I am a tea-drinking, B2B technology marketing chap and 3xCMO.
I help businesses grow, by increasing revenue, spreading awareness and building trust in their product or service through marketing.
I help people grow, through my passion for teams, our people and the craft of marketing, empathy and my core management principles.
I’ve done that as a CMO, marketing leader, analyst, advisor, mentor, coach and consultant, applying my experience and expertise to whatever is the marketing challenge at hand.
And I do my best to do that with a smile, have some fun and did I mention.. a cup of tea?
Creating ART
My marketing mantra is that we create ART. And no, that does not mean being creative for the sake of being creative, channelling our inner Mad Men, but that marketing’s mission is to create Awareness, Revenue and Trust (ART).
When working with start-up, growth and turnaround CEOs, I put the R for revenue first (but, in my acronym, that would spell RAT, and who would get passionate about that?).
And, we know that there is a long and a short to marketing and awareness and trust are what build long term brand value.
I’m a pragmatic, practical marketing leader, as a CMO or trusted advisor, I’m not going to suggest rebranding, a new website, a Tikface strategy, or bringing in a bunch of agencies unless it passes that test – will it create ART?
I will, however suggest we define our place in our category, understand our customers, their needs and how we can help them and then operationalise making that happen. Building the team, strategy, technology stack, content marketing, campaigns and programs that will create ART.
How did I get here?
If you’ve met me recently, you’ll know me as a three-time CMO at Spotler Group, Connex One or censhare or as the ‘Rockstar CMO guy’ working as a trusted advisor to Storyblok, Orange Logic or maybe Sitecore.
Before that, I’d have introduced myself as a VP level leader of product marketing or content marketing teams, for international vendors like iManage, SDL and Alterian, or leading consulting practices at agencies like Tahzoo or McCann or as an industry analyst at Gilbane Group.
Earlier in my career, I’ve written code, cut my commercial teeth in pre-sales and took my technical/commercials skills to product management.
Or maybe you’ve seen me speak at events like Martechfest or The Next Web, heard me on a podcast (maybe mine), or read my ideas on many marketing publications, including CMSWire.
As far as industry categories go, I’m best known for my work in B2B marketing tech, specifically Content Management Systems (CMS), Digital Experience Platforms (DXP), content marketing, marketing automation, Digital Asset Management (DAM) and Product Information Management (PIM).
You can learn more about all of this on LinkedIn.
Summary
3xCMO
Led and built teams and consulting practices
Held B2B marketing technology leader roles
Industry analyst and agency consulting experience
Involved with M&A and investor advisory
Background in sales and product development
A long time passion for the B2B software industry
Speaker, writer, podcast host.. all that.
Who am I really?
Yes, deep down, I am a techie. Born a techie with a father who was a pioneering developer on the first Police National Computer Unit in London.
I still love noodling in the code, and while Myers-Briggs identified me as an introvert; my passions are people, building teams, the creativity we can do together in marketing and being on the front line of business growth.
Despite not going to college (I started work at 17) I am life lifelong learner, mainly as I further hone my marketing craft (I am an avid marketing book reader) and I have a 25 year passion for what we now call Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I). I am the husband of a wonderful woman of Caribbean descent and the father of two girls, who teach me every day!
People can be jolly nice
Ian’s enthusiasm for planning and creative thinking allows any business to accelerate forward and make a statement with regards to the industry and messaging
Emily Nicholls, Director, Field Marketing – Sitecore
Ian manages to explain business-critical ideas clearly and with a sense of humor — which is a rarity in this area. His enthusiasm for the market he works in in no way dulls his critical abilities. I recommend anyone looking for a voice of reason in the software technology world to seek Ian’s input.
Siobhan Fagan, Editor in Chief at Reworked
Ian’s competence as a marketing manager is rare. His innovative power paired with his experience and incredible empathy is unique.
Ian is responsible and clear in the leadership of his employees. He lives the role as a role model and his implementation speed is unique. Ian is a great presenter and writer. Ian loves what he does! And it’s fun to work with him.
Dieter Reichert, CEO, censhare
Other stuff…
