You, Me & CPG by Haines McGregor

Since You, Me & CPG’s inception we’ve played host to some incredible guests with insights from the very top of the industry. Where better to collate the very best than in one very special episode…

Episode 11 looks back on the masterful approaches to branding, leadership and career progression coming from the sector’s most prolific figures, from Diageo titans to M&C Saatchi Founding Directors.

This episode covers

• Jonathan Stordy’s ‘elephants and mice’ method for productivity
• Ollie Palmer’s approach to breaking huge tasks into building blocks
• David Kershaw’s experience with ‘brutal simplicity of thought’
• Stephen Robertson’s remarkable answer to our regular section, ‘That’ll Never Work’
• Sian Davies’ ownership of her decisions, choosing the right voices to heed

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

Few names are more synonymous with an industry as M&C Saatchi is with the advertising industry, and the power of simple, effective advertising runs in David Kershaw’s DNA.

At the chaotic inception of the agency, ‘influence’ and ‘disruption’ were words that held gravitas, and David’s career to date shows just why M&C Saatchi has earned the right to use them.

Join us for David’s tales from the top, why the value of creativity isn’t what it once was, the power of being an ‘unreasonable creative’, and what current creative directors should learn from the greats.

This episode covers

• The chaotic background to M&C’s foundation
• Differences in the ad world between the 70s-90s and today
• The increased challenge of building creative trust
• M&C’s iconic brutal simplicity of thought
• The need for creatives to be unreasonable

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

The brands under Jeremy Lindley’s watch across many years are nothing short of iconic. So how do you balance the design legacy with a new age of ideas…

Diversity of thought and inclusive design are at the heart of Jeremy’s ethos and Diageo’s culture, but it’s exactly how this manifests in great design that makes his insights such a revelation to many.

Join us on You, Me & CPG as we share the unmissable benefits of inclusive design, how to cultivate an explosion of diverse thought, and the three word mantra that every design must live up to.

This episode covers

• Great examples of inclusive design on the web and beyond
• How to catch your subconscious biases
• Creating an environment for diverse thought to thrive
• The three words that form a central tenet to Diageo’s design
• How semiotics revolutionised Tesco’s design process
• The continuous premiumisation of the CPG industry

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

From Royal Wedding stunts to transforming a DIY giant, it’s safe to say that Stephen Robertson is a titan in the industry.

Now a Non-Executive Director at Timpson, Stephen’s career is brimming with accolades, and in a nation of shopkeepers, it’s the fascinating retail marketing world from which he has some of the most invaluable lessons

Stephen joins us on You, Me & CPG to detail the stories that made him entirely reframe his profession, demonstrate the new definition of brand loyalty, and reveals the only truly reliable form of market research…

This episode covers

• Whether brand loyalty is dead, or has simply evolved
• Collaboration vs tribalism
• Key differences between the approaches of product-led vs retail marketeers
• Timpson’s remarkable presence despite ‘not believing in marketing’
• The one and only type of market research that’s completely correct
• Reframing marketing as a cost

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

When you bring your whole, unfiltered self to your work, that’s where magic happens - if that’s true, then Mau Rutabingwa is a master magician.

Whether through her role as Head of Spirits Innovation for Africa at Diageo, or her musical artistry as Mau Roots, this week’s You, Me & CPG guest bucks trends boldly, often with incredible results.

She joins Jamie Holtum to share how you should embrace your identity at work, indulge in shared successes, and bring the fun back into this inherently creative industry.

This episode covers

• How Mau learned her true self, and how to bring it to her job role
• The benefits to all when we stop conforming
• Leadership being ever-more focused about bringing people on a journey
• Removing ego from the equation
• How to actually fulfil your 5 year vision
• Reframing failure

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

Jonathan Stordy’s CV reads like an industry’s greatest hits list; between Unilever, Diageo, Beam Suntory and San Miguel, we’re only scratching the surface…

With so many roles across so many territories, the experiences that Jonathan shares with us on You, Me & CPG define the blueprint for success as an industry leader.

Join us as he takes us through an illustrious career, touching on empathetic leadership, defining culture, surviving a cyber attack, and so much more.

This episode covers

• How power can change those in leadership
• Workplace happiness and wellbeing
• International differences between treatment of staff
• Staying resilient as a brand against a huge cyber attack
• Indispensable advice for early stage/graduate Brand Managers
• Comparing the industry across a 35 year career

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

Rachel Roberts has never shied away from bucking trends and swimming against the tides, and her stellar journey so far is evidence enough of her excellence.

