Leadership News, Features, and Interviews

Cambell Holt is not the first marketer to concede there is a lot in his professional realm he doesn’t fully understand. But what does make Mercer’s chief customer officer different to many of his peers is who he turns to when filling in those gaps.

A reminder to all the extended final submissions deadline for the CMO50 2020 is Monday 24 August 2020.

How do marketers comprehend what their data means? It’s a constant challenge marketers face and with the emphasis on data-driven decision in marketing growing, it’s becoming more and more important.

We're back with the second of our quick-fire video chats with ​CMO50​ judges to discuss what it takes to be recognised for effectiveness and innovation in 2020. This time, CMO is delighted to be joined by Andrew 'Billy' Baxter, arguably one of Australia's most connected marketing and agency leaders.

“Make the complex simple" is Mark Ritson’s message to marketers of all stripes when it comes to making sense of data to drive sound decisions.

Welcome to the first of our quick-fire video chats with CMO50 judges to discuss what it takes to be recognised for effectiveness and innovation in 2020.

Foxtel’s chief marketing officer, Kieren Cooney, has gained end-to-end customer experience oversight under a raft of leadership and management team changes confirmed at the company last week.

It’s critical enterprises have a higher-level purpose which can be translated by the individual employees into their work to aid productivity and engagement, according to the founder and executive director of the Centre for the Future, ​​Dr Richard Hames.

Organisations and leaders need to stop seeing results-driven performance, accomplishment and achievement, and empathy, care and connection, as mutually exclusive items and focus instead on uniting the two for corporate success.

More and more, consumers are looking for brands they can have an emotional connection with, says Kathmandu’s chief customer officer, Eva Barrett. And for the Australia and New Zealand-based outdoor apparel brand and retailer, credibility around sustainability will be key to achieving this as it works to build engagement locally and abroad.

Bega Cheese has expanded its product line-up and now moved into the honey aisle with the arrival of B honey, its 100 per cent Australian honey sourced directly from local beehives. And in the process, developed a high-tech bee hive to protect local honey bees.

CMO is extending the final deadline for submissions for this year’s CMO50 list to Monday 24 August 2020 due to demand.

The FutureBrand Index 2020 has just been released, the first comprehensive global study into the perception of global brands since the outbreak of COVID-1. And the findings show well-perceived companies can consistently align the full picture of the experiences they create with their wider corporate purpose.

​Deloitte is promoting its Australian chief marketing officer to global CMO and has confirmed its first female local marketing officer from 1 September.

Petbarn and Greencross Vets parent company, Greencross, has recruited Adriane McDermott as its new chief marketing officer.

It’s a lesson many marketing officers have been reminded of during the last five months of COVID-19 pandemic: The importance of a well-defined brand. And it’s one Southern Cross Austereo’s chief marketing officer, Nikki Clarkson, not only tuned into, but leveraged in a host of recent creative initiatives.

Andrew Birkic is now Ford Australia and New Zealand CEO, moving up from chief product marketer for Ford Ranger and Everest, reporting to Ford International Markets Group (IMG) president Mark Ovenden. Birkic has taken over the position from Kay Hart, who is moving to a European-based global role as enterprise product line manager for Ford Van and Bus.

Digital is a driver and catalyst for delivering company growth and transformation across industries. And both marketing and IT teams recognise its importance as a strategic tool and mechanism to deliver growth ambitions and outcomes. But without alignment between the two functions, organisations will only get so far in disrupting themselves and achieving the customer-led transformation required today, both sides agree.

Global tech services giant, NTT, has promoted its local chief marketing officer to the top A/NZ job following the retirement of its long-serving chief.

For Blooms The Chemist, the last few months have been an exercise in being up close to a health crisis and fulfilling a crucial role in ensuring the supply of medication to the Australian community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Leaning into brand building is a key way IAG's NRMA and CGU businesses are getting through the COVID-19 pandemic, chief marketing officer, Brent Smart, says.