CXO Magazine – March 2025

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LEADING WITH PURPOSE IN A CHANGING WORLD

Not too long ago, leadership was all about strategy, profits, and efficiency. But today? It’s a whole different ballgame. Leaders are expected to be visionaries, digital pioneers, and champions of inclusivity—all while keeping their teams inspired and customers engaged. No pressure, right?

Think about it: AI is transforming decision-making, ESG initiatives are reshaping corporate responsibility, and hybrid work is rewriting office culture. Meanwhile, economic shifts, supply chain hiccups, and ever-changing regulations keep executives on their toes. It’s no longer just about making decisions; it’s about building trust, embracing change, and leading with a people-first mindset.

This issue of CXO Magazine dives deep into what it means to lead in today’s world. Our cover story features Nick May, Chief Customer Officer at Beyond Bank Australia, a leader who has spent over three decades redefining customercentric leadership. Since stepping into executive roles in 2013, Nick has been at the forefront of Beyond Bank’s retail, digital, and third-party strategies. He shares how staying true to core values while driving innovation can create lasting success—a must-read for any leader navigating the digital age.

Beyond Nick’s insights, this edition is packed with expert perspectives, industry trends, and case studies to help you stay ahead. From digital transformation to the future of work, each article is designed to spark ideas and fuel conversations about the evolving leadership landscape.

Leadership is a journey, and no one has all the answers. But by learning from each other, embracing adaptability, and keeping customers at the heart of our strategies, we can shape a future where businesses thrive with purpose. Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

LEADER IN THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR

16

Carel

Van Duuren, CEO and Founder of TMB (True Modular Building) Revolutionizing Affordable Sustainable and Modular Housing for the Future

40

Silvia Borzini, Chief Financial

Officer

of Office Timeline Blending Finance and Strategy to Drive Growth and Innovation

50 Zara Baker, Fractional Chief Marketing Officer

AI-Driven Marketing Innovation and the Future of Personalization

OPINIONS

32

Iwona Hojol, Partner Executive Search, Clifford Nash

Charting a Clear Path to Boardroom Leadership: Insights from an Executive Search Perspective

26

Andrea Zanon, Co-Founder, Confidente

Finding Strength in Rock Bottom: A Guide to Rising from Complete Failure

58 Dino Portelli, Founder, The Workplace Forge Why Culture Always Outshines Salary

Wa n t t o S e l l o r fi n d

I nve s t o rs f o r yo u r

B u s i n e s s ?

Chief Customer Officer, Beyond Bank Australia

Putting Customers First in Banking and Beyond NICK MAY

A values focused and highly driven executive with over 30 years of experience in the banking industry. Nick joined the Beyond Bank Group Executive Team as General Manager Corporate Services in 2013 before moving into his current role of Chief Customer Officer in 2016, Nick has responsibility for the banks distribution and retail network covering branches, the Customer Relationship Centre, digital team, Insurance division and the organisations third party division. With oversight of the bank’s overall customer experience, Nick’s focus is on the relationships, service and interactions customers have through the banks various channels. Under Nicks leadership Beyond Bank has taken out numerous awards including Bank of the year for Customer Satisfaction through Forbes and Roy Morgan and Most Satisfied Mutual Bank through Canstar. Nick has extensive media experience across television, radio and print media as well as having responsibility for many of Beyond Bank’s corporate partnerships. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and a Graduate Diploma of Business Management as well as being a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Recently, in an exclusive interview with CXO Magazine, Nick shared insights on the role of CCO evolving in the upcoming years, his significant career milestone, personal hobbies and interests, future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.

Hi Nick. What inspired you to pursue a career in customer experience, and what motivates you to continue in this field?

I work in an organisation where customer service and building relationships are paramount to the strategy. The ability to drive our customer facing team to make a difference and build a team that genuinely cares and loves what they do is what drives me.

What do you love the most about your current role? Cares and loves what they do

Working at a mutual bank means our customers are our shareholders so when we say we put customers first we mean it. No conflict with returning dividends to shareholders and customer outcomes. This means when we make decisions, these decisions always have the customer first – it’s a great model to be under when working in CX!

How do you think the role of the CCO will evolve in the next 5-10 years?

The role of CCO is forever evolving balancing the use of digital and people to create unique customer experiences. As the next generation

matures, I think we are going to see more and more expectation around personalised proactive experiences. The use of AI and data will mature and making the most of these will be paramount to customer expectations.

Can you share your thoughts on the importance of data-driven decisionmaking in driving customer-centricity and business growth?

Customers expect organisations to be proactive in meeting their needs and efficient and effective in gathering their information. In financial services the use of data is critical to achieving this. As technology develops (such as open banking) and AI matures, the use of these initiatives from both financial institutions and fintech’s will create customer experiences like we have not seen.

How do you stay ahead of emerging trends and developments in customer experience and banking, and what resources do you rely on for professional development?

Trends in customer experience are fast and frequent so staying up to date with what’s going

The role of CCO is forever evolving balancing the use of digital and people to create unique customer experiences

on is a bit of a constant for me. Read, listen and ask is a pretty simple and easy philosophy I tend to follow.

My natural (and perhaps preferred) style is to network and collaborate with others, so I like to tap into what others are doing, what’s best practice, share ideas and learnings. Finance generally, while fiercely competitive, is also an industry that tends to share best practice. Learnings from others both within the mutual sector and broader finance sector as well as outside organisations is a great resource to tap into.

In terms of professional development, I use a range of coaches, structured leadership groups (I’m currently a member of Aleda Connect) and resources such as Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and other forums.

What is your leadership philosophy and how do you keep team engaged and motivate them?

I know it’s a bit cliché, but good leadership comes with great communication.

Trends in customer experience are fast and frequent so staying up to date with what’s going on is a bit of a constant for me

While we all know good communication is about listening as much as speakingcommunicating as a leader is much more than that. Its about being responsive, knowing what channels to communicate with (for different messaging), using your own passion and energy to instil that in others and most of all how to use communication to engage, build trust and motivate your team.

What has been your most careerdefining moment that you are proud of?

I’m not sure it is career defining but what I enjoy about my role is building culture to drive performance. Around six years ago I lead the team through the design, development and implementation of a CX mantra and behaviours. While I was confident the team would embrace the concept, it has proven to be a vital cog in the development of the team’s culture. Imbedding the mantra and behaviours was embraced right from induction for new starters to annual performance reviews. Six years on and the behaviours are now not just across the CX team but the whole organisation. I’m very proud of the team’s passion around the mantra and the way they have used it as a tool to drive the right behaviours.

What are your passions outside of work?

I love sport (football, cricket and pretty much anything else) and love attending and watching sporting events – especially my own kids (poor them!). I’m about to coach the local U16 girls football team. It’s a great release from work but also a great opportunity to use the leadership skills I’ve developed professionally in a more social environment. I’m looking forward to not

Delivering exceptional customer experience starts on the inside

just developing the girls football skills but also their leadership and teamwork skills.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Driving culture is something that, as a leader, has really resonated with me. The ability to do this in a large team has been something I have thoroughly enjoyed. I see myself continuing in this space, perhaps at an organisational level when the time is right.

What advice would you give to organizations looking to prioritize customer experience?

Delivering exceptional customer experience starts on the inside.

Its is important to ensure you have ‘right people right roles.’ Unique customer experiences require people that are technically capable, and staff can be trained on these elements, however it also requires people to have the right level of soft skills – empathy, drive, care, passion and these are generally inherit in people. Making sure you have the right people then stems into creating the internal culture. A team pulling in the same direction, driving one another and sharing success organically builds a culture that allows you to drive CX.

