Spearman joins Wendy and Tamara to discuss her career in digital advertising and influencer marketing – which saw her hold creative and management roles at Benefit Cosmetics and Netmums, and as global head of consumer communications and social at Made.com. Lauren uses her TikTok platform to champion better hiring practices and advocate for salary transparency, clear job descriptions, and supportive interview processes. She also touched on ageism in the workplace.

Mitch Oliver joins Tamara and Wendy this week. We hear how Mitch started out as a graduate recruit at Mars and worked her way up to Global VP of Corporate Brand and Purpose. Mitch, who also holds positions at Stonewall and UN Women UK, also discusses her passion for inclusive marketing that is rooted in strategy and a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion.

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Shea Carter, who is Social Element’s Vice President of Social and Influencer.  Shea takes us on a journey from her big break writing a blog post on Spencer Pratt, which rocked the internet back in the day, and through to her work at MMGY Global, FWV and Kontoor Brands. Shea’s work on both agency and client-side, has given her a unique perspective on client and brand management and communication. Shea shares these insights with Tamara and Wendy, and also considers where influencer marketing is headed.

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by founder and CEO of Sophera Marketing, Richard Levy. Richard started his marketing career at Santander before taking marketing leadership roles at GE-Santander, First National, and MoneyGram.  Richard talks about the challenges and rewards of working in large corporations versus smaller businesses, and how these experiences helped shape his business. He also has fantastic advice about networking as an introvert and the impact that kindness and understanding can have on our lives.

Today, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Salesforce’s client director of media, Caroline Mastoras. Caroline has a vast array of experience working in-house, for brands like Microsoft, and agencies such as Condé Nast and OMD in account management and sales. Caroline is passionate about closing the pay gap. She founded DAWN and now works with WACL and the 93% club to drive forward equality in the advertising industry.

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by senior manager of social intelligence and Operations at Keurig Dr Pepper, Rob Hanson. Rob shares his career journey from sports marketing internships at the University of New Hampshire and the Boston Celtics to roles at marketing agencies like Octagon and startups such as DraftKings, Starry, and Tel Tech. Rob talks about his experience in social media and discusses the importance of blending human skills and tech in the future of brand building. 

Catherine Jensen is vice president of consumer experience and creative services at Sony Interactive Entertainment. Catherine oversees the after-sales relationship with PlayStation customers, ensuring they have a great and memorable experience. After starting her career at Siemens Medical, Catherine eventually became vice president of global support services at PeopleSoft, VP of support operations at Oracle, VP of service delivery at Intuit and VP of business operations at Symantec before joining Sony. Catherine joins Tamara and Wendy to discuss online safety and moderation in gaming.

Jane Loring has had a fantastically successful career across a variety of leadership roles, such as sales director at Handbag.com, COO at Influencer and director of sales at Spotify. Jane is now the Director of Sales – Media and Communications at Microsoft. This week, Jane talks to Tamara and Wendy about her pathway to leadership and the essential role that resilience played in her success. We also hear about her empathetic leadership style and what it meant to be a female leader in an industry where women are still underrepresented at higher levels.

Crawford Hollingworth, founder of The Behavioural Architects and author of ‘How Your Brain Is Wired’, joins Tamara and Wendy this week to discuss his career in behavioural science. Crawford has worked with global brands like Disney, Diageo and Nike – helping them understand consumer behaviour. One of the major themes in Crawford’s career has been his constant drive to push outside of his comfort zone and explore his full potential.

Working on brands such as Britvic, Hartley’s, Sarsons and Burger King has given Abby Dixon a deep understanding of the challenges facing modern marketers. Her considerable experience as a trainer and mentor led her to set up The Whole Marketer podcast, which has evolved into an online community and support programme for marketers. Abby is also the founder and director of Labyrinth Marketing. Much of Abby’s current focus is on supporting the holistic development of marketers so that they can do their best and most fulfilling work for their clients.

