












Intoday’sdynamicanddigitallydrivenmarketplace,theroleoftheChief
RevenueOfficer(CRO)hasemergedasoneofthemostinfluentialin steeringbusinesssuccess.Onceseenasasupportfunctiontosalesor marketing,theCROhasnowbecomeacentralarchitectofgrowth—integrating revenuestreams,aligningcross-functionalteams,anddrivinglong-termvalue creationacrosstheentirecustomerlifecycle.
Thisspecialfeature, Europe’s Most Influential Chief Revenue Officer to Watch in 2025,celebratestheleadershipofMattJudgewhoisreshapinghowrevenueis built,measured,andsustainedinanincreasinglycompetitivelandscape.
TheCROprofiledhereisnotjustresponsibleformeetingquarterlytargets. Instead,theybringastrategicmindsettorevenueoperations—bridgingthegap betweensales,marketing,product,finance,andcustomersuccess.They understandthatinafragmented,globalmarket,growthisnolongerjustabout acquisition—it’saboutexperience,retention,andrelationships.Andtheirimpact isevidentnotonlyinthenumbersbutinthecultureofperformanceand accountabilitytheyinstillwithintheirorganizations.
InEurope’shighlydiverseandcomplexeconomicenvironment,suchleadership demandsmorethanbusinessacumen.Itrequiresadaptability,cultural intelligence,andtheabilitytoharmonizeregionalmarketstrategieswithglobal businessobjectives.MattJudgeexemplifiesallthesequalities—andmore.
Hisjourneyismarkedbybolddecisions,data-drivenleadership,andadeep understandingofhowtotranslatemarketsignalsintoopportunity.Heis reshapingbusinessmodels,embracingdigitalacceleration,andinspiringteams tochasenotjustgrowth—butsustainablegrowth.
Thisfeatureisnotjustatribute;itisaglimpseintothefutureofcommercial leadership.Ascompaniesacrosssectorsredefinewhatsuccesslookslikeinthe post-digitaleconomy,thisCROissettingthetoneforwhatrevenueleadership mustbecome:agile,aligned,andrelentlesslycustomer-focused.
Europe’s Most Influential Chief Revenue Officer to Watch in 2025 offersinsight intothekindofleadereveryorganizationwillneed—andeverycompetitorwill watch.
Revenue with Purpose: Driving Growth While Creating Impact 08. F e a t u r i n g Matt Judge Elevating the Live Event Experience
Revenue Reinvention: Adapting to Evolving Consumer Behaviors
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Ma Judge Chief Revenue Officer Seat Unique
My passion for live events has been a defining force throughout my career. This enthusiasm ini ally guided me toward sales roles with Brighton & Hove Albion and later with Arsenal.
“
Great moments are born from great opportunities."
Intheworldofliveevents,creatingunforgettable experiencesisn’tjustabouttheeventitself;it’s abouthowweconnectpeopletothem.Yet,oneofthe biggestchallengeshasalwaysbeenaccessibility.Howdo youensurefans,sponsors,andbusinessesalikecanaccess premiumexperiencesseamlessly?
ThisiswhereMattJudge,ChiefRevenueOfficeratSeat Unique,stepsin.Hisjourneyisrootedinhisdeeppassion forliveevents.FromearlysalesroleswithBrighton& HoveAlbionandArsenal,hediscoverednotjustthethrill ofeventsbutthepowertheyhavetobringpeopletogether
In2019,MattjoinedSeatUniqueasoneofitsfirst employees,drivenbythecompany’sboldmissionto revolutionisetheliveeventsindustry.SeatUnique leveragescutting-edgetechnologytobridgethegap betweenfansandpremiumexperiences,makingexclusive eventsmoreaccessibleandstraightforwardthanever before.