Carel Van Duuren CEO and Founder of TMB (True Modular Building)

LEADER IN THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR

Revolutionizing Affordable Sustainable and Modular Housing for the Future

Carel Van Duuren, CEO and Founder of TMB (True Modular Building), believes that controlling the value chain is key to making better choices for the planet. “As a co-owner, I see it as imperative that TMB controls the entire process—from architecture, engineering, and construction to the final product. This allows us to make more sustainable decisions and reduce carbon emissions,” he explains.

TMB is built on a foundation of innovation, evolving from earlier modular construction systems developed by Van Duuren and his team. The company’s building platform is a further advancement of its proven NxtGen construction systems, including NxtGen Industrial Buildings

(2016) and NxtGen Kitchens & Restaurants (2018). By combining the strengths of steel and wooden construction with cutting-edge materials, TMB has developed a modular building system designed for the future.

The roots of this journey trace back to Kessel Rental, TMB’s sister company, which has spent over 40 years providing temporary kitchens and restaurants for world-famous brands during construction and renovation projects. “We’ve worked with hospitals, universities, schools, and manufacturing facilities, offering over 100 modular kitchen containers to meet their needs,” Van Duuren shares. Initially, these units were combined with standard aluminum modular halls to create spacious, temporary restaurant

areas. However, as regulations evolved, challenges arose.

“The existing solutions were expensive and often failed to meet changing local requirements for insulation, height, floor stability, and reusability,” he recalls. Recognizing the need for a more adaptable system, Van Duuren and his team developed the patented NxtGen modular building system in 2016. This system now serves as the backbone for a wide range of temporary kitchen and restaurant solutions.

Building on that success, the team later turned their focus to reimagining modular kitchen systems. Traditional container-based kitchens lacked flexibility, so TMB set out to create a more transportable and adaptable solution. “With our experience in volumetric kitchen container systems, we designed a modular kitchen building system that’s easy to transport and disassemble,” Van Duuren says. This innovation is yet another example of TMB’s commitment to redefining modular construction for the modern world.

Rethinking Modular Construction

TMB is not just another construction company— it’s the evolution of decades of experience in

modular and volumetric manufacturing. The company’s roots trace back to Van Duuren’s early work developing modular kitchens for universities, businesses, and events through Kessel Rental and NxtGen Smart Modular Building.

The idea behind TMB was to create a more sustainable and repeatable approach to residential and affordable housing. In 2023, Van Duuren rebranded NxtGen Houses as True Modular Building, marking a significant

shift in strategy. “We saw the need for more adaptability,” he explains. “So, we designed an easy-to-transport and assemble componentbased residential building system.”

Unlike traditional volumetric modular construction, which relies on large factories and a continuous workflow to remain efficient, TMB takes a different approach. “Moving away from volumetric modular isn’t just an ideological choice,” Van Duuren says. “It’s a practical response to the future of the built industry.”

But for Van Duuren, TMB is about more than just construction—it’s about shaping the future. “How do you make buildings infinitely repeatable while keeping things simple?” he asks. “How can you contribute to the economy without adding unnecessary waste or depleting valuable resources?” These are the questions that drive his work.

His journey hasn’t been without challenges. He has experienced tough decisions, from downsizing teams to relocating businesses, even facing personal hardships, including multiple hospitalizations. “More knowledge, experience, and time to reflect have changed my leadership style,” he shares. “I’m direct and clear, and I address unconstructive behavior. People need to feel they are treated equally and understand where the boundaries are.”

TMB operates as a lean organization where everyone has a well-defined role. Regular communication and a structured reporting system keep all levels aligned. The company thrives on innovation, continuously developing its own products and systems based on market demand. “We’re not dependent on major corporations or suppliers,” Van Duuren states. “That independence gives us the freedom to make decisions that align with our values.”

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword at TMB—it’s the foundation of everything the company does

Building for a Sustainable Future

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword at TMB—it’s the foundation of everything the company does. The core belief is simple: sustainable housing must stay close to nature, respecting the earth’s resources and the delicate balance of life.

TMB’s unique approach breaks construction down into its smallest elements. “Once an assembly is configured, it becomes a component,” Van Duuren explains. “From the smallest building parts to subassemblies, to full-scale building components, everything is designed to fit together seamlessly.” By controlling the entire building process—through proprietary systems, smart interfaces, and modular components—TMB ensures quality, efficiency, and adaptability.

One of TMB’s biggest innovations is the Orange Kit platform. This hybrid building system enables rapid development and precise construction, eliminating waste, reducing costs, and cutting down emissions. It’s lightweight, airtight, damp-open, and designed for easy disassembly and reuse. The use of bio-based insulation and durable components ensures buildings can be taken apart, moved, and refitted with minimal environmental impact.

“Orange Kit allows buildings to adapt, not just stand still,” Van Duuren says. “It’s an agile, scalable solution for multi-family housing that creates less waste while giving architects the flexibility to meet regional regulations and climate needs.” The platform’s top priority is clear—minimize raw material use and lower emissions.

TMB is committed to decarbonizing the built industry by integrating sustainable materials and construction methods. The ability to quickly share and evaluate new technical and

material innovations is reshaping how buildings are designed and constructed. “Change— whether short-term or long-term—is a constant,” Van Duuren emphasizes. “Technological advancements in materials and hybrid engineering are making it possible to provide safe, decent, and affordable housing worldwide.”

For TMB, the mission is clear: sustainable construction must be adaptable, efficient, and resource-conscious. “Building homes isn’t rocket science,” Van Duuren says. “It just requires a smart system that can evolve with changing circumstances.” With modular flexibility at its core, TMB and its Orange Kit platform are paving the way for a future where housing is not only sustainable but also built to last.

Building for the Future

The future of construction is being redefined by hybrid modular componentized building systems that emphasize efficiency, adaptability, and sustainability. By standardizing building components, companies can streamline manufacturing, reduce costs, and create flexible, reusable structures. These modular kits— such as Orange Kit—function like a puzzle, seamlessly adjusting to evolving customer needs, market demands, and advancements in materials and technology.

A holistic design approach in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) is key to simplifying assembly and transport. Breaking buildings into smaller, manageable components enhances design flexibility, while a plug-andplay construction method allows projects to scale or adjust as needed. A diverse selection of materials ensures structural stability, loadbearing capacity, and weight reduction— essential factors for modern construction.

For TMB, long-term value creation is paramount. Cost minimization and quasi-vertical integration help maintain control over both the supply and value chains. “We don’t believe in short-term profits,” says Van Duuren. “Instead, we co-own our buildings ensuring their longevity and sustainability.”

TMB’s hybrid demountable and reusable building system, aptly named “True Modular Building,” is making a significant impact on community living. Every design, construction, and maintenance decision aligns with the building’s long-term lifespan and the durability of its materials. Sustainability is not an afterthought but a core principle in every TMB project.

A New Era of Affordable Housing

TMB has set an ambitious goal: to revolutionize homebuilding by making it more affordable,

adaptable, and environmentally responsible. As the global housing crisis intensifies, traditional construction methods struggle to keep pace.

TMB sees modular construction as the solution, offering interchangeable building components that can be customized to meet local regulations and community needs.

“The beauty of modular construction lies in its simplicity,” explains Van Duuren. “A true plug-and-play approach reduces construction time, minimizes waste, and lowers costs— all while ensuring high-quality results.” By leveraging modularization and scalability, TMB enables its partners to mass-produce building components, keeping its housing solutions both cost-effective and flexible.

TMB isn’t just building homes; it’s reshaping the future of housing. Through innovation and sustainability, the company is proving that affordability and quality can go hand in hand.

