The Portfolio Executives

I became a Portfolio Executive because I wanted to use my experience in a more focused and flexible way. After many years working in senior marketing and commercial roles, particularly in professional services, I could see how much value there is in having someone who can connect strategy, marketing, business development and implementation. Not every business needs a full-time marketing director or CMO, but many do need senior-level thinking, structure and momentum. Portfolio work allows me to provide that support where it can make a real difference.

I got started after leaving my role as Chief Commercial Officer at BKL and setting up Polaris Marketing. Having worked in-house for many years, I knew the pressures that leadership teams face: needing to grow, needing to differentiate, needing to bring people with them, and needing marketing to be more than just activity. I wanted to offer practical, commercially focused support, not just advice from the sidelines, but senior input that helps businesses make progress.

One of my first real successes came early in my career, when I worked on a project involving Second Life, the virtual reality world. We created the first virtual office for a law firm anywhere in the world and gained significant publicity as a result. It showed me early on that distinctive, well-timed ideas can do more than raise profile, they can change how a business is perceived.

Along the way, I’ve learned that businesses rarely suffer from a lack of ideas. More often, they need clarity, prioritisation and the discipline to turn good intentions into consistent action. I’ve also learned that marketing works best when it is closely connected to the commercial aims of the business, the client experience and the people who need to deliver it. The best results come when strategy and implementation are joined up, and when marketing is seen as part of growth rather than a separate function.

It’s working for me now because I enjoy being close enough to a business to understand what really matters, while also bringing the perspective that comes from working across different firms and situations. I like variety, but I also value depth. The Portfolio Executive model gives me the chance to build strong working relationships, contribute at a senior level and help clients make practical progress. It also gives me a better balance and the opportunity to focus my time where I can add the most value.

Looking ahead, I hope to continue building long-term relationships with ambitious businesses and leadership teams who want marketing to play a more meaningful role in growth. I want Polaris Marketing to be known for helping businesses raise their profile, strengthen client relationships and grow with greater focus and confidence. For me, success is not just producing good marketing activity, it is helping businesses become clearer, more commercially focused and better positioned for the future.