Underhisleadership,SeatUniquehasbecomeatrusted name,redefininghowaudiencesengagewiththeirfavorite sports,music,andculturalevents.Hisstrategicvisionand hands-onapproachhavebeeninstrumentalinthe company’srapidgrowth,ensuringitremainsatthe forefrontofinnovationinacompetitiveindustry
Let us learn more about his journey:
SeatUniquecollaborateswithrightsholdersandvenuesto offersecureaccesstopremiumandhospitalityticketsfor liveevents.Thisplatformbridgesthegapbetweenfansand exclusiveticketandhospitalitypackagesforsports,music, andculturaleventsaroundtheglobe,ensuringan exceptionalexperiencebothduringthebookingprocessand attheeventitself.
WhenMattjoined,SeatUniquewasinitsformativestages. Thecompanylackedawebsiteandwasstilldevelopingits strategy.SteppinginastheHeadofSales,hewasentrusted withthetaskofintroducingtheconceptofsimplifying accesstopremiumliveeventsforpotentialpartners.
I learned the importance of providing that forward-looking perspec ve and vision to keep the team mo vated, rather than dwelling on the current difficul es.
Atthattime,thecompanyhadonlyasmallteam,andno officialpartnershipswereestablished.Theinitialdaysposed challenges,butthroughdeterminationandeffective teamwork,theytransformedthebusinessfromgenerating £10kGMVpermonthtoanimpressive£4Mmonthly revenue,establishingover70partnershipsalongtheway.
AsSeatUniqueendeavouredtosecureitsfirstkeypartners, thechallengesfacedbystartupswereever-present, especiallywithlimitedresources.Matt'sleadershipduring thiscrucialtimecenteredoncultivatingaflexible,eager, andcollaborativeteam.Hesoughtindividualswhowere enthusiasticaboutlearningandcontributingtothe company'sdevelopment,ratherthanthoseconfinedto specificroles.
Whenthepandemicstruck,theteamdwindledtojustthree members.However,insteadofretreating,theyintensified theirrecruitmentefforts,bringingintalentedindividuals whosharedtheirvision.Today,SeatUniqueboastsarobust teamofover80staffacrosstwooffices.Thistransformative periodallowedthecompanytocontinueexpandingevenas liveeventscametoahalt.Thisjourneyresultedinastrong teamcapableofadaptingandthrivingunderpressure.
AtSeatUnique,astrongteamplaysavitalroleinachieving success.Withtrustedcolleaguesmanagingvarioustasks andprojects,Mattcanconcentrateonthemostimportant priorities.Forinstance,duringfixturereleasesforpartners andmajormusicannouncements,theteamisreadytoshare theworkload.
M a J u d g e
Thiscollaborativespirit,combinedwithadaptableand scalabletechnology,enablesthemtohandlemultiple projectsseamlessly.Thededicationofeachteammember ensuresthattheycanefficientlyjugglethese responsibilities,makingitpossibletomeettheirgoalswith confidenceandease.
ShortlyafterjoiningSeatUnique,Mattfacedasignificant challengeastheCOVID-19pandemicbroughtthelive eventsindustrytoastandstill.Withvenuesclosedandlive eventticketsalesseeminglyoutofreach,theprospectof sellingaccesstoeventsfeltalmostimpossible.
Insteadofgivingup,theteamrefocusedtheireffortsinto twokeyareas:first,providingthebestpossiblecustomer caretotheirexistingclients,andsecond,continuingto pursuenewpartnershipsbyfocusingonunderstandingthe needsofpotentialpartners.
ThisexperiencetaughtMatttheimportanceofpatienceand persistence,anditreinforcedthevalueoftailoringtheir approachtomeetthespecificneedsofeachpartner,whether theywerelookingtoincreaserevenuesorimprovefan attendance.
ShortlyafterjoiningSeatUnique,Mattencountereda formidablechallengeastheCOVID-19pandemichaltedthe
We have a great team in place at Seat Unique, which certainly helps. Having those around you who you trust and who can manage certain tasks and projects gives me the chance to focus on my most important 5-10 tasks whilst they can help with other tasks.
liveeventsindustry.Withvenuesclosedandticketsalesfor liveeventsslippingaway,theideaofsellingaccessto eventsseemednearlyimpossible.
