Spikes Excitement Talks

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Genevieve Labrecque, Head of Marketing Eyewear Middle East/Africa at Luxottica, about saying yes before you feel ready, human-led leadership and why trust is becoming marketing’s most important currency.

From Nike and Uber to Oakley, Ray-Ban and now Luxottica, Genevieve shares how each brand taught her something different, from storytelling and data-led insight to setting a bold vision and balancing global consistency with local relevance. She talks about growing outside her comfort zone, blending the art and science of marketing, and how a manager who trusted her changed the scope of her career.

She also looks ahead at marketing in a world shaped by AI, arguing that brands must rethink their media mix as people trust AI assistants for recommendations, and that the brands cutting through are those building cult personalities through founder stories and athletes as real partners.

Tune in to hear Genevieve’s perspective on leadership, working parenthood and brand building, and why people want to be brought along on the journey.

In this episode, Maik speaks with Gul Dikmen, Director, Global Marketing, Sonicare Power Toothbrushes and Brushheads at Philips, about turning consumer insights into innovation, staying motivated through long product cycles and building brands with a purpose.

From RB and Kimberly-Clark in Turkey and the US to Philips in Amsterdam, Gul shares how a chemical engineer found her calling while sitting next to the marketing team during her internship. She talks about the five-year journey behind the new Philips Sonicare Next Generation DiamondClean, the mentors who taught her to trust her gut alongside the data, and what living across Turkish, American and Dutch cultures has given her.

She also looks ahead at AI in marketing, arguing that it is an advantage rather than a threat, but that human and social connection is something no technology will take over.

Tune in to hear Gul’s perspective on consumer tensions, end-to-end innovation and purpose-driven brands, and why the impact you have on people stays when the numbers change.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Ewelina Przesmycka, Head of Make-up Category at L’Oréal, about bringing commercial and marketing teams together, turning strategy into shared execution and what AI could mean for collaboration.

From Lorenz Bahlsen Snack-World and Kraft Heinz to Unilever and L’Oréal, Ewelina shares how a holistic view of the business, first gained in a management internship that rotated her through every department, has guided each step of her career. She talks about the difference between selling food and building meaningful beauty brands, why observing the people you admire is the best way to learn from mentors, and how a cross-functional “diamond model” at Unilever delivered 36% growth.

She also looks ahead at AI and increasingly crowded markets, arguing that the real opportunity lies in connecting commercial, business development and marketing teams so they create value together.

Tune in to hear Ewelina’s perspective on category growth, mentorship and cross-functional teamwork, and why getting people from different departments behind one common goal is what drives growth.

In this episode, Maik speaks with Heike Panella, General Manager Clarins Germany at Groupe Clarins, about brand building in beauty, the future of the point of sale and leading with responsibility.

From Group Product Manager at L’Oréal Paris and Managing Director of the Active Cosmetics Division at L’Oréal Germany to Global Brand President of Eau Thermale Avène and now General Manager Clarins Germany, Heike shares how a passion for marketing and consumer connection has guided her through 25 years in beauty. She talks about creating in-store experiences in an omnichannel world, Clarins’ B Corp journey and purpose beyond products, and the Leadership Compass approach of leading from the front or from behind.

She also looks ahead at the future of brand building, arguing that tougher competition, AI and new channels demand smarter thinking, strong vision and excellent execution with fewer resources.

Tune in to hear Heike’s perspective on brand experience, responsible leadership and building momentum, and why the toughest challenges are what excite her most.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s Deutschland LLC, about local brand building, the return of “Ich liebe es” and why brand matters more than ever.

From Unilever and Philips to McDonald’s Nederland and McDonald’s Deutschland, Stijn shares how combining creative thinking with a love for numbers has shaped his path in marketing. He talks about owning the guest experience end to end like a conductor, launching McCafé drinks in Germany with a creator first approach, and why the best leaders are not the smartest person in the room but make the room smarter.

He also looks ahead at the future of marketing, arguing that the industry is becoming more human and more technological at the same time, and that in the age of large language models, brands must clearly tell people what they stand for to show up at all.