Scaling a Vision, Building a Legacy

As a lean yet ambitious organization, True Modular Building thrives on clear roles and a shared mission. Rather than focusing on oneoff projects, the company develops proprietary

TMB’s interchangeable building blocks and components fit within standardized frames, which integrate seamlessly into larger superstructures. This modular, puzzle-like system significantly accelerates construction while maintaining quality and reducing environmental impact. “We want to create a global brand synonymous with quality affordable housing,” Van Duuren adds. “Everyone deserves a place to live that is both functional and inspiring.”

TMB sees modular construction as the solution, offering interchangeable building components that can be customized to meet local regulations and community needs

products and systems tailored to market demand. Every project follows a rigorous modular engineering approach, breaking down buildings into fundamental components—known as primitives—that are designed for maximum efficiency and ease of assembly.

“Our system is all about smart plug-andplay assembly,” says Van Duuren. “By using minimal parts, we ensure that even those without specialized skills can build with ease.” TMB employs an agile, hybrid construction strategy,

With a strong foundation in value chain control, TMB’s projects generate steady cash flow through rental income while maintaining low initial costs and high residual value

incorporating various materials and add-ons to enhance structural stability and reduce weight.

The company has already put its concepts to the test. In 2023, TMB produced and assembled its first residential buildings and various modular components, refining its methods and validating key assumptions. The following year, the focus shifted to streamlining plug-andplay construction. By 2025, TMB will begin developing entire residential communities, expanding its impact on a global scale.

While TMB remains self-funded, it is actively seeking strategic financial partnerships. “We see funding as a marriage,” notes Van Duuren. “We carefully choose financial partners who align with our vision for high-quality, affordable built-to-rent (BTR) housing.” The company prioritizes patient capital from governments,

pension funds, and family offices, offering assetbacked investment solutions tailored to various risk appetites and growth objectives.

With a strong foundation in value chain control, TMB’s projects generate steady cash flow through rental income while maintaining low initial costs and high residual value. Investors not only benefit from real estate appreciation but also from the enduring value of modular building components. Looking ahead, TMB plans to introduce tokenization in select projects, offering equity tokens as a modern approach to real estate investment.

With each step forward, TMB is proving that innovation, sustainability, and affordability are not mutually exclusive. By redefining homebuilding, the company is not just constructing buildings— it’s creating a blueprint for the future of housing.

Finding Strength in Rock Bottom: A Guide to Rising from Complete Failure

Andrea Zanon is a charismatic Italian entrepreneur and founder of Confidente, dedicated to transforming the lives of entrepreneurs and leaders in the food, fashion, and lifestyle industries. With over 20 years of experience and a focus on partnership building, revenue acceleration, and emotional intelligence, he empowers ambitious individuals and women entrepreneurs to create lasting success and fulfillment.

The sweetest victories often come out from the hardest defeats. While business schools teach strategies and books outline theories, some of life's most profound lessons come from experiencing failure firsthand, from having life knock you down and finding the strength to stand back up.

The Hidden Gift of Rock Bottom: Extreme ownership

When you hit rock bottom, a profound transformation begins. In those loneliest hours, when the noise of success and superficial relationships fades away, you're left with nothing but the truth about your shortcomings. This is where the real work begins, a deep, often uncomfortable examination of everything you once consider concrete knowledge.

You start questioning it all: Your long-held ambitions, were they truly yours, or expectations you absorbed from others? The relationships you cultivated, were they authentic connections or opportunistic and even unethical relations? Your successes and failures, what truly drove them? The beliefs you identified with, how many were genuine wisdom versus comfortable illusions?

Loosing these certainties, though pain, is perhaps life's most powerful teacher. When the fundamentals of your life are turned upside down and examined in its clear detail, you gain insights that no amount of success could ever provide.

Tales Transformative Rises: From Complete Devastation to Triumph

James Dyson: 5,126 Failures and Bankruptcy

Before creating his revolutionary vacuum, James Dyson spent 15 years creating 5,126

failed prototypes (NYMagazine), wasting all his savings and nearly bankrupting his family. His wife supported the family by teaching art while he tested prototype after prototype in a coach house, racking up unsustainable debt. Banks refused him loans, and potential investors dismissed his ideas as absurd. He remortgaged his house multiple times, risking complete financial ruin. When he finally succeeded, manufacturers refused to license his technology because it would hurt their vacuum bag sales. Forced to question everything, Dyson launched his own company. Today, Dyson is worth billions, but he had to risk absolutely everything, many time over in order to get there.

Walt Disney: From Homelessness to Animation Empire

Before Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney faced catastrophic failure. His first animation company in Kansas City, Laugh-O-Gram Studios, went bankrupt in 1923 (LeadershipstoryBank.com). Disney was so poor he couldn't pay his rent and resorted to sleeping in his office, showering at the train station, and eating cold beans from a can. He had to scavenge through garbage bins for food and newspaper to keep warm. At his lowest point, he discovered rats in his office and, instead of despairing, found inspiration for what would eventually become Mickey Mouse. Even after moving to Hollywood, he lost the rights to his successful character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, forcing him to start over from scratch again.

Airbnb: From Maxed Credit Cards to Global Platform

Before becoming billionaires, Airbnb's founders found themselves maxing out credit cards,

When the fundamentals of your life are turned upside down and examined in its clear detail, you gain insights that no amount of success could ever provide

drowning in debt after their initial success at the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver faded. Their response? They started selling politicalthemed breakfast cereals, "Obama O's" and "Cap'n McCain's" making over 20,000 $ in sales and managing to keep their dream alive (Yahoo Finance). This apparently desperate move generated enough capital to keep their vision afloat until they could refine their business model.

Milton Hershey: Three Complete Bankruptcies Before Success

Before building his chocolate empire, Milton Hershey failed hugely, not once, but three times. His first candy business in Philadelphia collapsed, leaving him financially broke. His second attempt in New York ended in total failure, with his equipment being seized by creditors and legal action taken against him. A third venture in Chicago also ended in complete disaster. After these failures, Hershey was broke, humiliated, and considered a complete failure by his family. His relatives openly made fun of him and advised him to pursue factory work instead (Cascade Strategy and other sources). Only after returning home in shame and starting a caramel company did he finally succeed, eventually selling it to fund his chocolate dreams.

The Magic of Adversity

What separates those who succumb from those who triumph isn't the absence of failure, it's their relationship with it. When you hit rock bottom, several transformative shifts can occur:

Clarity Through Necessity

The stripped-down reality of rock-bottom forces brutal honesty. With no resources to waste and no reputation to protect, you gain crystal-clear

What separates those who succumb from those who triumph isn't the absence of failure, it's their relationship with it

vision about what truly matters and what needs to change. Through this condition human ingenuity h Liberation from Fear

When you've already lost everything, the paralyzing fear of failure loses its influence. You become free to take bold risks and make decisive moves that you might have hesitated to make before.

Real Network Revelation

Hard times reveal your true support system. While your fancy grad school friends may disappear, those who remain become invaluable allies in your recovery and success. This knowledge of who truly stands with you becomes a foundation for future relationships.

Survival Strategies: The Raw Truth About Recovery

Embracing Solitude as Your New Reality

When failure strikes, prepare for solitude. It's not just about losing the convenience friends, it's about accepting that this journey is largely yours alone. People will distance themselves, not always out of malice, but because failure makes them uncomfortable or challenges their own sense of security. Rather than fighting this solitude or wasting emotional energy on lost relationships, recognize it as a powerful space for growth and reinvention.