Insteadofsurrenderingtothecircumstances,Mattandhis teamredirectedtheirfocustowardtwokeyareas.First,they aimedtoprovidetheirexistingclientswithexceptional customercare.Second,theyactivelysoughtnew partnerships,prioritisinganunderstandingofpotential partners'needs.Thisexperienceunderscoredthe significanceofpatienceandpersistence.Italsohighlighted theimportanceofcustomisingtheirapproachtoalignwith theuniquegoalsofeachpartner,whethertheysoughtto boostrevenuesorenhancefanattendance.
Aseventsbegantoreopenafterthelockdown,significant effortwasdevotedtopreparingclientsforthelong-awaited gatheringstheyhadmissedforayearortwo.However, furtherlockdownsresultedinadditionalcancellationsof liveevents,leavingtheteamfeelingdisheartenedand challenged.
Toupliftspirits,afocusonthelong-termvisionwas encouraged,withremindersthatthecurrentobstacleswere onlytemporary.Matthighlightedtheexcitingpossibilities forgrowththatawaitedonceliveeventsresumed, motivatingeveryonetokeeppushingforwarddespitethe uncertainty
Bymaintainingafocusonthebusiness'slong-term potentialduringthosetoughtimes,theteamwasableto endureandultimatelythrive.Whenliveeventsfinally returned,theyemergedstrongerthanever,havingexpanded theirpartnernetworkwhileretainingallexistingclientsand supporters.
Thisexperienceunderscoredtheimportanceofofferinga forward-lookingperspectivetoinspiremotivation,steering clearofdwellingonimmediatedifficulties.
MattplayedapivotalroleinSeatUnique’stransformation fromasmallstartupintoasignificantforceinthelive eventssector.Lastyear,thecompanyproudlysecuredthe 4thpositionintheSifted100:UK&Irelandand5thinthe 2024DeloitteUKTechnologyFast50,boastingan impressiverevenuegrowthof7,921%overthepastfour years.
Whilethisachievementisacollectiveeffort,acrucial aspectofthissuccesswasMatt'sfocusondrivingrevenue, buildingenduringpartnerships,andcultivatingastrong internalteam.
Dataservesasthefoundationforeffectivedecision-making. Whenseekingnewpartnerships,thedatateammeticulously analysesavailablemetrics,enablingtheadjustmentof strategies,asnecessary.
ThisanalysisequipsMattandthebroadercompanywitha clearunderstandingofmarketpotential,facilitating informedchoicesregardingpricing,inventory,andsales strategies.Suchinsightshaveprovenessentialforstaying aheadofmarkettrendsandmaximisingthevalueoftheir offerings.
SeatUniquehaswitnessedremarkablegrowth, accompaniedbyawaveofchange.Overthepastthree years,thecompanyhasachievedrecordgrowthyearafter year Asitexpands,thefocuscontinuestoevolve.Initially concentratedonthesportssector,SeatUniquehasrecently identifiedsignificantopportunitiesinthemusicindustry. Manypeopledesiretoattendliveeventsbutoftenstruggle tofindwheretopurchaseticketsanddislikewaitinginlong queues.
Matt'sexpertisewasprimarilyrootedinthesportingworld, makingthetransitiontounderstandinghowtoursand concertsoperateinstadiumsandarenasacrossthecountry anexcitingchallenge.Immersinghimselfinthisnew landscapehasproventobeanenrichingexperience. Throughoutthisjourney,collaborationwithstadiums, arenas,promoters,andartistmanagementteamshas deepenedtheirunderstandingandconnectedthemwith industryexperts.
Inashortperiod,SeatUniquehasmadeimpressivestrides. Thecompanyhaspartneredwithsomeofthelargest stadiumsinthecountry,establishedcollaborations,and announcedanofficialpartnershipwithLondonStadium.It hasalsojoinedforceswithCo-OpLiveArenaasapartner andrecentlylauncheditsfirsttourasthepresentingpartner.
Mattfacedachallengingdecisionregardingpromotions withinhisteam.Whilehavingmultipletalentedindividuals vyingforadvancementisapositivesituation,itinevitably leavessomefeelingoverlooked.Inthesemoments,herelies ontransparencyandtheavailabledatatoguidehischoices.
