The Badlands

Damian came across the remarkable Matt Bagwell via a post on LinkedIn from Matt Hardisty. Always open to synchronicity he followed the path to Mr B’s door. Despite a heavy schedule as CMO of a climate tech company, leadership coach, breathwork instructor, husband, father and writer, Matt agreed to come on a walk through the Badlands and talk about his brilliant book ‘The Clearing - a manual to avo...

In this episode of the Badlands Podcast, our new host Damian talks with Mark Ratcliff, a qualitative researcher for nearly 3 decades, exploring the evolving landscape of qualitative research in the age of AI. They discuss the importance of nuance, intuition, and cultural context in understanding consumer behavior, as well as the challenges posed by the increasing reliance on AI in research methodo...

In this episode of Season 2 of ⁠⁠ The Badlands⁠⁠ I’m talking with Carly Osman Holme, Carly is a highly experienced agency suit and leader, marketing leader along with many other things. Whilst not strictly in the Badlands today, she has had her fair share of time in there! ultimately finding a unique way of getting out, which she shares on this episode. We discuss zig zag careers, redundancy, toxi...

So, what do James Bond, Postman Pat, Dr Who all have in common with The Badlands? Fans and keen listeners will have noticed a few weeks since the last episode, more on why in this week's episode. Which is different for a few reasons, mainly because yours truly is being asked questions about my Badlands journey, time job hunting and what the future holds for me along with The Badlands podcast b...

In this special episode of Season 2 of ⁠⁠ The Badlands⁠⁠ I’m talking with Marina Love, Marina is highly experienced Marketing Director with a very impressive career in the FMCG world in the UK. Nowadays, Marina is in the process of a career pivot after some time in the Badlands. Shifting her focus to mental health and wellbeing, and today we discuss things that anyone in the Badlands and beyond ca...

In this special episode of Season 2 of ⁠⁠ The Badlands⁠⁠ I’m talking with Will MacNeil, Will is highly experienced Creative Director. With a very impressive career in TV, Film and Animation.  In this conversation, Will, as former creative director at The Mill, shares his first hand account of his experience surrounding the sudden closure of the renowned post-production company The Mill. We discuss...

In this episode of Season 2 of ⁠⁠ The Badlands⁠⁠ I’m talking with Neema Shah, Neema is a highly experienced Marketing Director. With a very impressive career so far at some of the UK’s biggest and most well known brands. In this conversation, Neema shares her journey as a marketing leader, discussing her experiences at notable brands like Freeview and the BBC, along with the challenges of navigati...

In this episode of Season 2 of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with Melanie Lazarus, Melanie is former ad agency suit turned Brand Marketing Director. With a very impressive career so far at some of the UK’s biggest and most well known brands. In this episode, Melanie shares her experience navigating the challenging job market after a significant career at major brands. We discuss the impact of short-...

In this episode of Season 2 of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with Mays Elansari, Mays is former agency suit turned marketeer extraordinaire (it makes sense when you listen). In this episode Mays shares her journey from agency land to regional Marketing Director and ultimately into the Badlands.! We discuss how Corporate restructuring can impact even the most successful professionals! How embracing c...

In this episode of Season 2 of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with Matthew Critchley, Matthew is highly experienced Marketer with CMO and CEO roles to his name, with an impressive career at some of the UK's biggest brands. In this episode Matthew shares his extensive career journey, discussing his experiences in the marketing industry, the impact of COVID-19 on current job opportunities, and the...

In the first episode of Season 2 of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with Andrew Boatman, Andrew is highly experienced international Agency leader turned Consultant, with an impressive career at some of the worlds biggest agencies. In this episode Andrew and I discuss his journey journey through the advertising and consultancy industries, discussing his experiences in Singapore, the challenges of reloc...

In this final episode of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ in 2024, I’m talking with not 1, but 4 guests in a very special year in review episode. I’m joined by Celia Muddier, Rachel King, Jay Dillamore and Damian McKeown. All former guests and all kind enough to do another episode and share their year in review with regards to job hunting, things they’ve learnt, and their plans for 2025, oh and we even talk about...

In this special episode of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with Richard Robinson, Richard is the human version of LinkedIn. Given his time in the agency world and the intermediary world running Oystercatchers and now Executive Director of Ingenuity +, he simply knows everyone and everyone knows him! In this conversation, Richard shares his extensive experience in marketing and advertising, discussing...