Battling the Ego's Desperate Grip

Your ego will be your greatest enemy during this time as taught in the great book of Ryan Holiday, “The Ego is the Enemy”. It will try to make you dwell on lost friendships, status, and lifestyle changes. The key is recognizing these thoughts as your ego's fighting back, let them pass without attachment. This isn't about suppressing emotions, but about acknowledging them without letting them control your actions.

Mastering the Art of Less

Financial constraints after failure aren't just limitations, they're crash courses in innovation, remorsefulness and problem solving. With reduced funding and likely damaged creditworthiness, you'll need to find creative solutions, build relationships based on value exchange rather than financial transactions, and become an expert at bootstrapping. Think of how Deep Seek, the Chinese AI champion, has recently disrupted the market by producing competitive AI models with less sophisticated chips which are not available to China due to American’s sanctions.

Investing in Yourself is an Untouchable Assets

As billionaire investor Warren Buffett wisely notes certain investments are immune to taxation and inflation, “Whatever abilities you have can't be taken away from you. They can't be inflated away from you,” he said. “The best investment by far is anything that develops yourself, and it's not taxed at all.” (Warren Buffett-2022 Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder’s meeting),

During your rebuild, maintain a consistent exercise routine, read voraciously particularly around the area of your interest, learn new skills, and focus on what you have absolute control, not on the distractions and noise which are the result of your failures.

Building from Ground Zero

The beauty of hitting rock bottom is that it provides the opportunity to rebuild from scratch, this time with a wealth of experience, with greater self-awareness and a with more stress tolerance. Each decision you make as you rebuild yourself back becomes smarter, each relationship you establish is carefully assessed, and each goal you set for yourself is more tangible, and easier to accomplish as you know what failures tastes like.

As an entrepreneur, you need to prepare yourself for adversity from day one. Learn to stay nimble, optimistic, and continue to invest in yourself. Market setbacks, failures, and even bankruptcies aren't endings; they're things you cannot learn in school, they are life invaluable experiences pointing toward necessary pivots and improvements. If you have experienced hardship, use them to your advantage and make them the steppingstones to your greatest achievements.

What are you going to rebuild first?

Charting a Clear Path to Boardroom Leadership: Insights from an Executive Search Perspective

Iwona Hojol brings over 15 years of experience in executive search and talent advisory, specializing in delivering transformative leadership solutions for organizations across the UK, Europe, US and the Middle East. As a Partner at Clifford Nash, Iwona has built a reputation for collaborating with private equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional leadership talent that drives value creation and strategic growth. Iwona’s expertise spans a wide range of talent challenges, including the design and execution of retained search processes for senior leadership roles, advising organizations on building effective talent strategies, and supporting companies during periods of transformation and growth. Before joining Clifford Nash, Iwona successfully managed executive recruitment mandates in various industries, including Technology, Energy, Real Estate, and Financial Servies. She holds a degree in International Finance from Westminster University, providing a strong foundation for her career in leadership advisory and talent strategy. Based in London, she works across a global portfolio of clients, maintaining a dynamic, hands-on approach to her work.

Iwona Hojol

The journey to securing a board member position is an ambitious but attainable goal for senior executives aiming to expand their impact. In today’s ever-changing business environment, success in these roles requires a distinct blend of strategic vision, leadership, and the ability to address complex challenges. As an executive search professional, I know that understanding the roadmap to the boardroom and tailoring your approach can make all the difference.

Here’s a practical guide to navigating this transformative career step, with insights on how to build the skills, network, and presence necessary to stand out in the competitive world of board recruitment.

Understanding the Changing Demands of Board Leadership

Board member roles today are shaped by global market trends, digital transformation, and growing pressures around governance, sustainability, and innovation. Organizations are seeking leaders who can deliver strategic oversight while embracing agility and inclusivity.

For aspiring board members, aligning personal expertise with these evolving demands is key. Beyond operational success, candidates must demonstrate their ability to manage risk, foster innovation, and provide sound guidance in an increasingly complex corporate landscape.

1. Assess Your Leadership Readiness

The first step to a board role is honest self-assessment. Reflect on the leadership competencies required at the strategic level— stakeholder management, financial acumen,

governance expertise, and long-term vision are often essential.

Consider feedback from peers or mentors, or engage in executive coaching to identify areas for growth. Boards value authenticity, so aligning your personal values with the mission and culture of prospective organizations is also critical.

2. Broaden Your Industry and Functional Impact

Depth of experience in a specific sector is valuable, but breadth is often what sets board candidates apart. Exposure to different industries, markets, or functions equips leaders with a broader perspective—an asset in boardroom discussions.

Pursue roles or projects that highlight versatility, such as leading international teams, navigating mergers, or driving digital transformation initiatives. Demonstrating a track record of delivering value in varied contexts signals adaptability and leadership strength.

3. Build Board-Specific Skills

The transition from operational leadership to the boardroom requires a different set of skills. Boards focus on strategic oversight, regulatory compliance, and governance. Participating in board readiness programs or completing certifications from recognized institutions can be invaluable. These programs not only build expertise but also demonstrate your commitment to understanding the nuances of board service. Many executive search agencies also offer tailored advice on preparing for these transitions, ensuring candidates are fully equipped for success.

4. Strengthen Your Professional Network

Relationships play a pivotal role in accessing board opportunities. Expand your professional network to include industry leaders, board members, and executive search consultants. Active engagement at industry events,

Boards value authenticity, so aligning your personal values with the mission and culture of prospective organizations is also critical

conferences, and governance panels can elevate your visibility.

Keep in mind that many board appointments come through informal connections or trusted referrals. Working with an executive search partner can provide a direct link to exclusive opportunities and aligned organizations.

5. Craft a Powerful Personal Brand

Board selection committees are interested in how your expertise and experience align with their organization’s goals. Craft a compelling narrative in your CV and online presence that highlights your strategic contributions and measurable achievements.

Focus on outcomes like driving revenue growth, improving governance, or leading transformation initiatives. Executive search firms can help fine-tune your branding to ensure it resonates with decision-makers.

6. Commit to Lifelong Learning

Even at the executive level, continuous learning is crucial. The business world is evolving rapidly, shaped by advances in technology, shifting consumer expectations, and global challenges. Staying informed about trends like AI, ESG, and emerging governance practices positions you as a forward-thinking leader.

Engage with executive education programs, subscribe to industry publications, or seek mentorship from experienced board members to stay at the forefront of your field.

Why Partner with an Executive Search Firm?

The path to the boardroom is rarely straightforward. Executive search firms act as trusted advisors, offering insights into market dynamics, organizational needs, and candidate expectations. We provide personalized

Working with an executive search partner can provide a direct link to exclusive opportunities and aligned organizations

guidance to help you refine your leadership narrative, address skill gaps, and connect with opportunities aligned to your aspirations.

Our expertise ensures that you not only navigate the complexities of this career milestone but also position yourself as the ideal candidate for transformative board roles.

The journey to a board position is a strategic endeavour that blends preparation, adaptability, and the ability to seize the right opportunities. By focusing on leadership readiness, broadening your impact, and cultivating a robust network, you can elevate your profile and achieve your career ambitions. Partnering with an experienced executive search firm adds a layer of expertise and support, empowering you to take control of your career trajectory.

Insights from Senior Leaders: Tips for Aspiring Board Members

To complement our perspective, we reached out to three senior leaders currently serving in board positions for their advice. Here’s what they had to say:

Elena Skvortsova, President and CEO at Messer Americas: It is important for the candidates to understand and be able to articulate why they want to be on the specific boards they may be interested in and show how their knowledge, experience, expertise, and network can be of value for the companies they are interested in serving. It's not enough to just want to be on a board. It is in fact more important to understand how your service can contribute to the company's strategic goal achievement. Research and clear self awareness help.