Heensuresthattheteamcomprehendsthereasoningbehind eachdecision,emphasisingthattheprocessisrootedin performancemetricsandalignedwiththebestinterestsof thebusiness’sgrowth.
Althoughnoteveryonemayagreewiththeoutcomes,Matt understandstheimportanceoffairnessandclear communication.Thisapproachfosterstrustwithintheteam, evenwhendifficultchoicesarise.
Theprogressmadehasbeenremarkableinashortspanof time.Collaborationswithsomeofthecountry’slargest stadiumshavebeenestablished,partnershipswithASM havebeensignedtosupportsevenarenas,andarecent alliancewithCo-OpLiveArenahastakenshape.Most notably,theyhavelaunchedtheirfirsttourasthePresenting Partner,markingasignificantmilestoneintheirjourney.
Inahyper-connecteddigitaleraofshiftingtastes,global
uncertainty,andtechnologydisruption,businessesarebeingforced torethinkhowtheygeneratemoney.Long-termsuccessisderived fromunderstandingandadaptingtoshiftingconsumer behavior—becausetheplayersthatdisruptthecustomerwillbethe winners.
Consumerstodayaremoreeducated,networked,andpurpose-driven thaneverbefore.Consumerstodayarenotjustbuyingstuff—they're investinginexperiences,beliefsystems,andrelationships.Speed, transparency,personalization,andpurposearenolongerdifferentiators; they'reexpectations.
Consumerstodayrequirebrandstomeetthemwheretheyare.They requiredigitalsimplicity,frictionless,andcontextualinteraction. Mobile,voicesearch,socialcommerce,andsubscriptionmodelshave linearturnbuyerjourneysbecomefluid.Companiesmustaccess consumerswheretheyareandnotwheretheyusedtobe.
Oneofthestrongestbehaviorchangesispersonalization.Customers don'trespondtobatchmessagesorstandardoffers.Theywanttobe presentedwithrecommendationsbasedonpastbehavior,contentthatis individualized,andfilteredexperiencesthataretimelyand personalized.
Data-drivenpersonalizationispoweredbyanalyticsandAImakesit possibleforcompaniestodeliverjustthat.Fromemailmarketing campaignstodynamicwebpagesandproductrecommendationsfor eachandeveryindividual,brandsareusinginsightstofostermore meaningfulrelationshipsanddrivehigherconversionrates.
Personalizationnotonlyprovideshigherusersatisfactionbutalso returnsinadirectmanner.Performingmultiplestudies,brandsthat personalizewellrealize5to15%revenueupliftsand10to30%returns onmarketingeffectiveness.
Duetodemandsforconvenienceandcontinuity, subscriptionandmembershipmodelshavegonefarand wide.Fromsoftware(SaaS)tostreamingservices, foodstuffs,fashion,fitness,andbeyond—consumers increasinglychooseaccessoverownership.
Thisshiftopensuprepeatbusiness,longercustomer lifecycles,andhigherloyalty.Businessesthatreimagine howtheydelivervalue—throughongoingaccess,specialist content,ormember-benefits—arecreatingrecurring revenuethatrespondstonewconsumptionhabits.
Butsuccesswiththemodeldependsuponcontinuously providingvalue,refiningoffersbasedonfeedback,and holdingcustomerretentionaboveallelse.
Thosewerethedayswhencustomershadtoengagewitha brandmerelythroughoneortwotouchpoints.Today'sthe eraofshopperswhobouncebetweenofflineaswellas onlinetouchpointssmoothly,lookingforanend-to-end experienceusingallofthem.
Torethinkrevenue,businessesmustdeliverafrictionless brandexperience—bethecustomerbrowsingin-store, chattingwithachatbot,orswipinganapp.That'stoalign sales,marketing,andservicesacrosschannelsandhave everytouchpointengineeredforengagement.
Effectiveomnichannelprogramspayoffwithhappier customers,betterretention,andmoreopportunitiestoupsell orcross-sell,finallydrivingmorerevenue.
Increasingly,consumers—particularlymillennialsandGen Z—aremakingbuyingdecisionsonthebasisofvalue. Ethicalsourcing,sustainability,socialresponsibility,and DEI(diversity,equity,inclusion)effortsareinfluencing whomtheybuyfrom.