Series 12 kicks off in style with Atlyn Forde, founder of Communicate Inclusively, talking to Tamara and Wendy about her passion for helping organisations create thriving, inclusive cultures. Atlyn discusses her career path, from becoming the director of marketing (UK and Europe) for the Saint Lucia Tourist Board to today, when she works as the head of engagement and inclusion at Pepper Money UK and manages her own business. Atlyn tells us about how her childhood helped her become the determined and independent leader she is today.  Subscribe Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by the incredible Chloe Davies. She shares the inspirational story of how she came to found It Takes a Village and walks us through the work she’s doing now to help Black women’s voices be heard. Before founding It Takes a Village, Chloe’s roles included Head of Social Impact at Lucky Generals and was an Ambassador for MHFA England. Subscribe Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

Currently, Global VP Marketing, St Pierre, Megan Harrison has worked for major household names like Huggies and Warburtons, as well as challenger brands such as Roberts Bakery. Megan joins Tamara and Wendy to talk through her career in marketing and explore how she’s used her talents for science and creativity to create innovative campaigns. We also hear about how Megan used her experience working for challenger brands to help bigger brands thrive.  Subscribe Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

Helen started out as a Lab Technician at the consumer products development division of Boots and worked her way up to become the interim CMO of Boots and then VP Marketing Director at Walgreens Boots Alliance before leaving in December 2023. Helen talks to Tamara and Wendy about her career path at Boots and her passion for seeing the people she managed grow and develop. Subscribe  Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

The Genuine Humans podcast returns with Tamara and Wendy chatting with Katie Martin, head of marketing excellence at innocent drinks. Katie takes us through her story, from her foray into acting, her early career in events and her love of shopper marketing. Katie also talks about the importance of being an authentic and emotionally intelligent leader and discusses the mentorship and support she has received from innocent’s Group people and culture director Sarah-Jane Norman, Subscribe   Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

This week, we’re talking to Dom Dwight, marketing director at the home of Yorkshire Tea, Taylors of Harrogate. After university, Dom decided to continue working gigs with his band until the band decided to head to London to make their name, and Dom chose to stay back in Leeds and pursue a different career. He joined Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate as a copywriter and quickly developed Yorkshire Tea’s iconic presence on social media. Fifteen years later, and Dom is now Marketing Director and still just as passionate about the brand. Subscribe   Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

This week, we’re talking to Kate Cox, chief marketing officer of adtech company BrightBid. BrightBid uses AI, automation and human expertise to create more refined Google Ad recommendations for businesses. Kate started out in media planning and buying before moving on to marketing roles and has worked in marketing leadership roles for high-growth companies like GoDaddy and Moneypenny. Kate talks to Wendy and Tamara about the support of her managers, like Marie Oldham (her boss at Leo Burnett and Havas Media) helped shape her career and discusses how marketing helps drive business, but shouldn’t be held responsible for absolutely everything. Subscribe Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

This week, Tamara and Wendy talk to the hugely inspiring Sally Henderson, the High Stakes Leadership founder and mentor. Sally works with senior leadership teams during high-pressure situations – during crisis situations or M&As, for example – to equip them to excel when the stakes are high. She talks about the hardest decision she ever made (to close a successful business that she didn’t love any more), the joy of following her passion to create High Stakes Leadership, and her drive to help leaders define their purpose. As Sally says, the rules of engagement for leaders are changing. They have never faced such relentless demands on their time and their emotional energy. This is a must-listen podcast for anyone working with, or within, leadership teams. Subscribe Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

This week, Tamara and Wendy are chatting with the amazing Jennie Thomson. Jennie is currently the social media director at W Communications, and she has a wealth of agency and brand social and digital experience. From working with brands like Aldi and Weetabix to the tech giant Huawei, Jennie has helped brands navigate the ever-shifting landscape of social media and reputation management. Jennie’s fantastic mentors (former bosses Scott Weavers-Wright and Matt Park-Young) have helped shape her drive to build brilliant teams that complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses and to deliver the best possible creative solutions for the brands she works with.   Subscribe   Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

This week, we’re talking to the wonderful Ruth Fittock, marketing director of simply roasted crisps, who was one of the team behind the launch of Popchips and Vitamin Water. She tells Wendy and Tamara how burnout in her early career led her to reassess how she approaches life and work, the influence of strong women in her family in her career, and how being told to “speak up or no one will hear you” influenced her approach to marketing. She talks about how important it is to overcome the fear of not fitting in and how standing out and being different is the best thing you can do in marketing. She tells us how having a supportive but honest network can guide you. And how she learned to tell the difference between fear of change and your gut instinct. Subscribe   Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

Chief marketing officer at Virgin Red, Kelly Best, has wanted to work in marketing since childhood. Kelly, who has also held marketing leadership roles at Sky and TalkTalk, joins Wendy and Tamara to talk about creating opportunities from chance encounters, the importance of being your authentic self and the value of mentorship. Subscribe   Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

Persuasive leadership has had a powerful impact on Bryan Scott’s career. Currently, the Marketing Communications Director at Ozone, Bryan recognises the positive influence a persuasive leader can have over their teams.  This week, Bryan joins Wendy and Tamara to discuss how persuasive leadership has influenced his career and talk about how he approaches resilience.   Subscribe   Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.