Patrick Huber, Board Member at H2 Energy: To become a successful board member, it’s crucial that your position allows you to realize your full potential and contribute meaningfully. To do so, it is imperative that your values, ambitions, and interests must align with those of the company and its owners. Any compromise on this will lead to friction which will make the board composition inefficient and not sustainable. Equally important, you need to demonstrate that you add value to the board by having expertise in areas which will allow the

Partnering with an experienced executive search firm adds a layer of expertise and support, empowering you to take control of your career trajectory

board to enhance its capabilities and become a more balanced and effective team. Lastly, trust in your capabilities to make a significant impact on a strong board, as your purpose is to contribute effectively when needed

Giedre Malinauskaite, Chief Strategy Officer at CNTXT:

"Board directors are not just stewards of governance; they are strategic enablers who shape the trajectory of a company’s growth. In fast-paced industries like technology, where innovation cycles are rapid and competition is fierce, a well-rounded board brings diverse perspectives, fosters agility, and ensures the company remains forward-thinking.

Their role in balancing long-term vision with short-term adaptability is critical, especially in navigating complex market dynamics. Effective boards cultivate collaboration and challenge the status quo, making them indispensable to driving sustainable development and creating value for all stakeholders''.

The insights highlight the critical role of preparation, strategic networking, and distinguishing yourself in a competitive market. When paired with the tailored support of an executive search firm, these valuable tips can empower you to confidently and purposefully navigate your journey to securing a board position.

Silvia Borzini Chief Financial Officer of Office Timeline

Blending Finance and Strategy to Drive Growth and Innovation

Silvia Borzini’s journey into finance and leadership began in college with hands-on experience as an intern in the accounting and treasury departments at Rio Tinto. “Rio Tinto was formative for me, building my analytical foundation and the detail orientation necessary in financial reporting”.

Post college, Silvia transitioned into management consulting, helping to shape her critical thinking and problem-solving approach. In this demanding environment, she mastered financial modeling and creating frameworks to tackle complex strategic business questions. Consulting also sharpened her skills in strategy, stakeholder engagement, and project

management. “Those early experiences taught me to value structured, process-driven approaches to problem-solving—skills that are indispensable when managing the intricacies of finance and operations at a growth-stage company”.

When the opportunity to join Office Timeline arose, Silvia saw a perfect match for her expertise and ambitions. The company operates within a niche of the $10 billion project management software sector, offering a unique value proposition to a large and loyal customer base. “What stood out to me was the financial strength of the business—it was a ‘rule of 80’ company, something that’s almost unheard of today,” she shares. Beyond the financials, she

recognized immense potential for growth both within its current niche and in adjacent markets.

The people at Office Timeline also played a crucial role in her decision. “The team was a huge draw for me. They are kind, fun, and incredibly open to external perspectives and new ideas,” Silvia says. “I felt confident that I could contribute meaningfully and drive positive change.”

Silvia’s unique experience of having worked at both startups as well as larger corporations equips her to lead in a fast-growing environment

like Office Timeline. Start-ups taught her adaptability and the need to wear multiple hats—an essential trait in dynamic workplaces. “In start-ups, you can’t afford to stay strictly in your lane. That flexibility has been key here,” she notes. Her experience with larger organizations, meanwhile, has helped her introduce SaaS best practices and implement scalable processes. Together, these experiences have allowed her to develop a mature finance and operations function that supports Office Timeline’s rapid scaling.

Silvia’s unique experience of having worked at both startups as well as larger corporations equips her to lead in a fast-growing environment like Office Timeline

Strategic Leadership

As Chief Financial Officer of Office Timeline, Silvia plays a pivotal role that extends far beyond managing numbers. She oversees a broad range of functions, including finance and accounting, operations, analytics, and HR, while also contributing significantly to the company’s strategic direction. Her approach is deeply rooted in data, using analysis and insights to guide decision-making across all areas of the business, from strategy to execution.

This ethos can be seen in Office Timeline’s budgeting and planning processes. The process begins with leadership planning sessions to review and drive executive team alignment on strategy. Each leader prepares for these sessions by conducting their own business review for their function, sharing trends, wins, challenges, and their priorities for the upcoming year. From an overall company perspective, Silvia works closely with Office Timeline’s CEO to review overall company performance, distill information into critical insights, and conduct analysis to inform strategy development.

“This process gives us a ‘north star’ for where we want to be in 3-5 years’ time. With that in mind, we can work backwards to identify short-term priorities that will move us towards our long-term growth ambitions,” she explains. From there, the team agrees on a set of strategic initiatives and OKRs for the upcoming year. The collaborative approach creates a shared sense of ownership over OKRs and initiatives, so that the team is all rowing in the same direction. “There’s no point setting OKRs and a budget if the leadership team, who ultimately needs to deliver on that budget, aren’t bought in.”

With her strategy skillset, Silvia works closely with functional leaders to evaluate investment

needs, ensuring that they are backed by strong business cases and provide a clear ROI. “It’s not always about saying no. Sometimes, I’m challenging priorities, other times I’m pushing the teams to think through potential capability gaps and highlighting hiring needs,” she says.

For Silvia, being data-driven is not just a preference but a necessity, especially in the fast-paced SaaS industry. She believes modern finance leaders must move beyond traditional number-crunching to influence broader business decisions. “The role of a CFO today is about extracting meaningful insights to guide strategy and then supporting the business to succeed in that strategy.”

Collaborating with Private Equity for Sustainable Growth

Office Timeline’s partnership with Gearbox Capital, a private equity firm, has been instrumental in shaping its growth strategy. Silvia is a strong advocate for PE-backed companies, appreciating the balance between growth expectations and disciplined resource allocation. “Our investors deeply understand the business and work closely with us. It’s not about chasing unrealistic targets; it’s about building the foundation for sustainable growth,” she notes.

With private equity owners, every investment is rigorously scrutinized, with a clear payoff expected within two to three years.

Office Timeline’s partnership with Gearbox Capital, a private equity firm, has been instrumental in shaping its growth strategy

This disciplined approach has created a strong balance sheet, giving the company the flexibility to invest in growth, both organic and through mergers and acquisitions.

Metrics That Matter

Silvia’s data-driven mindset is evident in how Office Timeline tracks performance. For Silvia, it doesn’t stop at the budget. Equally important to strategy and planning is defining a key set of critical operational metrics that allow the company to monitor performance on an ongoing basis.

Office Timeline tracks traditional SaaS metrics like traffic and conversion rates, retention indicators such as gross revenue retention (GRR) and net revenue retention (NRR), and unit economics like the lifetime value (LTV) to customer acquisition cost (CAC) ratio. However, Silvia is also passionate about identifying relevant “leading indicators” so that she can closely monitor impact of specific initiatives, identify challenges early, and course correct as needed.

“Say we identified churn as a significant area of improvement and priority for the business and tasked the Customer Success team with developing a program to reduce first-year churn. If we just focus on churn rates, we would need to wait a full year before we could measure the effectiveness of that program. Monitoring Monthly Active Users (MAUs) and key feature usage, however, gives us an insight into a customer’s engagement with the Product and therefore, their likelihood of churning. The Customer Success team can track changes in usage patterns to quickly measure the effectiveness of their program and iterate as needed.”