Revenuereinventionisallaboutrecognizingthatpurpose isn'tmerelyaPRinitiative—it'spositioning.Organizations thatintegrateauthenticityandsocialgoodintothebusiness modelattractnotjustconsumerswhoalignwiththesame valuesbutalsocreateemotionalloyaltythattranslatesto expansioninthelongterm.
Sourcingdisclosures,carbonfootprintdisclosures,and companyvaluedisclosuresinducehigherdegreesoftrust andidentificationneededintoday'shigh-stakescompetition marketplace.
Context-dependent,value-,andbehavior-baseddynamic modelsaresupplantingstaticpricing.Frequentbuyerswill embracefreemiumversions,pay-as-you-use,flexible payments,andvalue-pricedproducts—namely,indigital servicesandtechproducts.
Toremaincompetitive,companiesmustexperimentwith pricingstrategiesmoreinsyncwithperceivedvalue.Clever companiesareusingbehavioraldataandpredictive analyticstoforecastdemand,testpricesensitivity,andreact inreal-time—drivingrevenueandcustomersatisfaction higher.
Flexiblepricingstrategiesarenolongerthedomainoftech startups—they'rebecomingakeypillarofreinvention acrossindustries.
Attheheartofrevenuereinventionis innovation—specificallytechnologicalinnovation.Through automation,AI,ornext-generationanalytics,companies needtoinvestinsolutionsthatenablethemtopredict needs,makeprocessesmoreefficient,andreinvent products.
Consumerneedswillcontinuetoshift,andthemost successfulcompanieswillbethosethatstayaheadbya minimumofonestep.Thatmeansrethinkingproduct strategy,digitaldesign,customerengagementmodels,and sellingstrategiesaroundeachcornerfueledbyinnovation asasourceofinspiration.
It'slessgee-whiztechnology;it'smoreaboutcontinuously deliveringvalue.Thecompaniesthataredoingitare creatingnewformsofmonetizationandsolutionstoa changingworld.
Inventingnewrevenueisn'tfixingwhat'swrong;it's buildingwhat'scomingnext.It'snotamatterofadoptinga newphilosophyofdoingthings,butanewperspectiveof thinkingabouthowbusinessesinteractwiththeconsumer, howtheybuildvalue,andhowtheyreacttochange.
Asconsumersshifttheirbehavior,sodobusinessmodels. Thosewhohear,learn,andreinventwithagilitywillcreate newsourcesofrevenue—andbuildstronger,moreenduring connectionswiththecustomerstheyserve.Inthisnew universe,thereisnochoicebutagility—it'sthemost valuablecurrencyabusinesscanown.
Inanagewhereconsumertrustismoneyanddoingtherightthing
ismoreimportantthanever,companiesareredefiningsuccess.
Profitaloneisnolongerthesolemetric—impact,sustainability, andpurposearebeginningtoinformbusinessstrategy."Revenuewith purpose"isnotacatch-allphrase;it'sarevolutionarymodelwhere companiesexpandwhilemakingapositiveimpactintheworld.
Historically,businessanddoinggoodhavebeenseparate endeavors—onehasbelongedintheboardroom,theothertononprofits. Nowadays,however,thatseparationisgraduallydisappearing. Customers,shareholders,andemployeesalikeareallexpectingmore fromthecompaniestheyshopwith.Consumerswanttobeableto glanceandfeelgoodthatthebrandstheyconsume,investin,orwork foraremakingapositiveimpact.
MillennialsandGenZ,especially,areholdingbusinessesaccountable fortheircarbonfootprint,diversityinitiatives,supplychain responsibility,andcommunityinvolvement.Thishasledbusinessesto instillpurposeintotheirfoundationalstrategies,notjustasanethical obligationbutasacompetitivetool.
Contrarytotheage-oldperceptionthatsocialresponsibilityisatthe expenseofprofits,purposeisincreasinglybeingregardedasagrowth catalyst.Purpose-ledenterprisesareoutperformingtheirsectorpeerson variousfrontsofperformance.Theseenterpriseshavehigherbrand love,improvedpeopleretention,andenhancedcustomersatisfaction.
