Spikes Excitement Talks

In this episode, Gordon sits down with Vasu Read, European Marketing Communication Lead at Nestlé, who has worked with some of the world's best-known brands like Nescafé, KitKat and Maggi to Starbucks and Nespresso . Vasu shares her journey into marketing, reflects on leading purpose-driven initiatives such as Nespresso's recycling programme and discusses why today's marketing landscape, despite AI, fragmentation and constant change, is the most exciting it has ever been.
They explore why brands need to earn legitimacy, how AI should be seen as an enabler rather than the destination and why going back to the fundamentals of brand building is the key to future growth.

Tune in to find out what it takes to lead some of the world's most iconic brands in the age of AI.

In this episode, Gordon hosts Julian Probst, who after nearly 15 years at P&G made the leap to financial services as CMO of BNP Paribas Personal Investors Germany. 

He shares why there are no boring categories, only undiscovered human insights, and how the principles of world-class brand building apply just as much to finance as they do to consumer goods. Julian also discusses the role of mentorship, why marketing must bridge creativity and technology  and how AI is reshaping the future of marketing by freeing teams to focus on what matters most: creativity and customer understanding.

Tune in to hear why the best brands aren't built on products. They’re built on human truths, courageous decisions and a relentless customer-first mindset.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Christina Müller, Head of Marketing DACH at Haleon, who reflects on a career spanning Unilever, Kraft Heinz and award-winning campaigns that challenged convention, most notably the viral red cabbage pizza campaign for Kühne. She shares why marketers need to embrace risk, how to build brands that become part of culture, and why AI is making creativity more important, not less.

Tune in for an exciting chat on why the biggest risk in marketing is playing it safe and how bold creativity can unlock extraordinary growth.

In this episode, Gordon Euchler talks with Vera Cvetkovic, Head of Marketing Business Operations & Analytics at Canada Post. With a career spanning engineering, marketing technology, global consulting, and enterprise transformation, Vera shares how she navigated decades of technological change from the early days of email marketing and Google's acquisition of DoubleClick to leading AI adoption and digital modernization today. The conversation explores balancing innovation with business value, the importance of mentorship, career resilience, and why success is built through curiosity, patience and purpose rather than shortcuts.

Tune in to hear why lasting careers are built one opportunity at a time and how staying true to your values matter more than chasing the latest technology.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Heana Thakur, Head of Marketing for Argos Marketplace at Sainsbury's.

Heana shares her unconventional career journey from discovering her passion for data-driven marketing in agency life to leading one of Sainsbury's largest transformation projects. Together, they explore career-defining decisions, the importance of great managers and company culture, what makes marketing genuinely valuable to customers, and why curiosity and critical thinking matter more than ever in the age of AI.

Tune in to hear how Heana built a career by embracing uncertainty, following the data, and staying relentlessly customer-focused—from agency life to leading one of retail's most exciting transformation projects.

What remains constant when brands, technology, and leadership are changing faster than ever?

In this episode, Alessandro Panella speaks with Khanh Huynh-Kürzinger, author of the forthcoming book "Leading with Humanity".

She reflects on a career spanning P&G, BSH and Siemens, where she led global brand transformations before embarking on a new journey as an author. She shares why the fundamentals of great branding never change, how purpose creates lasting impact,and why the future belongs to leaders who create environments where people can thrive, especially in the age of AI.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation on timeless brand building, authentic leadership and why leading with humanity may be the greatest competitive advantage.

What does it take to build an iconic brand in a market where it's still just getting started? 

In this episode, Gordon is joined by Derek Zoeger, Head of Customer Marketing, Continental Europe at The Hershey Company. He shares his journey from Peru to Germany, why a career in sales changed his perspective forever and what it's like to combine the agility of a startup with the backing of one of the world's most recognized confectionery companies.

Tune in for a conversation about people, leadership, cultural curiosity and the excitement of building something that lasts.

What does it take to stay ahead when technology reshapes marketing every day? 

In this episode, Gordon hosts Inez Fun, Global Digital Director for Beauty & Wellbeing at Unilever.

She shares why the ability to learn and unlearn has defined her career, from agencies and Yahoo to leading global AI transformation. Furthermore she discusses building AI-powered marketing at scale, simplifying complexity, leading through change and why curiosity remains the ultimate competitive advantage.

Tune in to discover why the future belongs to those who can learn faster, unlearn boldly and simplify complexity into action.

In this episode, Gordon hosts Prashant SUkhwani, former VP Marketing at Burger King and now leading the next chapter of his career as Managing Partner, Publicis Digital Experience (PDX), at Publicis Groupe. From selling products in remote villages across India to leading marketing for Burger King India, Prashant has built his career by understanding people, culture and what truly captures attention. During the conversation he shares the stories behind Burger King's bold campaigns, why marketers must stay humble and how the rules of marketing are changing in the age of data and AI.

Tune in for stories from the front lines of modern marketing, where memes, cricket, Bollywood and consumer psychology all become part of the creative playbook.

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Steve Greig, SVP Marketing, Communications & PR at Redwood Credit Union. He has built brands across beer, payments, fintech and financial services, from Heineken and Visa to Redwood Credit Union. Steve reflects on navigating career pivots, building global marketing programs, finding great mentors and why AI is making creativity more valuable, not less.

Tune in to hear why growth and comfort never coexist, how global brands succeed across cultures and why the future of marketing belongs to storytellers who embrace change.