Climb Show

What if managing your energy matters more than managing your time? In this episode, we welcome back Sophie Devonshire, CEO of The Marketing Society, for a fascinating conversation about leadership, marketing, ambition, AI, career growth and what it really means to thrive at work. Sophie shares why she believes we are entering a new golden age of marketing, why marketers need to become better at “marketing marketing”, and how the profession can play a bigger role in driving responsible business growth. We also get into the very practical side of leadership: managing your energy, staying effective when everything is changing, communicating with confidence, learning from your peers and moving fast without simply adding more pressure to your life.

What makes a brand so good that customers keep coming back? In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Holt, CMO of Center Parcs UK & Ireland, to unpack the thinking behind one of the UK’s most loved experience brands, her approach to marketing leadership, customer experience, commercial growth and the rapidly changing world of AI. Sarah shares how Center Parcs achieved record revenue of £758 million, record EBITDA of £323.9 million and its highest ever occupancy of 97.5%, while revealing why the real secret to the brand’s success isn’t advertising. It’s the experience customers have once they’re there. We explore why Sarah would choose investing in customer experience over increasing the marketing budget, how she approached her first 90 days as CMO, why she deliberately spent her first 100 days learning rather than fixing, and how she identified three key areas for transformation - brand, personalization and capability.

What does it take to build a distinctive brand in a low-interest category like insurance? And how might AI completely change the way insurance is bought? In this episode, we sit down with Ed Birth, Head of Brand Marketing at Hiscox UK, to unpack what great brand leadership really looks like — from his nearly 20 years in agency life to moving client-side, building Hiscox’s brand relaunch in 2023, and thinking about the future of marketing in an AI-driven world.

What really makes a customer loyal? Is it points, discounts and loyalty programmes or something much deeper? In this episode, we sit down with Simon Jamieson, Managing Director of Marketing Lounge Partnership (MLP), to unpack what customer loyalty really means in a world where information, choice and convenience have become completely commoditised. Simon shares why brands need to move beyond short-term retention metrics and focus on creating positive emotions, building relationships and influencing customer behaviour. From his “happy heart, happy wallet” philosophy to his Loyalty Layer Cake, Simon explains why a loyalty programme can only work when the fundamentals price, product, service, brand and purpose are already right.

AI is changing the way we search, shop, work and make decisions and according to Max Sinclair, we’re only at the beginning. In this episode, we sit down with Max Sinclair, Founder & CEO of Azoma, an AI search and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) agency working with some of the world’s biggest brands, including Mars, Colgate, P&G, Reckitt, Unilever and Zappos. Max breaks down what comes after traditional SEO, why brands need to start thinking about AEO, and how AI agents could completely change the way consumers discover and buy products. We also get into the bigger questions around agentic AI from personalised health and education to AI-powered shopping, wearable AI, self-driving cars and the future of work.

In this episode, we’re joined by Lauren Berkeymeyer, Chief Marketing Officer at u life, for a candid conversation about unconventional careers, hustling, taking risks, building from scratch and thinking beyond the traditional marketing playbook. Lauren describes herself as a “non-boxy CMO” someone who thrives on unpredictability, experimentation and carving her own path rather than simply following a prescribed playbook. We talk about what hustling really means in marketing, why marketers need to get out into the field and experience rejection, how to identify your North Star, and why understanding the entire business, not just your marketing function makes you a better marketer.

From teaching pottery in South India to leading Global Insights, Planning & Brand Strategy at Standard Chartered, Tim Hulbert has had one of the most unconventional careers you’ll ever hear about. In this episode, Tim shares how curiosity, saying “yes” to opportunities, and embracing uncertainty shaped a career that spans television, digital publishing, Fortune 500 companies, and global banking. We dive into the future of careers, AI, leadership, marketing, stakeholder management, wealth psychology, luck vs hard work, and why the best career advice might simply be: “Just do something."

In this episode, we sit down with Vasileios Kourakis, Global Marketing Effectiveness Director at L’Oréal, and Camille Erard, Luxury & Beauty Partner at Ekimetrics, to unpack how one of the world’s biggest beauty companies is transforming marketing through AI, advanced measurement and data-driven decision making. From building a culture of marketing effectiveness to scaling AI across global teams, this conversation explores how leading brands move beyond dashboards and reporting to create real business impact.

What does it take to lead in an AI-first world? In this episode, Mike Soutar, former The Apprentice advisor, entrepreneur, and author of Next Gen CEO shares the leadership frameworks every modern leader needs.