Whenabusinesshaspurpose,itspeaksmorepowerfullytoits audience.Thatsenseofresonancecreatesloyalty,inspiresadvocacy, andtendstodrivehigherlifetimecustomervalue.Purpose,therefore, motivateslong-term,sustainablerevenue.
Itbeginswithauthenticity.It'snotgoingthroughthe motionsoffollowingatrend—it'sdiscoveringacompany's truenorthandmakingeverythingaboutthebusiness revolvearoundit.Thatincludesproductdevelopment, marketing,customerexperience,hiring,andpartnerships.
Forexample,aclothingcompanythatwantstobegreen doesnotjustdesignclothingfromrecycledproducts.Ithas tolookatfairlaborpracticesinitssupplychain,sustainable packaging,andopensources.Whenthoseinitiatives connectbacktothecompanynarrative,theoutcomeis trust—andtrustisthelargestcapitalassetinanymarket.
Purposecanactasaninnovationdriver.Mission-based organizationsaremoreadaptable,moreconcentrated,and morelikelytothinkoutsidethebox.Theyaremotivatedto createnewproductssolvingreal-lifeissues,penetrate untappedmarkets,andidentifyefficienciesthatcutwaste andmultiplyimpact.
Fromrenewableenergyfirmstohealthcareplatforms expandingruralcoverage,purposeisdrivingdaring innovation.Notonlyarethesecompaniesgainingaccessto newsourcesofrevenue,buttheyarealsobecomingmarket leaders.
Purposecountsinthebackgroundtoo.Today'sworkforceis morevalue-driven.Greatpeoplewantpurposefulworkthat alignswiththeirownvalues.Businesseswithaclear purposegainacompetitiveadvantageinattractingand retainingtopperformers.
Investorsnoticeit,too.ESG(Environmental,Social,and Governance)practicesarenowinherentlybuiltinto investmentdecisions.Fundsflowtocompaniesthatact responsibly,withcleanandtransparentgovernanceanda historyofmakingadifference.Inthiscase,purposeisnota companybuzzwordjargon—it'samessagetotheworldthat thecompanyisheretostay
Ofcourse,intentmustbemorethanthat—itmustbe quantifiable.Companiesareincreasinglyusingimpact measurementframeworksthatlooknotonlyatfinancial returnsbutalsosocialandenvironmentalimpacts.
EitherthroughBCorpcertification,ESGreporting,orinhouseKPIsagainstsustainabilitygoals,companiesneedto callthemselvestoaccount.Notonlydoesthisdrive improvement,butitwinstheconfidenceofincreasingly skepticalconsumersforwhom"purpose-washing"is increasinglyabyword.
Transparency,narrative,andthird-partyendorsementall servetosupportthecompany'scommitmentandshowthe realimpactofitsefforts.
Therearenumerousexamplesintherealworldof companiesallovertheworldthathavesuccessfullyinfused purposeintotheirbusinessmodel.Forinstance:
•Patagoniamakesenvironmentalismastatedpriorityand givesbacksomeprofittosupportconservationprojects, creatingitselfaloyalcustomerbaseintheprocess.
•TOMSShoesestablisheditscompanyonthe"Onefor One"model,provingthatsocialbenefitcanbeincorporated intoproductdesignandsales.
•Unilever'sSustainableLivingBrandshaveoutperformed itsotherbrandsconsistently,provingthebusinesssuccess ofpurpose.
Theseexamplesshowthatdoingwellanddoinggoodare notopposingconcepts.Infact,theyarecomplementary.
Thebusinessofthefutureisn'tselling—it'ssolving. Customerswillincreasinglylooktobrandsthatreflecttheir values.Employeeswillseekoutemployerswheretheyfeel theirworkmakesadifference.Investorswillfavor responsibilityandresilience.
Thosecompaniesthatrecognizethisshiftandrespondin commitmentandclaritywon'tjustweatherthe change—thosecompanieswillthrive.Profitwithpurpose isn'tacompromise—it'sanamplifier.Ittransforms transactionsintorelationships,growthintolegacy,and businessintoaforceforgood.
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