Another way Silvia’s team supports the business is through project management of

At Office Timeline, a unique and deeply rooted culture sets the company apart—a culture that emphasizes collaboration, fun, and social responsibility

major cross-functional initiatives. “We keep an eye on project status, look for dependencies and blockers, and help to facilitate crossfunctional communication to help keep things on track.” This focus on operational excellence allows Silvia to maintain alignment across departments, fostering cross-functional collaboration and informed decisions that keep the company moving cohesively toward its goals. “To thrive in the complex tech landscape, every part of the business must work harmoniously towards shared goals. As a finance leader, you can't afford to stay behind the scenes. One of the most impactful ways I can serve the business is by helping my colleagues excel as a unified team.”

Optimizing Pricing and Packaging

One of the company’s recent successes was a pricing and packaging strategy that addressed challenges in customer acquisition. Silvia led a study analyzing user growth and identified previous price and plan changes as a major contributor to the recent trends. As a result of this study, a cross-functional pricing and packaging optimization initiative was launched. The team combined product telemetry data with customer surveys and persona insights to re-allocate key features across product plans. “This initiative ultimately allowed us to align our offerings with what customers truly value, ensuring our packages resonate with their needs, including ensuring customers aren’t paying for advanced features they’re not using,” Silvia shares. This customer-centric approach ensures that financial decisions support customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty.

Fostering a Culture of Collaboration and Appreciation

At Office Timeline, a unique and deeply rooted culture sets the company apart—a culture that emphasizes collaboration, fun, and social responsibility. Silvia is passionate about preserving this spirit even as the company evolves. “We’ve worked hard to ensure that the values Office Timeline was built on don’t get lost following a shift to private equity ownership,” she shares. One way the company maintains this culture is through its quarterly “GIVE” program, which supports charitable causes and strengthens its commitment to social responsibility.

To further enhance team dynamics, Office Timeline is rolling out a peer-to-peer recognition program. “This allows everyone to practice appreciation and giving within the organization,” Silvia explains.

Building a Finance Function from the Ground Up

When Silvia joined Office Timeline, she faced the formidable task of building a finance function from scratch. As the company transitioned from a founder-owned, bootstrapped operation to a private equity-backed organization, new reporting and compliance requirements and expectations arose. “One of my first priorities was establishing a robust accounting team, including hiring a strong controller,” she says.

This transformation included shifting the business from cash-based accounting to GAAP, meeting more detailed financial reporting requirements, and implementing systems to support GAAP revenue recognition. She tackled data quality issues from homegrown systems, implementing new tools to track Annual

Silvia’s focus on clear communication and setting high expectations creates an environment where her team can thrive while staying aligned with company goals

Recurring Revenue (ARR) data—an area where visibility had been limited. Silvia also leveraged technology to streamline financial processes, improve data accuracy, and enhance decisionmaking. Under her leadership, innovative financial products and services were introduced, contributing to the company's growth and competitive edge.

“Maintaining the right balance between data-driven decision-making while maintaining business agility is tricky,” she admits. For Silvia, a critical part of this balancing act was building the right data infrastructure to collate data across systems and automate reporting into company dashboards.

“These changes have provided transparency and insights that weren’t possible before. It’s been a massive effort, but it’s positioned us for long-term success,” she reflects.

Empowering Leadership with High Expectations

Silvia describes her leadership style as empowering yet demanding. She believes in giving her team the autonomy to solve problems while providing guidance and regular check-ins. “I always take the time to explain the ‘why’ behind any request I make. It’s important that my team understands the context, so they can learn to answer questions for themselves, eventually tackling complex challenges independently,” she says.

This approach fosters ownership and encourages team members to think strategically.

“I am the first to admit when I’ve made a mistake. I want my team to know it’s ok to not always get the right answer on the first try. I care about them taking the time to break down problems and propose solutions. Whether those solutions

are ‘right’ is of secondary importance,” she says. Silvia’s focus on clear communication and high expectations, coupled with her approachability, creates an environment where her team can challenge themselves and thrive.

Silvia is also passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion and empowering women and minorities within the organization. Over 70% of Office Timeline’s leadership team consists of women and ethnic minorities. “I am proud of the diversity of our team and feel so fortunate to work with people who bring a unique set of experiences and perspectives and I’m passionate about supporting the next generation of leaders

She is dedicated to preparing future leaders within the organization, ensuring they are equipped to tackle complex challenges independently.

Vision for the Future

Silvia’s vision for Office Timeline’s financial strategy is bold yet grounded in pragmatism. The company aims to double its ARR over the next 3 years, leveraging a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions. To get there, the company plans to invest significantly in product development and marketing while exploring M&A opportunities that align with its long-term objectives.

“Maintaining a disciplined approach will be critical,” Silvia states. Every investment will be carefully evaluated to ensure it contributes meaningfully to the company’s overarching growth goals. With a focus on innovation, collaboration, and strategic planning, Silvia is steering Office Timeline toward a future defined by sustained success and impactful growth

AI-Driven Marketing Innovation and the Future of Personalization

Zara Star Baker is a Swedish-American Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer. She brings over 16 years of experience in building and leading marketing and digital strategies that drive profitability, growth, and long-term value creation. Her expertise spans digital and AI transformation, product marketing, and brand launch, particularly in the healthcare and technology sectors, across both agency and corporate settings. With an interdisciplinary background in science and business, and experience that spans beyond the U.S. she has advised big names like Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Takeda. She has degrees in Biology (2008), Digital Media and Marketing (2010), and AI (2024) from Edinburgh Business School and MIT. Currently, she is a fractional CMO at Toptal, where she advises several startups in the healthcare, digital health, and technology spaces. Zara's previous roles include Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer at Vue Health, and Head of Omnichannel Marketing & Digital Strategy at Ionis Pharma.

In this insightful interview with CXO Magazine, Zara shares her expertise on leveraging AI for hyper-personalization, optimizing marketing performance, and driving brand growth. She discusses the evolving role of AI in content creation, customer engagement, and predictive analytics while emphasizing the importance of ethical AI use. Marketers looking to stay ahead will find valuable lessons on how to harness AI’s power without losing the human touch.

Zara Baker

Fractional Chief Marketing Officer

Your career spans over 16 years with diverse experiences in both the US and internationally. What inspired you to transition from a scientist to a marketer, and how has this unique background influenced your approach to marketing?

My transition from science to business was inspired by two powerful forces: my intellectual curiosity about human behavior, and passion for storytelling. I was brought up among a family of artists, raised by creative parents who crafted narrative art projects, launched widely popular ad campaigns, and made music.

My early experiences taught me that even the most complex ideas require emotional resonance to make an impact. This duality formed a vernacular shaped by empathy and analytical thinking while allowing me to see growth opportunities between the predictable (data) and the unknown (imagination).

As an MIT-trained interdisciplinary marketer, you have achieved numerous milestones. Could you share one or two key achievements that you are particularly proud of and explain their impact on your career?

Two achievements come to mind that showcased my ability to make an impact in healthcare marketing through digital innovation.

I led a patient-first marketing strategy that used digital marketing to create a highly successful brand network for a wellestablished biotech company. This initiative accelerated time to market by 30% while resulting in an exceptional 20:1 return on investment in one year.

In another instance, I revolutionized operations for a healthcare communications agency by using a digital operational model that featured an AI-powered “Creative Studio.” This transformation cut resource costs by 45% while boosting client acquisition rates by 27%. Both of these accomplishments demonstrate how human-first AI innovation can optimize market performance and streamline operations in the healthcare field.

AI is transforming the marketing landscape in unprecedented ways. How do you see AI unleashing creativity within marketing teams, and what are some innovative strategies you have implemented to leverage AI for brand success?