Now a global leader in premium spirits powerhouse Beam Suntory, she’s charged through a male-dominated industry, unyielding in her desire to create unique experiences.

Rachel joins us on You, Me & CPG to share the industry’s progress in equality (and where it’s yet to improve), the essential need for CPG brands to consider sustainability, the nuanced future of non-alc drinks, and so much more.

This episode covers

• Consumers’ consideration for sustainability in high-end spirits
• Creating bespoke non-alcoholic experiences that excel beyond the norm
• Rachel’s experience resisting those who dismiss female leaders’ strengths, valuing power over parity
• How she single handedly fought against a woeful UK maternity policy 
• The staggering pivot that Rachel and her team made when Covid interrupted a brand new business strategy

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

Mark Scott’s illustrious history is dotted with a vast array of successful businesses, but his latest is in a niche of its own - beloved pet food brand Bella & Duke.

It’s a brand which, in 6 years, has amassed sales nearing 30 million, a 140-strong team, and orders of 3 million meals a month, a monumental feat demonstrating the power of finding what drives you forward.

Join Mark as he shares his highs & lows, and how they’ve informed a CPG journey that sees him fronting such a magical brand.

This episode covers

• The art of being a good salesperson
• Mark’s prolific history heading up so many businesses
• Being ‘caught out’ in a passionless role
• Businesses built on anger and passion
• Self-care, and leading by example with wellbeing

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

Sian Davies has always been happy off-piste, whether it’s in her non-linear, international career, or her mountain marathoning. Both make her an unrivalled trailblazer.

She’s enjoyed a career that’s helped establish Seedlip as a boundary-pushing non-alcoholic innovator, and continues her stellar path as Diageo’s Global Head of Digital Consumer Insights.

This week on You, Me & CPG, we break down the risky-yet-rewarding path she’s taken, preserving a startup’s culture throughout Seedlip’s purchase, the thinking behind Guinness’ genius post-Covid campaign, and much more…

This episode covers

• Sian’s non-linear career, equipping her with unique experiences
• Whose opinions to value and whose to disregard when guiding your career
• Driving flexibility in the workplace though meaningful policy
• The cultural fit of a startup like Seedlip within Diageo
• Agency vs client side differences in approach
• How Sian ran a remarkable marathon while pregnant

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

Ollie Palmer’s decorated career isn’t limited to startup success and roles with industry leaders, but athletic prowess.

From 10 years at Diageo to an influential journey so far with Caleño Drinks, Ollie’s adventure knows no bounds, whether in the CPG space or otherwise…

We catch up with Ollie as he shares the experiences from within the biggest drinks brand in the world, how to disrupt a space that’s ripe for the taking, and what makes the perfect background for a startup CEO.

This episode covers

• The business lessons from Ollie’s remarkable rowing achievements, and humility around them
• Disruption in the non-alcoholic spirits space
• Sales vs marketing as a CEO’s background
• Separating success from money and titles
• Ollie’s inspirational approach to the ‘5 year plan’

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

Welcome to You, Me & CPG - the podcast series that delves deep beyond the label and learns from the people behind the products.

We’re kicking the series off with a guest who’s no stranger to launch-day success, selling 10,000 bags of coffee on Top of the Mornin’ Coffee’s very first day of re-launch, earlier this year...

With a career steeped in entrepreneurial brand spirit underpinned with a restlessness and relentless for improvement, it’s a pleasure to welcome Hugh Thomas onto the series premiere as he shares the importance of empathy, leaning into fear, and dedication to your mission.

This episode covers

● How Top of the Mornin’ sold 10 thousand bags of coffee on Day One

● Reflecting on the turbulent success and downfall of his brand, ‘Ugly

● Being an outlier and a disrupter at Kraft-Heinz and Vita Coco

● Whether the US West Coast is the birthplace of many CPG trends

● Branding as the confluence of art, science and vision

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/

Welcome to You, Me & CPG, the podcast brought to you by Haines McGregor, a brand strategy and innovation partner to some of the biggest and coolest brands in the world. 

Your host, Jamie Holtum, will take you beyond the label to uncover the brilliant minds behind your favourite products. This pod is about the personal as much as the professional - how do certain people in the industry rise so quickly? Make such creative impact? Do things with brands that we can just sit back and admire?

We'll spread across the CPG world, from food and drink to beauty and lifestyle, from the CEO to the Founder to the Rising Star. With marketing, innovation, sales & growth all hot topics. 

Perhaps you're in the CPG industry, want to break into it or simply learn from it.  If you're striving to get ahead, get creative and make a difference - either way this is the podcast for you. 

Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.hainesmcgregor.co.uk/