Experience

Marketing & Ecommerce Specialist, Creative Leader and Award Winning Digital Agency Founder

Overview

My unique value is infusing my detailed technical digital commerce knowledge with the art of brand positioning and the science of performance marketing to support accelerated digital growth.

My unique value is infusing my detailed technical digital commerce knowledge with the art of brand positioning and the science of performance marketing to support accelerated digital growth.

  • Over 20 years of digital agency experience leading cross-functional agile eCommerce teams on multi-million dollar projects 
  • Deep knowledge of the digital commerce ecosystem across platforms and tools, with a build and optimize mindset
  • Experienced digital marketer, driving multi-million dollar revenues for top retail brands.
  • Passion for new tech and digital innovations that improve site experience, lift user traffic, engagement, and conversion.
  • Hands-on Amazon experience successfully launching new products with 7 figure year 1 revenues.
  • Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing with a strong network of creative and technical partners and freelancers.

Work Experience

Digital Commerce Consultancy services to global brands looking to scale operations, drive cost efficiencies and boost revenues.

Digital Commerce Merchandising & Operations Lead (August. 2021-Present)

  • Develop future-ready commerce operating models and solution on/near/offshore delivery
  • Created a new Headless Merchandising approach facilitating efficient omnichannel sales across the digital shelf
  • Created a value-led solutioning framework

Lead Amazon marketing, advertising, creative, and product development for a fast-moving highly profitable startup manufacturer launching natural household cleaning products direct to Amazon.

Vice President Marketing (Nov. 2020-Nov. 2021)

  • Revitalized the Calyptus brand strategy and updated the visual identity and all packaging.
  • Quickly built additional revenue stream by extending a popular product line from a single SKU to 8 SKUs, tripling revenue in the first year.
  • Led competitor conquesting research identifying new profitable markets
  • Direct all storefront and A+ Enhanced Brand Content creative, regularly running A/B testing optimization.

Headed the marketing and digital commerce for a truly cutting-edge company, innovating in the healthy hydration sector.  

Vice President of Marketing & Ecommerce (Feb. 2019 - Nov. 2021)

  • Led the brand development through concept testing, defining consumer audience, building the brand strategy, naming, pricing, visual and verbal identity, packaging, and content.
  • Managed digital commerce vendor selection, requirements gathering, tech stack, UX, design, and development of a Magento Cloud Digital Commerce site balancing brand experience with optimized checkout funnel.
  • Created strategy and content for all acquisition marketing and setup retention marketing automations designed to yield subscription sign-ups.
  • Led the Magento integration of Odoo ERP with Rakuten fulfillment and Zendesk customer service portal unifying order management, chat, voice, email, and social customer service channels. 
  • Implemented cutting edge and easy to use augmented reality for customers to try products at home.
  • Built and budgeted $10M Go to Market strategy and tactical execution plan. Delivered a fully integrated approach to performance and traditional marketing including SEO, email, social, display, search, referral, marketplace, affiliate, print, direct mail, outdoor, and PR.
  • More: vitapodworld.com

Lead the digital commerce strategy, UX, design, and marketing for clients, working with their in-house teams or my roster of industry experts for production and other technical resources as needed.

Ecommerce Creative & Marketing Specialist (2015 - 2019)

  • Build agile project teams and ensure best practice planning, cost management, and fast turnaround on all digital commerce and marketing projects.
  • Specialize in optimizing existing client digital commerce sites, improving funnel performance, usability, accessibility, managing client’s development roadmap, and re-platforming to enterprise solutions.
  • Develop customer acquisition strategies across affiliate, SEO, paid search, email, and social media marketing channels.
  • Create compelling multi-channel brand experience and performance marketing campaigns that balance short-term profitability with long-term brand awareness.
  • Create Marketplace strategies including competitor conquesting, pricing, bundling, and other promotional methods. Deep knowledge of winning Amazon A+ enhanced brand content, SEO, and advertising tactics.
  • Manage, train and mentor client design and UX teams.

A new disruptor online banking startup launching in the Russian market, offering an all-in-one payment and loyalty discount card to a demographic that was not able to access traditional banking facilities.

Chief Digital Officer / Co-Founder - Price Free (2013 - 2015)

  • Recruited and led agile creative, production and technical teams.
  • Created the Price Free brand based on extensive market research and trend analysis. 
  • Developed the phase 1 marketing lead gen site and phase 2 transactional/membership site and app.
  • Developed the online/offline customer acquisition and retention strategy.
  • Produced all marketing assets, including the debit card design and promotional materials.
  • Due to Russia/US macro-political factors, funding was pulled and the business was closed.

Pod1 (now Born Group) was one of the first creative digital commerce and marketing agencies to match premium design with complex technology. I set up and led the agency from humble beginnings to over 120 people, opening offices in London, New York and Cape Town.

CEO

  • Oversaw agency financials and board meetings.
  • Responsible for the group's global commerce and creative vision.
  • Promoted inter-agency collaboration, resource sharing, communication, and innovation.
  • Setup an off-shore development team in Cape Town to boost resources and reduce cost.

Pod1 New York Chief Digital Officer (2007 - 2012)

  • Setup and quickly established Pod1 as New York’s goto digital commerce agency 
  • Headed the new business team and led the planning and strategy for key accounts including Kenneth Cole, Movado, Nanette Lepore, Philip Stein, Anya Hindmarch, and Lord & Taylor.
  • Recruited, trained, and mentored a talented young team.
  • Oversaw development of Pod1’s Magento accelerator package, enabling us to shortcut the development process and provide value to clients.
  • Spearheaded agency growth, gaining inclusion in the inc500 List of US Fastest Growing Companies, and picking up numerous awards along the way.

Pod1 London Managing Director & Creative Director (2001 - 2007)

  • Launched Pod1 London and oversaw the new business team and creative studio. 
  • Led the planning and strategy for key accounts including Shell, Virgin, UN, Honda, Tesco and Uniqlo.
  • Created a 360° framework for clients which allowed us to handle all their digital needs: creative & UX, technical development, digital marketing, hosting, optimisation, analytics, 24/7 support, and maintenance.
  • Oversaw the development of custom in-house proprietary email marketing, content management and digital commerce technology.

Co-Founder - Kami Media (2005 - 2010)

Tapping into the growth of user-generated video, this niche site (kamikazevideos.com) was targeted at extreme sports enthusiasts and provided a form of light-entertainment that was not commonly available online. Videos were distributed to various online channels in Europe and Asia including MSN, Yahoo, Heavy.com and Extreme.

Co-Founder - List Ideas (2005 - 2010)

One of the original global online wishlist services. It used what was then pioneering technologies to provide the ever-growing user base the ability to create wishlists for all occasions and to bookmark content from any website.