The CMO Whisperer

My guest today has spent her career at the intersection of marketing, media, education, and ideas. Ruth Mortimer is the Global President at Advertising Week, where she helps shape the brand's thought leadership agenda and education business. Now, before Advertising Week, Ruth held leadership roles at Econsultancy, the Festival of Marketing, and Centaur Marketing. She's also a former editor of Marketing Week, an award-winning business columnist and has spent years creating conversations with some of the most interesting voices in business and culture. 

My favorite part of Ruth's background may have absolutely nothing to do with marketing. Before all this, she was an archaeologist, specializing in the Middle East and working in Southeast Turkey. We're going to talk about marketing, but with someone who literally used to dig for a living, I'm pretty sure we can go a little deeper than the usual marketing conversation.

My guest today is Sarah Evans, partner and head of PR at Zen Media. Sarah is a true pioneer in digital communications, having helped create the hashtag JournChat in 2008, founded Sevans PR, and spent the last two decades helping brands see around the corner before the rest of the market catches up. Today she leads Zen Media's PR practice, an AI visibility strategy, and was named one of Propel's top 100 PR tech leaders worldwide in 2025.

My guest today is Nicole Rex, Vice President of Global Marketing Campaigns and Core Content at Dell Technologies. A journalist by training and a marketer by trade, Nicole has spent more than 25 years demonstrating that great storytelling isn't just creative, it's a business advantage. 

During her almost 20 years at Dell, she has led the company's internal creative agency, run experiential marketing, and held roles across social impact, content marketing, brand and creative development. Today, she sits at the intersection of global campaigns, brand and creative, focused on one very big question: How do you scale world-class content without losing the craft and quality?

My guest today is Carly Crittenden, Chief Revenue Officer at Vidmob, where she leads the company's global revenue organization and go-to-market strategy, helping brands and agencies drive stronger business outcomes through AI-powered creative data. With nearly two decades of experience across advertising technology and SaaS, Carly has held senior leadership roles at Black Crow AI, Oracle, Moat, and Google, building and scaling high-performing sales organizations and leading global go-to-market initiatives. 

She's known for combining strategic vision with a people-first leadership style and is passionate about helping organizations grow, building diverse teams, and advancing the role of AI in marketing.

My guest today is Aniket Deosthali, CEO and co-founder of Envive AI. Before launching Envive, Aniket led Conversational Commerce at Walmart, where he helped build AI-powered shopping experiences at a massive scale and worked at the intersection of AI, commerce, and customer experience. 

Today, he's focused on helping brands move beyond the AI hype and use intelligent agents to drive real business outcomes. If you've listened to this podcast for any length of time, you know I am less interested in asking whether AI is coming. That ship sailed a long time ago. What I am interested in is where it's actually creating value, where it's falling short, and what business leaders need to understand before they start chasing.

My guest today is Michael Stich, partner at CourtAvenue. Michael has spent more than 25 years helping some of the world's biggest brands navigate innovation, digital transformation, customer experience, AI, commerce, and just about every major shift marketing has faced over the last two decades. Today at CourtAvenue, he works with organizations including Kia, Epson, General Mills, Dell, and the US Air Force to solve complex business and marketing challenges. 

Before that, he held leadership roles at WPP, VML, Rockfish, Bridge Worldwide, Texas Instruments, McKinsey, and Dell, giving him a front-row seat to the evolution of modern marketing. And along the way, he's advised Fortune 50 companies, invested in startups, helped launch groundbreaking products, and built businesses that have transformed how brands connect with customers. He's also been recognized as a Cincinnati marketing legend by the AMA and has earned multiple industry honors for his leadership.

My guest today is Dave Neville, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Johnnie-O, where he oversees brand strategy, digital marketing, creative, CRM, and partnerships for one of the fastest-growing premium lifestyle apparel brands in the market. Dave's career has taken him from serving as a captain in the US Air Force to advising global companies as a strategy consultant at Oliver Wyman and into leadership roles with iconic brands like Callaway Golf and Titleist. 

Along the way, he's built a reputation for combining sharp strategic thinking with creative brand building and a relentless focus on growth. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, with an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, Dave is passionate about developing high-performing teams, building enduring brands, and proving that the best marketing happens when creativity and data work hand in hand.

My guest today is Philip Auerbach, Chief Marketing Officer at Custom Ink. Phil has built an impressive career leading marketing and commercial strategy for some incredibly well-known brands. Before joining Custom Ink, he led executive leadership roles at Bumble, Dunkin', Linblad Expeditions, and Caesars Entertainment, helping each of them navigate growth, digital transformation, and changing customer expectations. 

One of the many things I find most interesting about Phil's career is its range. He's marketed everything from dating apps and donuts to travel experiences, gaming, and now custom apparel. There are not many marketing leaders who can say that. Get to know Phil's perspective on what he's learned along the way, what separates good marketing from great marketing, and how the role of the CMO continues to evolve.

My guest today is Will Leach, founder of Mindstate Group and a leading expert in behavioral science and decision-making. Will previously led PepsiCo's behavioral science lab and has worked with brands including PepsiCo, Disney, Mars, Capital One, and 7-Eleven to better understand why customers choose and how leaders can make smarter decisions. 

He's also the best-selling author of Marketing to Mindstates, and advises executive teams on behavioral science, AI-powered insights, and growth strategy.

My guest today is Liz Crisafi, a transformational marketing executive with more than 25 years of experience building iconic brands, accelerating growth, and creating customer experiences that drive loyalty and business results. Over the course of her career, she's held leadership roles at IHG Hotels and Resorts, Hornblower Group, Discovery Communications, Eastman Kodak, Kimberly-Clark, and Ogilvy.

With experience spanning hospitality, travel, media, entertainment, consumer products, and franchise businesses, Liz believes great marketing starts with hospitality by understanding people, anticipating their needs, creating memorable experiences, and building relationships that last. It's a philosophy that has guided her career and helped brands create moments customers remember, and most importantly, come back for.