Why AI should drive growth, not just efficiency – Najoh Tita-Reid

Najoh Tita-Reid, former Chief Growth Officer at Mars Petcare, joins us to discuss why she made the unusual decision to step away from one of the biggest roles in marketing to embark on a self-described "learning safari", immersing herself in the world of AI and exploring what it means for the future of business.

In this conversation, Najoh shares why she believes too many organisations are using AI purely to drive efficiency, when its greatest opportunity lies in unlocking growth. We explore how AI is changing creativity, leadership and the role of the CMO, why marketers risk becoming tacticians instead of strategic business leaders, and what today's CEOs really expect from marketing.

Timestamps

00:00 - Start

00:57 - Why Najoh left Mars

02:18 - Why F1 is the perfect metaphor for AI in 2026

05:18 - Using AI for growth vs efficiency

08:01 - The impact AI is having on creativity

09:17 - Why AI is the colonisation of inefficiency

16:21 - Are we at risk of becoming tacticians and not strategy leaders?

18:52 - Does the CEO understand your role?

22:40 - Can AI actually delivery higher efficiency?