Pete Markey’s secrets of a CMO: former Boots Marketing Chief on AI overhype, Morgan Freeman and the love of brand

In this episode, host Ben Norman is joined by ⁠Pete Markey⁠, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer at Nottingham University, a marketer with a track record for leading many of the UK’s best known brands including Boots, TSB, Post Office, Aviva and British Gas.

On top of the day job, Pete is a fellow of the Marketing Society and the Chartered Institute of Marketing, as well as a former ISBA President.

In this conversation, Pete and Ben cover:

Bad Russian pasties and why Wetherspoons should do corporate catering

Why a call centre job and radio DJing was foundational to Pete’s career

How Pete ended up drinking tea with Morgan freeman and why ⁠this campaign⁠ worked so well

The power and shared value in brand x celebrity partnerships in advertising

How a Post Office campaign was crushed by compromise and why it’s important to make choices

Pete’s secrets of longevity in leadership

The joy of rolling-up his sleeves and working with start-ups and smaller businesses like Fusion Unlimited

Why AI overhype is a threat to brilliant people and ideas (not necessarily AI itself)

Pete’s love of brand, the power of (the right kind of) purpose, and why it needs to extend beyond the marketing team