In my time as an interdisciplinary professional, I've seen the profound impact AI has on creativity and brand success in the marketing space. AI serves as a powerful agent of creative change in marketing by highlighting human capabilities rather than replacing them. It enables us to use targeted, relevant data to uncover trends and gain insight, bridging the gap between prediction and creativity.

One of the most powerful examples of AI I’ve been exposed to is the use of predictive modeling to improve campaign performance. By analyzing historical data, real-time market data, and cultural trends, we optimized resource allocation and improved ROI on marketing initiatives quickly and efficiently.

I often wonder if I could combine Einstein's analytical thinking with Da Vinci's Renaissance ideology. I believe with the help of AI, that's a possibility. This fusion of science and art,

AI serves as a powerful agent of creative change in marketing by highlighting human capabilities rather than replacing them

in collaboration with AI, could open up new horizons for marketing innovation. It allows us to approach challenges with both depth and breadth, identifying the right problems and creating the most reasonable solutions that drive purposeful innovation and growth.

Customer experience personalization is a critical aspect of modern marketing. How do you utilize AI to create personalized experiences for customers, and what challenges have you encountered in this process?

I firmly believe that true personalization begins with understanding customers as complex humans—not just data points. While AI is a powerful tool, I’ve witnessed how relying too heavily on algorithms can turn unique human experiences into generic segments. My approach treats AI as a “bicycle for the brain;” heightening our ability to use and collect data with human intuition leading the way. This hybrid model helped one biotech client reduce time-to-market by 30% while maintaining authentic patient-centric messaging.

The key lies in balance. AI can pick out patterns in data, but humans must interpret what those patterns mean. During a medical device launch, I used machine learning to identify underserved physician segments, later deciphering research to understand their unmet needs. This combination of technological efficiency and human empathy created a 27% spike in client acquisition in previously overlooked markets.

Ultimately, successful personalization isn’t about chasing more data—it’s about asking better questions. It’s imperative to keep your main goal at the forefront (like simplifying complex treatment information for patients) rather than just optimizing

clicks. My goal is to use technology to enhance human connection, not replace it. I want to help brands reach their potential by showing them how to get the information they need to make an impact.

Building on my experience using AI for marketing purposes, I can explain how we've implemented AI systems to enhance creative processes in healthcare marketing. For example, when leading digital transformations for healthcare brands, I’ve implemented AI systems that automate repetitive creative tasks (like localized ad variations). With these mundane tasks taken care of, our creative teams could focus on crafting the overall brand stories and emotionally resonant narratives. This allowed human creativity to shine where it matters most—in developing captivating, new campaign concepts, preparing compelling patient stories, and ensuring that the core brand message remained authentic and impactful.

This approach has been particularly valuable in multicultural markets where specific messaging is crucial. For instance, we developed an AI-

powered "Creative Studio" that could rapidly produce and test thousands of ad variations across different languages and cultural contexts.

This AI system analyzed considerable data on regional health beliefs, linguistic nuances, and cultural preferences to create customized content. It had the capability to automatically adjust imagery, copy, and even tone to resonate with specific audiences. For example, in collectivist cultures, AI would prioritize family-centric content, while in more individualistic markets, it would focus on personal empowerment.

Efficiency not only increased, but effectiveness did as well. Engagement rates increased by over 25% in some markets, as the localized content deeply resonated with target audiences. Moreover, this approach allowed us to be more agile in our marketing efforts, quickly adapting to new data insights or market changes.

However, we always make sure humans are involved in this process. While AI did the heavy lifting of content variation, our teams carefully reviewed the results to ensure they

Building on my experience using AI for marketing purposes, I can explain how we've implemented AI systems to enhance creative processes in healthcare marketing

aligned with brand values, regulations, and ethical standards; an essential consideration in healthcare marketing. An appropriate balance of using AI to complement rather than replace human creativity has been key to our success in increasing engagement that champions integrity and empathy.

With your extensive expertise in digital and AI transformation, what emerging trends do you believe will shape the future of marketing in the next five years?

Based on the latest research and insights, I can see several key trends shaping the future of marketing over the next five years, including:

1. AI-Driven Hyper-Personalization: AI will enable unprecedented levels of personalization. Studies are showing that hyper-personalized marketing can increase customer retention rates by up to 35%. I imagine we will see AI analyzing real-time data streams to deliver custom content tailored to individual preferences and behaviors.

2. AI Agents and Automation: By 2025, AI agents are expected to handle up to 85% of customer interactions without human intervention. This will free up marketing teams to focus on strategy and creativity while improving response times and customer satisfaction.

3. Multimodal AI in Content Creation: AI will revolutionize content creation across text, image, and video formats. We'll see AIgenerated content that's indistinguishable from human work, which could potentially double engagement rates.

4. Voice and Visual Search Optimization: With 40% of Gen Z already using social platforms as primary search tools, marketers will need to optimize voice and visual search capabilities across non-traditional search platforms.

5. Ethical AI and Data Privacy: As AI becomes more common, there will be more attention on ethical AI use and data privacy. Marketers will need to balance personalization with transparency to gain and keep consumer trust.

6. Predictive Analytics and DecisionMaking: AI will enhance our ability to forecast trends and consumer behavior, allowing for more proactive and data-driven marketing strategies.

7. Immersive Technologies: The integration of AI with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will create more interactive and engaging marketing experiences.

Looking ahead, how do you envision the role of AI evolving in marketing, particularly in terms of enabling brands to launch personalized experiences quickly and efficiently?

AI is capable of revolutionizing marketing by enabling brands to launch customized experiences faster than we’ve ever seen before. Based on the trends and examples we've seen, here's how I see AI's evolving role in marketing:

1. Hyper-Personalization at Scale: AI will enable marketers to create deeply personalized experiences in real time. By 2025, we can expect AI to analyze significant amounts of data, including real-time behavioral data, to craft content that resonates personally to individuals.

AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants will become more sophisticated, handling complex customer interactions and providing personalized support at scale

This could lead to a 35% increase in customer retention rates, as seen in recent studies.

2. AI-Powered Creative Generation: AI tools will become more sophisticated in generating and optimizing marketing content. We'll likely see AI creating thousands of tailored ad variations in real time, allowing for more catered engagement. This could make dynamic creative optimization more accessible and effective for brands of all sizes.

3. Predictive Analytics and DecisionMaking: AI will enhance our ability to accurately forecast trends and consumer behavior. This will allow marketers to proactively anticipate consumer needs. Starbucks' Deep Brew AI is a great example of how digging into data from different sources can help us better understand customer behavior.

4. Multimodal AI Integration: The future of AI in marketing will likely involve more sophisticated multimodal systems that can process and understand information from text, images, audio, and video simultaneously. This will enable more intuitive and context-aware marketing interactions.

5. Ethical AI and Privacy-First Approaches:

As AI becomes more prevalent, there will be an increased focus on ethical AI use and data privacy. Marketers will need to balance personalization with transparency and consumer trust. By 2025, it's predicted that 60% of large organizations will use AI to automate GDPR compliance.

6. AI-Driven Customer Journey Orchestration:

AI will play a crucial role in mapping and optimizing the entire customer journey. It will help brands create seamless, personalized

experiences across all touchpoints, from initial awareness to post-purchase engagement.

7. Conversational AI and Advanced Chatbots: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants will become more sophisticated, handling complex customer interactions and providing personalized support at scale. This could significantly improve customer service while reducing costs.

8. Real-Time Optimization: AI will enable marketers to continuously optimize campaigns in real-time, adjusting messaging, creative elements, and targeting based on immediate performance data and changing market conditions.

