Becky’s career is nothing short of extraordinary. From Unilever to premium spirits, from John Lewis to Costa and now Tesco, each step has seen her take on bigger challenges and deliver even greater impact.

One of the many things that sets her apart isn’t just her career acceleration (impressive though that is) it’s the pattern: organisations actively seek her out and teams flourish under her leadership.

At Tesco, Becky spearheaded the bold and highly acclaimed ‘Icons’ campaign, a brave deconstruction of the brand’s identity that redefined Tesco’s positioning and helped drive its largest market share since 2017. Previously at Costa she led through one of retail’s most challenging periods, delivering transformational growth, forging strategic partnerships, scaling digital from zero to 10% within a year and revitalising the brand’s loyalty programme.

Becky is a true champion of marketing as a strategic force central to business success and not simply a support function. Her leadership stands out, blending commercial acumen with creativity and a genuine passion to developing those around her.

Her achievements have been widely recognised - including one of Management Today’s 35 Women Under 35, multiple accolades from Retail Week, Marketing Week Data Strategy, and International Wine and Spirits Magazine and she was The Marketing Society’s ‘Young Marketer of the Year’ in 2011.

Becky epitomises the best of modern marketing leadership - ambitious, insightful and totally authentic.

Becky embodies the belief that marketing is the connective tissue of a business, the force that unites people, purpose, and performance. She describes her leadership style as being all about “connecting the dots across every function,” and she lives that philosophy every day.

At HSBC she has expanded the marketing operation several times over, not through top-down transformation but through ‘rapid evolution,’ where teams grow and move forward together. Her landmark ‘We Are Not an Island’ campaign, created with Wunderman Thompson, captured the national mood at a politically divided time, championing openness and inclusivity. In doing so it redefined HSBC’s role transforming its image as bank for overseas investors into one for everyday people. The results spoke volumes: a 140% rise in account switches and a 50% increase in current account sales.

Since then, Becky has continued to strengthen HSBC’s brand relevance while managing a complex brand portfolio within the sector. Her recent appointment as Chief Customer Officer, alongside her CMO role, is testament to her ability to unite marketing and customer experience to drive business-wide transformation.

Recognised in Marketing Week’s Top 100 and Campaign’s Power 100, Becky exemplifies the kind of marketing leader we at The Marketing Society champion, someone who blends curiosity, creativity and commercial insight in equal measure. Her philosophy is clear and compelling - marketing is about shaping culture, driving inclusion and fostering genuine human connection, especially when it matters most.

Moving from banking to retail was one bold move.  While the sceptics said it couldn’t be done, Jess didn’t just make the move, she owned it.

And she’s not just thriving at Very, she’s totally transformed the business, shifting marketing from a service function to the vital engine of growth. Her intelligent leadership has earned her a seat at the executive board with accountability for an impressive 60% of group objectives.

The impact is just as remarkable; through an unrelenting focus on customers and brand consistency, Jess has delivered tangible results including brand consideration up five points, sales growth through peak trading and a customer base that continues to grow.

But what sets her apart is her innate ability to bring strategy to life, inspiring belief and buy-in across teams while fostering a culture where people can be their best.

She’s proved that sustained focus and a consistent brand strategy don’t just build stronger brands they drive real commercial success.

The judges also highlighted the exceptional trust she’s earned and the rare distinction of being one of only a handful of marketers to hold a board seat in retail.

John made a move few would dare, leaving top of the agency world to take on what looked like an impossible challenge: revitalising a B2B brand that had lost its edge. Where others saw limits, John saw a challenge with possibility and real potential. His conviction and vision became the driving force behind EY’s remarkable transformation.

Under his leadership, #BetterQuestions evolved into more than a campaign, it became the connective thread uniting over 400,000 people around a shared purpose. The results speak for themselves - EY has almost doubled its revenue.

Yet the true measure of John’s leadership goes far beyond the numbers, he builds cultures where imagination and integrity carry equal weight, where people feel empowered to question, to create and believe that nothing is out of reach.

John has redefined what B2B marketing can be - emotional, inclusive and capable of moving hearts as well as markets. His influence extends far beyond the brand, from COP27 and the World Economic Forum to UN Climate Week and the King’s Sustainable Markets Initiative, he’s recognised as one of our industry’s true heavyweights.

Our judges commended not only his global impact but also his remarkable ability to pivot from a consumer marketing background to deliver exceptional success in the B2B arena.

John’s career is one of courage, creativity and conviction - a testament to what visionary leadership can achieve.

Mark’s 12 years at Sainsbury’s have seen his steady rise built on capability, impact and a genuine commitment to people. Today, he’s among the most influential marketing leaders in retail. His philosophy is simple yet powerful: listen more than you speak, lead with humility, and believe that your people are the foundation of growth.

His transformation of Nectar has been extraordinary: what began as a loyalty card is now a data-driven personalisation engine delivering 500 million tailored offers every week. Through Nectar 360, the retail media platform he helped shape, Sainsbury’s is on track to generate £100 million in incremental profit over three years - results that helped the brand achieve its highest market share since 2016.

But Mark’s impact goes way beyond commercial success. As Operating Board Sponsor for LGBT+ inclusion, he has championed an open and inclusive culture across the entire business. His leadership blends commercial rigour with genuine humanity, inspiring trust and loyalty in equal measure.

In 2025, Marketing Week named him Marketer of the Year for his “good marketing leadership” recognition that reflects both his results and his reputation. As our judges noted, “He is the epitome of exactly the kind of person that deserves to be on this list - a strong commercial leader who’s genuinely loved by colleagues and gets things done.”

Michelle brought her world-class entertainment experience from ITV, Disney, Warner Bros and RTÉ and channelled it into transforming Paddy Power into a true cultural phenomenon. Her campaigns consistently deliver the highest ROI across the entire Flutter group but her impact goes far deeper than numbers; her team describe her as “the most inspirational leader of their 20-year careers,” - the very essence of a great leader.

Her philosophy is powerful and simple: give people autonomy, the permission to take risks, and stand behind them when they do. It’s an approach that’s fuelled creative bravery in one of the most tightly regulated industries. Under Michelle’s watch, Paddy Power has become synonymous with bold, witty and responsible marketing. During Euro 2024, the campaigns sparked more cultural buzz than Adidas, and Christmas - when no other betting brand dared - became Paddy’s season.

But Michelle’s influence extends far beyond fun and flair, her partnership with Prostate Cancer UK revealed another side to her leadership - purpose. In just a year, these campaigns prompted 180,000 men to check their health risks, directly saving lives.

Her success has propelled her onto the global stage, now leading marketing initiatives across America, Australia, and Europe. As our judges commented, “She’s an authentic human, serious about leadership, passionate about marketing, someone who gets it and delivers time and again."

Michelle has proved that with courage, creativity and a big heart marketing can entertain and make a real difference.