Reuben Arnold is currently Vice President at Claire’s Accessories and has previously held senior leadership roles for Eurostar, Virgin Atlantic and Starbucks. Reuben talks us through his career path and the essential role his early managers played in shaping who he is today. In this episode, you’ll hear about transforming and reinventing iconic brands and the huge impact that mentor-style leadership can have on people. Subscribe   Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released.  

Claire Koryczan founded Imagine Beyond to help people develop their self-awareness and build trust in leadership teams. This week, Claire joins us on the Genuine Humans podcast, where we discuss the importance of mentorship, what good leadership looks like and why you should always follow your curiosity. Subscribe Subscribe to Genuine Humans to receive new episodes as they’re released

This Mental Health Awareness Week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Paul Sutton, social and digital marketing consultant (who also hosts the fantastic Digital Download podcast). Mental health awareness is important to Paul, who has balanced depression with running a successful business for years. We talk about what it’s like to experience mental health challenges and look at how important it is for employers to create a culture that prioritises mental health.

Asad Dhunna spent much of his career working for PR agencies before founding strategic ED&I consultancy, The Unmistakables.  He’s taken inspiration and guidance from several previous managers and leaders, such as Richard Kanareck and Gioconda Beekman, who he worked with at Fleishman Hillard. He’s also inspired by current clients, such as Evelyn Espinal of Unilever. Asad is driven by the desire to create cohesion and provide people with the opportunities they deserve and could otherwise miss out on.

We loved speaking to Dino Myers-Lamptey on our most recent episode of Genuine Humans. Dino is the founder of The Barber Shop, a strategic creative company that works with disruptive, purpose-led or purpose-seeking brands. He’s also part of the Conscious Advertising Network and on the Board of the Marketing Society.  He’s a natural entrepreneur. His first business, set up in competition with his brother as a teenager, was a barber shop (hence his company name today), cutting hair for friends in his mum’s sitting room. Their next venture was to found a basketball tournament in London that became the biggest of its kind. He’s created an agency model at The Barber Shop that builds on this entrpreneurialism, allowing the team to be entrepreneurial in the way they work, to be consultative, and to keep the company fresh by challenging the status quo.  We talked about why he’s excited by the ‘mindblowing, powerful tools’ that are part of the industry now, and what they mean for creativity; why scale isn’t always the end goal of every agency; and why successful businesses always have creative leaders at their head. He also talks about the importance of ethical advertising.   Some of the takeaways you’ll hear from this episode:  Have a healthy disrespect for your bossesTake responsibility for your decisions Creativity is about solving problems, not making slogans  Don’t always take investment if you’re offered it

Helen Tupper cofounded Amazing If to help make careers better for everyone. Helen’s always had a fascination for business and leadership, and has spent her career working for some of the UK’s most recognisable brands. This week, Helen tells us about how her growth mindset has shaped her career and led to her desire to help other people discover their potential.

Jason Andree has travelled all over the US during his career. After four years working in Switzerland, Jason became the CMO for healthwear start-up, Nufabrx. This week, we hear how Jason’s drive and determination to find positive changes from negative situations has been an invaluable skill in his success.

Francesca Theokli has followed her heart throughout her career, leading her to her position as Marketing Director at Weetabix. In this episode, Francesca talks to Wendy and Tamara about her journey, inspirations and why she believes that everyone should lead in their spaces.

We last spoke to Emma Harris back in April 2021. Now, she’s returned to chat about how her life has changed after having a cardiac arrest. Tamara and Wendy were at lunch with Emma when it happened – they also share their experiences of the event. In the year and a bit since it happened, Emma has reshaped her life to keep doing what’s important and meaningful to her and has established firmer boundaries, allowing herself to say no and #SlowTheF*ckDown.

This week on Geniune Humans, Tamara LIttleton and Wendy Christie talk to Kate Hartley, the co-founder of Polpeo, and author of Communicate in a Crisis. Kate talks about how good communications can create change, why it’s critical to rehearse a crisis before you manage one for real, and the impact that a crisis can have on your teams.  She talks about the people who’ve influenced her career, including Alison Taylor, Alison Clarke, Richard Houghton, and Tamara Littleton (and how Tamara taught her why it’s ok to be vulnerable, and how it is possible to be a good person and successful in business). She also looks at how the PR industry is changing, with power shifting to ordinary citizens, and how companies respond to that change.