Tune in to hear Stijn’s perspective on localization, cultural relevance and earned media, and why a brand has to bring something to the party to truly belong in people’s lives.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Kathryn Swallow, Global Category Head - OTC at Haleon, about building brands as businesses, the changing relationship between consumers and their health, and why simplicity drives scale.

From Global and Regional Brand Manager at Unilever and Marketing Director at Rightmove to Global Brand Vice President for Dove and Rexona and now Haleon, Kathryn shares how a school lesson on Benetton sparked a lifelong curiosity about the power of brands. She talks about why a brand is a business, why relevance and trust matter more than fame, and why global brands only succeed with deep local relevance.

She also looks ahead at the future of consumer health, arguing that OTC brands built on trusted science still have their biggest stories to tell, and that the magic lies in creating repeatable growth models at global scale.

Tune in to hear Kathryn’s perspective on brand fundamentals, consumer health and global growth, and why nothing has to be that complicated.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Majken Nielsen, SVP Marketing and Communications Northern Europe at Mastercard, about agentic commerce, building trust across an entire ecosystem and why a career doesn’t have to follow a straight line.

From management consulting and the CMO role at IBM Danmark to leading marketing for Northern Europe at Salesforce and now Mastercard, Majken shares how every role taught her something and prepared her for the next opportunity. She talks about persistence and resilience, building diverse teams where people feel safe to challenge each other, and showing that leadership can be ambitious, human and balanced.

She also looks ahead at agentic commerce, where AI agents will discover products, make recommendations and complete purchases on our behalf, arguing that the real value lies in giving people back time for the moments that matter most, as long as the technology underneath stays safe and trusted.

Tune in to hear Majken’s perspective on trust, connection and resilience, and why difficult moments are never wasted.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Ai Suzuki, Head of Marketing at Uber Eats Japan, about following your curiosity, the power of mentors and making an impact on everyday life.

From Account Executive and Creative Producer at Hakuhodo to Head of Brand and now Head of Marketing at Uber Eats Japan, Ai shares how one Apple ad and a lot of curiosity shaped her path. She talks about joining advertising to be close to the crazy people, turning an unprepared job interview into a lesson in listening, and moving client side after Uber Eats became a lifesaver for her as a young mother.

She also looks ahead at Uber's mission to reimagine the way the world moves for the better, arguing that the biggest impact lies in changing how people feel and live in their everyday lives, especially in Japan.

Tune in to hear Ai's perspective on curiosity, mentorship and food culture in Japan, and why the people around you shape the choices that matter most.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Stefanie Hartstern, Corporate Director Global Media & Content Excellence at Henkel, about outcomes-based media, high-performing teams and what AI can and cannot do for brands.

From WEB.DE and OMD to 17 years at MediaCom and WPP Media and now Henkel, Stefanie shares how an industry in constant transformation still runs on the same fundamentals: consumers choose brands they trust. She talks about moving media and content to an outcomes-based model, leading global teams with more listening than talking, and why Henkel's culture change towards high-performing teams made her move back to the client side a no-brainer.

She also looks ahead at AI, arguing that the real opportunity is not efficiency or replacing people, but putting humans in a better position to make better decisions. Creativity still comes from the human, AI just accelerates it.

Tune in to hear Stefanie's perspective on fundamentals, culture and use cases, and why it is time to stop talking about AI and start talking about the problems it solves.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Victoria Grzymek, Marketing Director Biscuits and Bakery at Mondelez International, about 360 marketing in FMCG, the Milka x McCafé partnership and opening the industry to more diverse talent.

From the Sales and Marketing Graduate programme and Cadbury in the UK to a frontline sales role, revenue planning and now the DACH bakery business with Oreo, Milka and TUC, Victoria shares how moving between functions, brands and countries built her commercial muscle. She talks about why she chose marketing over finance or consulting, the energy she gets from creative agencies and planners, and her work with nonprofits like SALT and upReach to make the industry more inclusive.

She also looks ahead at AI and creativity, arguing that technology can democratise skills and free up time for the big strategic questions, and that marketing can still be a force for good.

Tune in to hear Victoria’s perspective on breadth, partnerships and inclusion, and why a good idea lets a team move fast at scale.