With these AI capabilities, brands can launch personalized marketing experiences more quickly and efficiently than ever before. However, it's crucial to remember that while AI will handle much of the heavy lifting in data analysis and execution, human creativity and strategic thinking will remain essential in crafting meaningful brand narratives and emotional connections with customers.

What motivational advice would you give to aspiring marketers who are just starting their careers and looking to make a significant impact in the industry?

To aspiring marketers hopeful of making their place in the industry, I offer the following motivational advice:

Embrace continuous learning. As Steve Jobs said, "Master the topic, the message, and the delivery." The marketing landscape is always changing, so stay curious and keep expanding

your skillset. Attend webinars, enroll in courses, and stay on top of industry trends.

Focus on creating value. Joe Chernov wisely noted, "Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart." Always prioritize the customer's needs and experiences in your strategies.

Don't be afraid to take risks and experiment. Take creative risks and keep iterating as the industry trends are always changing, what worked yesterday may work again. Be bold in your ideas and don’t get too lost in data.

Develop a deep understanding of your audience. Behind every successful campaign is a Marketer with high emotional intelligence. If you empathize with people you can easily engage them in meaningful conversations leading to improved retention.

Stay agile and adaptable. The marketing world moves fast, so be ready to pivot your strategies based on emerging trends, consumer feedback, or shifts in the market. Be open to incorporating cross-functional perspectives as marketing is all about working for the people with the people.

Embrace both creativity and data. Blend your creative nature with data-driven insights. As I often say, AI is like a bicycle for the brain - it helps us navigate vast amounts of data and uncover insights, but human intuition still steers the direction. Our goal should be to use AI to solve real problems for everyday people, providing them with the information they need in a way that resonates on a human level.

Remember, success in marketing is a journey of continuous improvement and innovation. Stay passionate, remain curious, and always keep the customer at the center. With dedication and the right mindset, you can make a significant impact in this dynamic and rewarding field.

Why Culture Always Outshines Salary

With over two decades of expertise spanning global workplace strategy, employee engagement, and business transformation, Dino Portelli has launched The Workplace Forge to redefine how organisations create exceptional workplace experiences. Drawing on a career partnering with global leaders like Barclays, BBC, PwC, ISS, and Google, Dino has a proven track record of designing and implementing innovative strategies that elevate collaboration, productivity, and employee satisfaction. His visionary leadership has delivered transformative projects, including £MM refurbishments, curated employee experiences, and pioneering wellness programs globally. The Workplace Forge embodies Dino’s passion for crafting inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing environments. From optimising vendor contracts to designing wellness initiatives and enhancing workplace design.

Founder, The Workplace Forge

Dino Portelli

Imagine this: You just got a pay raise. It feels amazing—like all your hard work has finally been recognized. You go out for dinner to celebrate, maybe upgrade a subscription, or splurge on something you’ve been eyeing.

But then, a few weeks pass. The thrill fades. Monday morning rolls around, and you’re back at work, wondering, “What now?”

This is where culture steps in. Because while a pay check might get you through the month, it’s the workplace culture that keeps you engaged, inspired, and fulfilled every single day.

Culture is what makes you want to show up—not because you have to, but because you want to. It’s the heartbeat of happiness, trust, and collaboration. And at The Workplace Forge, we believe it’s the single most important investment any organisation can make.

What Does a Thriving Workplace Culture Look Like?

Here’s the thing about culture—it’s not a quick fix or a checkbox on a list. It’s alive. It’s the collective energy, values, and actions of everyone in the organisation. And when it’s nurtured daily, it becomes a game-changer.

Here are six essential elements of a thriving workplace culture, along with real-world examples to bring them to life:

Communication That Matters

Great workplaces thrive on open communication. This means creating an environment where every voice matters and ideas are welcomed— even the ones that challenge the status quo.

Example: At a tech startup I worked with, employees felt silenced in meetings dominated by

a few louder voices. Together, we introduced a “no interruption” rule, paired with anonymous idea submissions before meetings. The result?

A 40% increase in team participation and breakthrough ideas from previously quiet team members.

Communication isn’t just about talking—it’s about listening, respecting, and making space for every individual.

Genuine, Heartfelt Recognition

When was the last time someone at work thanked you—not just in passing, but in a meaningful way? Recognition doesn’t have to be extravagant, but it does need to feel personal.

Example: I started a “Friday Shout-Outs” tradition. Every week, employees shared a win—big or small—about a colleague. From landing a big account to helping fix a jammed printer, everyone felt seen. Morale soared, and so did team trust.

A little appreciation goes a long way. It reminds people their efforts matter, not just to the company, but to their peers.

Well-Being Front and Centre

Let’s face it—burnout is real. The best workplaces recognize that supporting mental health, flexibility, and work-life balance isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.

Example: A retail company struggling with high turnover implemented “Flex Fridays,” where employees could log off early if their work was done. They paired this with free counselling sessions and wellness stipends. Turnover dropped by 25% within six months, and productivity actually went up.

When well-being is prioritised, employees bring their best selves to work.

Trust That Sparks Teamwork

Trust is the glue of any strong team. Without it, collaboration falls apart. But trust doesn’t happen overnight—it’s built through transparency, reliability, and vulnerability.

Example: A manufacturing company faced deep divisions between management and production staff. I introduced “walk-a-mile” days, where leaders shadowed team members on the floor. Not only did this foster empathy, but it also gave staff a chance to share ideas directly with leadership.

The result? Higher engagement, mutual respect, and innovative solutions to longstanding inefficiencies.

Growth for Everyone

Nobody wants to feel stuck. Growth isn’t just about climbing the corporate ladder; it’s about opportunities to learn, challenge yourself, and see a future in the organisation.

Example: At a catering company, employees frequently left due to a lack of development opportunities. Together, we designed a mentorship program and introduced monthly “learning hours,” where teams could explore skills outside their day-to-day roles. Within a year, retention improved by 30%, and internal promotions increased by 50%.

Growth is a signal to employees: “We see your potential, and we’re invested in it.”

Purpose You Can See and Feel

Here’s the truth: Everyone wants to feel like their work matters. When employees understand the “why” behind their tasks, they’re more likely to feel connected and motivated.

Example: A nonprofit was struggling with staff disengagement. We helped align every team member’s role with the organisation’s mission. For instance, the finance team wasn’t just “processing numbers”—they were ensuring funding reached vulnerable communities. That shift in perspective reignited a sense of pride and ownership across the team.

Communication isn’t just about talking—it’s about listening, respecting, and making space for every individual

A great culture doesn’t just benefit employees—it drives success for the entire organisation

Purpose is the fuel that keeps people engaged, even during tough times.

Why Culture Isn’t Optional

Culture isn’t just about perks or policies—it’s about people. It’s about creating an environment

where they feel safe, supported, and inspired to bring their best.

Here’s why culture matters:

When employees feel valued, they give their best every day.

When trust exists, teams innovate, collaborate, and perform.

When well-being is nurtured, burnout is replaced with energy and focus.

When people find purpose, they’re not just clocking in—they’re thriving.

Interestingly companies rarely look at the cost of replacing team members, on average it costs around 60% of the replacement’s salary. Now imagine retaining your team and using that money on building culture………

And here’s the kicker: A great culture doesn’t just benefit employees—it drives success for the entire organisation. Happy, engaged teams mean better performance, higher retention, and stronger results.

Let’s Forge Something Amazing

At The Workplace Forge, we’re not here to offer cookie-cutter solutions or trendy buzzwords. We’re here to dig deep, get personal, and help you build a culture that truly works for your team.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not the size of the pay check that people remember— it’s how they felt while earning it.

Let’s create a workplace where people feel proud, supported, and inspired.

Let’s forge something unforgettable.