December 06, 2025

288. Richard Bowden, Marketing and Digital Director at No7 by Boots: A Zigzag Career, Beauty, Premium Private Label, DTC in FMCG, Marketing at The Driving Seat

53 minutes

Richard Bowden, Marketing & Digital Director at Boots No7 Beauty Company, joins Daniel to speak about his zigzag career from agencies and British Airways to William Grant & Sons, Unilever and now Boots – and what that journey has taught him about brand building, data, e-commerce and leadership. We also discuss how Boots built premium, "own" brands like No7, why marketing needs a proper seat at the boardroom table again, and how to balance long-term brand building with short-term commercial pressure.

Key topics & takeaways

Boots' No7 Beauty Company model: building retailer-created brands as standalone, premium brands
What British Airways, spirits and Unilever taught him about data, performance and global brand building
Why marketing's core job is to drive growth by being the "voice of the customer" in the boardroom
How to make DTC and e-commerce viable in FMCG by treating them like real, lean businesses
Using social and influencers to stay close to culture and younger generations in beauty
Leadership lessons: psychological safety, clarity, curiosity – and the power of a strong personal network

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

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By Dwyer Partners

44 ratings

December 06, 2025

288. Richard Bowden, Marketing and Digital Director at No7 by Boots: A Zigzag Career, Beauty, Premium Private Label, DTC in FMCG, Marketing at The Driving Seat

53 minutes

Key topics & takeaways

Boots' No7 Beauty Company model: building retailer-created brands as standalone, premium brands
What British Airways, spirits and Unilever taught him about data, performance and global brand building
Why marketing's core job is to drive growth by being the "voice of the customer" in the boardroom
How to make DTC and e-commerce viable in FMCG by treating them like real, lean businesses
Using social and influencers to stay close to culture and younger generations in beauty
Leadership lessons: psychological safety, clarity, curiosity – and the power of a strong personal network