In this episode, Gordon sits down with Martin Doens, Global Director of Digital Experiences (Europe) at Mondelēz International, to explore the sweet spot where heritage brands meet cutting-edge technology.
The conversation explores Martin’s global career journey—from Accenture in Amsterdam, Melbourne, and Silicon Valley to leadership roles at Heineken, ECCO Shoes, JDE Peet’s, and now Mondelēz. He shares how a background in telecom and high tech shaped his approach to FMCG digital transformation, why empathy at scale matters and how data-driven campaigns can deepen brand love.

Along the way, Martin reflects on brands he admires, the importance of staying true to heritage while embracing innovation and what keeps him excited about the road ahead—whether it’s chocolate, quantum computing or the next big disruption.

Tune in if you’ve ever wondered how global consumer brands blend tradition with tech, or how to lead change across cultures and industries.

In this episode, Gordon sits down with Victoria Lozano, Chief Marketing Officer at Crayola and Forbes 50 Entrepreneurial CMO, to explore how one of the world’s most beloved brands keeps creativity at the heart of everything it does.
From Crayola’s 122-year-old origins rooted in education to its modern-day expansion into entertainment, interactive experiences and global initiatives, Victoria shares how the brand continues to spark imagination.

They dive into Crayola’s Campaign for Creativity, fresh from winning multiple Cannes Lions and hear how it reframes creativity as a lifelong skill—not just an artistic pursuit.Victoria also discusses the brand’s immersive location-based experiences, innovative digital canvases and educational content that empowers teachers to inspire the next generation.

Tune in to know how brands remain timeless in purpose and timely in action.

In this episode, Gordon sits down with Lucas Elliott, Customer Experience Research Lead at Google, who takes us through his unexpected journey from a PhD in kinesiology at Penn State to startup life at Rebel, and now to one of the biggest tech companies on the planet.

They dive into how understanding human behavior—whether in public health or product marketing—can unlock better product-market fit, why aligning product, marketing and sales is mission-critical and how insights travel across teams at Google. Also what does studying human movement have to do with shaping world-class customer experiences.
 Lucas also shares career lessons from mentors, the value of staying humble and never burning bridges and why he’s optimistic about AI’s potential to fuel personalization and level the playing field for entrepreneurs.

Tune in if you’re curious about translating academic research into business impact, scaling insights in a massive organization and the future of customer experience.

In this episode, Gordon sits down with Wolfgang Ufer, CEO of smart Deutschland, for a candid and inspiring conversation about transforming a legacy brand into a future-forward mobility company. From his early days at Mercedes-Benz to leading smart through its bold evolution into an electric-only, direct-to-consumer startup, Wolfgang shares how he built a car company from scratch and why getting closer to the customer has always been his North Star.

We dive into smart’s radical journey: navigating the electric mobility transition, scaling innovation with startup urgency, launching the game-changing Smart #5 and embracing a leadership style shaped by openness, accountability and customer proximity.

Tune in to hear why Wolfgang believes there’s “no place to hide” in direct-to-consumer and why that’s exactly where he wants to be.

In this episode, Gordon sits down with Katarzyna Zawodszińska,  Former Marketing Director at Lipton Teas and Infusions, Warsaw — and uniquely, a practicing psychotherapist.

With nearly two decades at Unilever, Katarzyna shares her deep experience across product categories, countries and roles from sales and business development to leading brand transformations. She reflects on how Unilever acted as a true "marketing university", shaping her philosophy of brand building, insight-driven strategy and cross-functional leadership.

But what makes this conversation truly stand out is how Katarzyna bridges marketing and psychotherapy, uncovering the shared essence in both: the human connection. They talk about why Lipton’s global relaunch is more than just a packaging update, how living in the Baltics and working across diverse categories shaped her brand instincts and how young talent, modesty and the power of asking the right questions drive meaningful innovation.

Tune in to get excited about what marketing can be.

In this episode of Spikes Excitement Talks, Gordon sits down with Asif Memon, Head of Strategic Revenue Management at Unilever, for an insightful conversation on connecting marketing, sales and consumer value in the FMCG space.

Asif shares his global journey from Procter & Gamble to Unilever, with stops at L’Oréal, and life across continents—from Dubai to Casablanca to the UK. He reflects on what truly brings impact in today’s fast-moving consumer world and why the future lies in collaboration and purpose-led leadership.

The conversation explores what Strategic Revenue Management actually is and why it’s the engine of modern FMCG growth, how to align sales and marketing not from dysfunction but from untapped opportunity, why cultural immersion and diverse leadership styles shaped his approach and the role of AI, digital commerce and premiumization in the future of FMCG.

Listen in if you care about brand, business and the power of principle-led leadership.

In this episode, Gordon is joined by Patrick Swientek, Director of Integrated Brand & Communication at Danone for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia.

With a career spanning digital marketing, live entertainment, Nestlé and now Danone, Patrick brings a deep and practical perspective on how modern brands can create value beyond the campaign.

They dive into what demand generation really means across categories from yogurt to medical nutrition, how to build brand ecosystems that go far beyond traditional media, why retail media is becoming a game changer in the DACH region and the evolving role of advertisers. Patrick furthermore shares what brands like Nike taught him about longevity, relevance and emotional connection. 

Tune in if you want to know more about where brand strategy, ecosystem thinking and platform evolution intersect. 

In this episode,  Spikes US Partner Dave Cobban sits down with Peter DeLuca, former Chief Creative Officer at T-Mobile & Board Member (CMCI) at University of Colorado Boulder, for an energetic and insightful conversation spanning creativity, leadership and brand transformation.
From his early days pounding the pavement in New York’s ad scene to helping shape T-Mobile into a bold, customer-centric brand, Peter reflects on a career defined by curiosity, consistency and fearless reinvention.

Peter shares stories of launching the iconic Uncarrier platform, navigating high-stakes media moments and building a culture of influence, not control. He also unpacks the evolving role of creativity in an AI-driven world and what it takes to lead teams that shape consumer experience across every touchpoint from TV spots to TikTok.

Tune in to get re-energized about the creative possibilities of marketing today.

In this episode, Gordon is joined by Patrick Swientek, Director of Integrated Brand & Communication at Danone for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia.

With a career spanning digital marketing, live entertainment, Nestlé and now Danone, Patrick brings a deep and practical perspective on how modern brands can create value beyond the campaign.

They dive into what demand generation really means across categories from yogurt to medical nutrition, how to build brand ecosystems that go far beyond traditional media, why retail media is becoming a game changer in the DACH region and the evolving role of advertisers.
Patrick furthermore shares what brands like Nike taught him about longevity, relevance and emotional connection. 

Tune in if you want to know more about where brand strategy, ecosystem thinking and platform evolution intersect. 

In this episode, Gordon sits down with Nathalie Frank Castellanos, former Global Head of Marketing for Whisky Brands at Diageo, to explore her remarkable 15-year journey through branding, innovation and multicultural leadership.

Born in Brazil to Uruguayan parents, now based in Amsterdam, Nathalie reflects on how a chance internship at Diageo sparked her passion for marketing and how that passion evolved into a global career touching markets across every continent. She shares how deep consumer insights, cultural understanding and creativity drive successful brand building.
The conversation explores her early days in consumer planning and pivot to brand management and innovation, the challenges and thrill of launching a zero-alcohol spirit, her mentors who shaped her leadership style and professional ethos and why emotional resonance still matters most—even in an age of AI and hyper-personalization.

Tune in  if you're curious about where global brands are headed and what it takes to lead them there.