Jodie Cook started her own business at 22 and sold it ten years later. Her book, Ten Year Career: Reimagine Business, Design Your Life, Fast Track Your Freedom, lays out the framework for others to transform their careers. Jodie benefited from having a mum who taught her how to be independent from a young age. She was encouraged to try things and told that tasks would be easy – this early mentoring helped Jodie run towards challenges with confidence. She was also given six coaching sessions with Joanne Rule (MBE) as part of her graduate recruitment scheme, and she credits Joanne with teaching her how to think through problems. In this week’s show, Jodie tells Tamara and Wendy about her three pillars: profession, obsession and decompression. She explains how we can use these pillars (in combination with strong boundaries) to create the perfect day.

This week on Genuine Humans, Tamara Littleton and Wendy Christie are joined by the amazing Emma Inglis, head of brand marketing for Cath Kidston. From when she was really young, Emma was showing signs of how her career would pan out – she was always creative, loved playing ‘shops’ as a child, and had teenage ambitions to work in interior design. Now she’s shaping the incredible brand that is Cath Kidston, having forged her career at British brands including BT, Royal Mail and John Lewis.  Hear how Emma was influenced and inspired by leaders including Dominic Groundsell, Paula Nickolds and Rachel Swift; why marketers have to believe in their brands; and what excites her about creating a creative shopping experience that goes beyond digital, after lockdown.  She also talks about the importance of vulnerability, why it’s ok to tell people at work if you’re struggling (particularly with how to balance commitments at home and at work), and how women returning to work after a gap should reach out to get the support they need.  Emma is a real inspiration. Listen now and subscribe to hear her story.

When David and Madeline McQueen co-founded the leadership development firm, Q-Squared, they set out to teach leaders how to use clarity, confidence and empowerment to thrive.  This week, they join Tamara and Wendy to talk about how they met and what led the couple to go into business together. We hear how their early lives helped shape the confident leaders they are today. We also hear about the importance of self-belief, clarity of purpose and the value of maintaining a positive mindset.

Carole Scott (Head of Corporate Communications – UK, Ireland & Nordic – at Henkle) joins us this week. Carole’s desire for variety has led her to acquire a diverse range of experiences – from fundraising work to the academic sector to PR and now consumer goods. Carole has always been willing to try new things, take risks and move on if something isn’t working or is becoming stale. In this episode, Carole talks to Tamara and Wendy about how the pandemic has reinforced her views on leadership – that collaboration and human connection are incredibly important to her and that everyone on her team has the space to be heard and contribute their ideas.

It’s series seven of Genuine Humans, and we’re kicking off in style! Tamara and Wendy talk to Diageo’s Chief Marketing and Innovation officer (North America), Edward Pilkington. Edward has worked for Diageo for most of his career, but in that time, he has seized most of the opportunities he could – working in various roles around the world. From Australia to the Caribbean, to Amsterdam and New York, Edward has jumped at every opportunity to experience the world and develop his career. He’s been lucky to have fantastic bosses throughout his career – people who have shown that they believed in him and given him opportunities to thrive on his own initiative. Now, Ed does what he can to give those he manages the same opportunities.

Joanne Savage has never backed down from a challenge in her career. Starting at Unilever in Ireland, Joanne’s been driven by future possibilities and the prospect of helping businesses breakthrough to their next stage of development. Joanne has worked for businesses like Nokia and Argos, and even moved to Uganda to help set up a school.  Inspired by her hard-working and encouraging parents, as well as her former bosses Tom Mcgowan and Steven Overman (and current boss, Des Power) who all provide encouragement and mentorship when she needs it the most, Joanne leads her team with optimism and energy.

Ross Farquhar is the Marketing Director of Mochi ice cream brand (and TikTok viral sensation) Little Moons.  Ross chats to Tamara and Wendy about what it’s like working for a brand that’s been adopted en masse by millions of teenagers and young adults across the country.  We also hear about the importance of leading with kindness – something that Ross learned at an early age from his grandma and from key influencers in his career (his former boss at Cadbury, Phil Rumbol and founder of The Marketing Academy, Sherilyn Shackell). Another important theme of this episode is being true to yourself. Being an out and proud gay man and a successful marketer is something that Ross is proud to embrace.