Genuine Humans: Recent Episodes
The Social Element
This is Genuine Humans, exploring the stories behind the great marketing leaders of our time and how their journeys have influenced the brands they’ve brought to life. Hosted by Tamara Littleton, CEO and Founder and Wendy Christie Chief People Officer of The Social Element.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
Working on brands such as Pepsi, 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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…
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.…
This week on Genuine Humans, Tamara Littleton and Wendy Christie are joined by Dino Myers-Lamptey, the founder of The Barber Shop. Dino started The Barber Shop 4 years ago and his previous experience has taught him a lot about leadership styles, how to lead and how to be led. Listen now to hear his story
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…
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.
Today, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Francesca Theokli, Marketing Director at Weetabix. Fran has been in the FMCG industry for a while, previously working at Fox’s Biscuits before she moved onto Weetabix. She loves getting behind the scenes at the brand and building human connections with the people who literally bring it to life.…
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,…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
Sophie Devonshire’s had extensive experience in business, which she’s distilled into two books – Superfast and LoveWork (which she co-authored with Ben Renshaw). Sophie wants to show people that business can be a force for good and have a positive impact on society. During her career – which has taken her around the world and…
When Lisa Delaney left her home in Calgary with just $500 in her pocket to find her dream consulting job in London, she couldn’t have imagined where it would take her. Lisa’s worked for agencies and brands in London, Frankfurt and New York, and ran her own business – leading to her current position of…
Mils Banji’s on a mission. Through his company, TapIn, Mils wants to prepare 100 million young people for the world of work. This week, Mils joins Tamara and Wendy to chat about what inspired him to set this inspirational goal for himself. We hear how his early childhood in Zambia and his experiences once his…
Joining Tamara and Wendy this week is the incredible Sherilyn Shackell, founder and CEO of The Marketing Academy, the non-profit organisation which inspired and develops the best talent at all levels in marketing, media and communications. Her story is extraordinary. She left school at 16 to join the family business, following in the footsteps of…
Jorie Sax says she still doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. A psychology degree and an early career in law started her on a diverse path that has led her into senior roles at the Chicago White Sox, Miller Coors and now United Airlines. On the podcast, Jorie talks about…
In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Tom Wallis, CMO at Gusto. Tom taught himself how to code as a child and graduated with a degree in engineering, which could explain his obsession with data and measurement in marketing. He was part of the team behind the success of the…
In this week’s Genuine Humans podcast, Tamara and Wendy are joined by the amazing Tina Fegent, who is a pioneer in marketing procurement, as one of the first people to drive the development of the industry in the UK. Tina has more than 25 years’ experience as a global marketing procurement consultant and has her…
This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Leo Morejon, who is probably best known for his team’s creation of the ‘dunk in the dark’ tweet from Oreo, a campaign that swept Cannes in 2013. Leo’s career has spanned agency, brand and technical sides of marketing. He talks about how he’s got comfortable with being…
In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy talk to the charismatic James Davies, head of marketing at First Direct, about his path to success. From wanting to be a bin man at three years old to developing a passion for writing letters through his youth, James’ career saw him rise through HSBC to…
It’s been 20 years since Tamara Littleton founded The Social Element, so what better time to sit down and chat about what led Tamara here? Series five of The Genuine Human’s podcast kicks off with Wendy Christie and Emma Harris talking to Tamara about everything from her early Masterchef-worthy escapades in the kitchen to the…
Michelle Goodall didn’t take a conventional route into marketing, but over the years, she has worked in B2B marketing, PR agencies, as an independent contractor and is now the CMO of Guild, an app purpose-built for professional groups. In this episode of Genuine Humans, we hear how Michelle’s childhood experiences led her to become an…
Marketing needs to do a better job of, well, marketing itself. It needs to demonstrate what it is and how it contributes to achieving business goals. This is just one of the subjects that Mark Evans (MD of Marketing and Digital at Direct Line) discusses with Tamara and Wendy in this episode of Genuine Humans.…
Jane Michell, founder of Jane Plan, joins Tamara and Wendy in this week’s episode of Genuine Humans. Jane talks to us about her love of cooking, her experience of getting Jane Plan off the ground (despite having no previous business experience), the people who’ve inspired her, and her desire to create something different – a…
Elliot Moss is a partner and the chief brand officer at law firm Mishcon de Reya. He’s also been a presenter on Jazz FM for the past ten years. Elliot talks to us about his extensive and varied experience – from running his own DJ business as a teenager (he messed up an A-Level by…
Arlene Wszalek has had a hugely successful and varied career. She helped launch AOL in the UK, managed Curt Smith (co-founder of Tears for Fears) and is now SVP of client solutions and strategic consulting for Allied Global Marketing. Her career has thrived on her love of music, tech and the kind of thoughtful, empathetic…
Eve Sleep’s CEO, Cheryl Calverley, is the final guest in series 3 of Genuine Humans. Cheryl talks to Tamara and Wendy about her passion for psychology leading her to pursue a career in marketing. Cheryl counts Matt Burgess (now CEO of Kharisma), Margaret Jobling (now CMO of NatWest) and Mike Lloyd (now CEO of McCarthy…
In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Virgin RED’s marketing director, Linn Frost. At nine years old, Linn knew she wanted to work in advertising. Growing up, Linn realised that she didn’t come from the typical background of many in the industry, but determined to achieve her dream, she went…
In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Gemma Greaves, founder of networking group, Cabal and co-founder of Nurture & Partners. Ambitious and driven from childhood, Gemma knew that she wanted to set up her own business one day. First at Cabal and now with Nurture, Gemma’s work revolves around celebrating…
In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Nam Nguyen, founder of creative agency, Supervillain. Nam started off by volunteering to help his community as a teen and went on to work for some of the biggest brands in a variety of roles. These experiences helped shape his leadership style, which…