In this week's instalment of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with Gregor Young, Gregor is highly experienced strategic digital product leader and most recently a CEO, with an impressive career at some of the UK’s biggest Brands, including BT the FT and Channel 4. In this episode Gregor and I discuss the shift in recruitment dynamics favouring specialists over generalists, and the importance of adaptin...

From Global CMO to CMO Coach..a story of pivoting. In this week's instalment of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with Andrew Garrihy, Andrew is highly experienced CMO now a CMO coach, with an impressive career at some of the worlds biggest Brands, including Vodafone, Samsung and Hauwei.   In this special episode Andrew takes us from his days of leading the Global Marketing for Hauwei to now helping the...

Trouble Down Under - Another International Episode, from Sydney, Australia. In this week's instalment of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with Cath Bosson, Cath is highly experienced Marketing & Creative Leader in Sydney, Australia, with an impressive career at some of the worlds biggest agency networks and some of Australia biggest Brands. But like many others in Australia and all countries to be...

Discussing being open to random chats that may unlock new possibilities? In this week's instalment of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with Dawn Cummins, Dawn is highly experienced Insights & Analytics Strategy Director, with an impressive career at Unilever and Mars. But after a self imposed career break she has like many wound up in the Badlands! Today we discuss the humbling experience of job hu...

Star Wars actor, TV Producer, Discoverer of Rag & Bone Ma? In this week's instalment of ⁠ The Badlands⁠ I’m talking with James Dillamore, James is an experienced TV Development Producer, having worked with major music labels to working on some the UK's biggest reality TV shows to pitching shows about the world's funniest Budgies to the back of his head staring in Star Wars! He joins me to talk...

In this week's instalment of  The Badlands I’m talking with Al Jenkins, Al is an experienced Marketing Operations & Enablement Leader, he joins me to talk about his career so far at some of the biggest tech companies on the planet culminating in a recent redundancy from Microsoft along with most of his team. We discuss the madness of redundancy, the lack of humanity involved in the process, th...

The perfect Two for 1 deal.  In this week's instalment of  @TheBadlandsJDC    I’m talking with not 1 but 2 recruiters, whom between them have worked everywhere and across everything, Helen Kimber and Samantha Peace , They join me to talk about their new consultancy called Creative Connections , A specialist creative talent agency delivering the very best leadership, new business, strategic and inn...

Another international episode. . In this instalment of The Badlands, I’m talking with Michelle O’Brien, Michelle is a Content Marketing Leader, and a Podcast host! But more importantly is a fellow northerner and current ex pat living her best life in Singapore. In this episode we discuss everything from her journey from Manchester to a successful marketing career working with major brands like Dis...

Longest episode yet! Includes a guest appearance from our family puppy. In this instalment of The Badlands, I’m talking with an ex colleague, Damian Mckeown, Damian is highly experienced Chief Strategy officer, with career spanning time at Wieden + Kennedy to DDB to Droga5 along with a few more of biggest and best Ad Agencies in the world…BUT  Ridiculously he is in the Badlands, So in this episode...

In this instalment of The Badlands , I’m talking with Chris Wall, Chris is highly experienced Creative Director and has had a career spanning Magazine Editor to CD at one of the worlds biggest and best Ad Agencies…BUT  Like others he is the recent victim of Redundancy. So in this episode we will discuss his inevitable slide into the Badlands from the beginning of the year. We discuss everything fr...

First International episode…from London to Katmandu. In this instalment of The Badlands, I’m talking with Jayant Savant, Jayant is multi awarded Creative leader based in Mumbai India! as well as India he has worked in challenging markets, such as, Bangladesh and Nepal (in actual Katmandu) for some of the world's leading Ad agencies. One of which we bother worked at back in 2007, Jayant in Mumb...

In this instalment of The Badlands, I’m chatting with Rhea Fox, Rhea describes herself as a Digital / Marketing / Customer Director, so her skill set covers lots of bases. With a career that includes time at Ebay, Aviva and most recently Ted Baker!!!  In this episode we will discuss her inevitable and slow slide into the Badlands from the beginning of the year as like many others her time at Ted B...