Marketing is changing faster than ever. AI is reshaping the industry, customer behavior is evolving, and marketers are being asked to do more with less. So what does it actually take to lead marketing in 2026? In this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Fuller, Chief Marketing Officer at The AA, whose career spans some of the UK’s most iconic brands including Procter & Gamble, Nando’s, British Airways, John Lewis, and more. Sarah shares practical lessons on leading high-performing marketing teams, building brands that customers genuinely trust, using AI without losing creativity, and why curiosity remains the most valuable skill any marketer can develop. Whether you’re a CMO, marketing leader, founder, agency owner, or aspiring marketer, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you can apply immediately.

This week, we’re joined by Tamara Rogers, former Chief Marketing Officer at Haleon and former Unilever marketing leader, for a masterclass on modern marketing, leadership, AI, consumer insights and building billion-dollar brands. After spending 25 years at Unilever and helping build Haleon into one of the world’s largest consumer health companies, Tamara shares what it really takes to build brands that consumers trust, how global marketing is evolving, why critical thinking matters more than ever in the AI era, and the leadership principles behind high-performing teams. Whether you’re a marketer, founder, business leader or simply curious about the future of branding, this episode is packed with practical insights.

In this episode, we sit down with Kate Gandhi, VP of Marketing at Bally’s Interactive, to unpack the twists, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped her career. From being rejected by her dream graduate scheme at Diageo to building an international career across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, startups, and global brands, Kate shares the lessons she’s learned about leadership, confidence, career growth, and navigating uncertainty.

What happens when AI stops listening to what brands say… and starts revealing what they actually are? In this episode, we sit down with Nick Emmel, Founder of Mr. President, one of the UK’s most distinctive creative agencies, to unpack why most brands are built backwards and what it really takes to create brands people believe in. From Ryanair and Apple to Vodafone and Metro Bank, Nick shares why brand isn’t advertising, identity or a campaign, it’s the total experience.

From sending 200 job applications to leading Marketing Strategy & Operations across EMEA at EasyJet, Jessica Houston’s career journey is a masterclass in resilience, networking, growth and building a career with intention. In this episode, Jess opens up about: - Breaking into consumer marketing - Building relationships that create opportunities - Navigating restructures and uncertainty - Why marketing operations deserves more attention - How AI is changing the future of work - Burnout, boundaries and redefining success - Mentoring, leadership and continuous learning

From helping scale Silicon Valley Bank across global markets to leading through one of the most dramatic moments in modern banking history, Elly Sherwin has seen leadership, growth, resilience, and marketing from every angle. In this episode, Elly shares what it was really like navigating the collapse of SVB, the transition into HSBC Innovation Banking, and why she ultimately chose to return to startup life as CMO of Fundament. We explore how modern B2B marketing is evolving, what it takes to drive predictable growth, how marketers can build stronger relationships with customers, and why empathy remains one of the most underrated business skills.

What actually makes a startup scale into a billion-dollar brand? In this episode, we sit down with Lukas Bergmans, former Marketing Director at Wise and marketing leader behind brands like Kazoo, MoneySuperMarket, Pepsi, Heineken & Britvic.

What if the future of marketing isn’t about trends, algorithms or viral hooks… but understanding human psychology at a deeper level than ever before? In this episode, we sit down with Justin Lane, founder of Culture Pulse, former Oxford researcher & AI expert, to unpack one of the most mind-bending conversations around AI, marketing, psychology & human behavior. From studying conflict zones in Belfast, Bosnia & Palestine to building psychologically realistic digital twins powered by behavioral science, Justin explains why most AI systems fundamentally misunderstand how humans make decisions.

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Bushby, CMO at Rightmove, to explore how marketing is evolving in the age of AI, audience fragmentation, and changing consumer behavior. Matt shares practical insights on brand building, segmentation, creativity, LLM search, and why AI should empower marketers, not replace them.

AI is no longer hype, it’s driving real business results. In this episode, we sit down with David Black (Managing Director at Google) to break down how AI is transforming marketing, creativity, and the future of work. From 60% faster business growth for AI-leading companies to 27% more conversions using AI-powered tools, this conversation dives deep into what’s actually working right now. We explore how Google is building the future with AI, from Gemini models and TPUs to changing consumer behavior across searching, streaming, scrolling, and shopping.

What does it really take to build an iconic brand in today’s world? In this episode, Annabelle Cordelli (SVP, Virgin Atlantic) shares powerful insights on modern marketing, brand building, and leadership from understanding culture and consumer behavior to creating unforgettable customer experiences. From competing on price in crowded markets to maintaining brand differentiation, this conversation dives deep into the fundamentals that stay constant across industries and what’s changing fast.