Spikes Excitement Talks

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 Germa...

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 i...

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 sc...

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 rol...

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...

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 choo...

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...

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Andreas Bierwirth, Member of the Executive Board at Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries, about brand as a management philosophy, the forces that shape capex heavy and highly regulated industries, and leading a company from monopoly into open competition. From Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines to Magenta Telekom and now Casinos Austria, Andreas shares how a PhD...

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Michael Mangione, Global Head of Digital and AI Transformation at W. L. Gore & Associates, about leading calmly through change and why AI transformation has to begin with the customer. From inside sales and B2B marketing at BOC to almost two decades at Bose and now Gore, Michael shares how he built his own bridge into the career he wanted. He talks about the...

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Michael Mangione, Global Head of Digital and AI Transformation at W. L. Gore & Associates, about leading calmly through change and why AI transformation has to begin with the customer. From inside sales and B2B marketing at BOC to almost two decades at Bose and now Gore, Michael shares how he built his own bridge into the career he wanted. He talks about the...

In this episode, Gordon speaks with Davide D’Alena , Head of Marketing, Retail Sun at EssilorLuxottica , about a career driven by curiosity, creativity and the desire to build what doesn’t yet exist. From Bain & Company and Kraft Heinz to Shopfully and EssilorLuxottica , Davide shares how each step of his journey took him further outside his comfort zone and closer to consumers. He talks about...

In this episode, Gordon sits down with Iván Reyes , VP Derma Emerging Markets at Beiersdorf , to explore a career shaped by curiosity, cultural diversity and continuous learning. From Mexico to Dubai and across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, Ivan shares how different markets and consumer behaviours have shaped his approach to marketing. He talks about the unique intersect...

In a world where AI can analyze data, generate ideas, and automate decisions, what does it mean to be a truly creative marketer? In this episode, Gordon talks to Gael de Talhouët, former VP Brand Building, Marketing, Technology, Data & AI, FMCG B2B Retail at Essity , about creativity, leadership, entrepreneurship and the changing role of marketing in the age of AI. Gael argues that marketers n...

What really makes people choose one brand over another?  In this episode, Gordon sits down with Christian Bauer, Marketing Director at Subway , who shares his perspective on consumer behaviour, brand building, leadership and creative marketing. From turning commodities into beloved brands to creating campaigns that push boundaries, Christian talks about the importance of finding the right tension,...

What happens when AI, pharma, marketing and human curiosity collide? In this episode, Gordon sits down with Graham Addison , Senior Director, Global Launch & Marketing Excellence at AstraZeneca , for a wide-ranging conversation about AI, innovation, career pivots, leadership, and what it means to stay excited about your work. Graham shares how an unexpected start in pharmaceutical sales eventu...

What does it take to succeed when the rules of the game are changing?  In this episode, Gordon hosts Colin McQuay, Senior Director and Head of Strategic Revenue Management at Nestlé , who shares his perspective on the future of work, data science, AI, leadership and the evolving CPG landscape. From combining analytics with human understanding to building careers across different disciplines, Colin...

What happens when you stop following a perfectly planned career path and start saying yes to new opportunities? In this episode, Gordon sits down with Linde Scheers, Head of Marketing & Communications at ING Germany , to talk about an unconventional career journey spanning Google, N26, eBay and now ING. Linde describes herself as an “accidental marketer” — but her story is anything but acciden...

What does it take to disrupt one of the world’s oldest industries? In this episode, Maik Hofmann sits down with Bastian Gierull, CEO of Octopus Energy Germany , for a conversation about startups, innovation, leadership, climate change and the mindset needed to transform an entire market. Bastian shares the journey that took him from marketing and e-commerce through telecommunications and a series...

What if plastic waste could become currency for clean water, education, healthcare, connectivity—and a pathway out of poverty? In this episode, Maik Hofmann sits down with David Katz , founder of Plastic Bank , to explore a radically different approach to business, marketing and social impact. David shares how Plastic Bank turns discarded plastic into a resource that helps people in impoverished c...

What if AI isn’t the story but the relationship between humans and machines is? In this unusual airport episode, Dom Heinrich joins Maik Hofmann for a fast-moving conversation about creativity, technology, design and the future of our industry. Dom brings more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of creativity and technology, from his early days as an art director and creative technolog...

What happens when marketing stops being the “decoration at the end of the value chain” and becomes a genuine lens into the market? In this episode, Gordon Euchler talks with David Krampe, Head of Marketing & Sales Enablement Europe North at Michelin , about connecting the things organizations too often keep apart: technology and customers, data and human behavior, strategy and execution, and m...

What does it take to build a marketing career across Italy, France, Luxembourg, India and China and still stay curious about every new culture and consumer? In this episode, Alessandro Panella sits down with Amedeo Aragona , Marketing Director for Kinder in China at Ferrero , for a conversation about global marketing, cultural adaptation, leadership and the fast-changing world of consumer behaviou...

What does it take to build a marketing career, create lasting impact, and stay curious in a world transformed by AI?  In this episode, Gordon talks to Vincent Sieben , Head of Marketing, International Region, Healthcare Informatics at Philips , about purpose-driven marketing, career growth, sustaining ideas, and the opportunities AI is creating in healthcare. Vincent shares the unconventional star...

What can a decade at Amazon teach you about building a sports brand for the next ten years?  In this episode, Gordon talks to Patrick Müller , Chief Digital Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Decathlon Germany & Founder of Primatheltics, about leadership, e-commerce, brand building, and why he believes Decathlon has a “no-brainer winning story” ahead. Patrick shares the unexpected start to...

What happens when 20 years of media fragmentation meets AI?  In this episode, Gordon sits down with Peter Grant , Interim Media Director at Boots , who reflects on his journey from asking customers at Woolworths why they bought what they bought to navigating the rapidly changing world of AI, agentic search and media. He argues that AI’s greatest opportunity may not be creating something entirely n...