This week we spoke to Marketing Society Member and Business Director at CSM Sport & Entertainment, Scott Branch.

What’s your golden rule?

Leadership is about the example you set and the culture you create. Thank you, Bill Walsh.

Who has been your biggest influence?

Scott Cain – Founder & CEO, Active Things. I was fortunate to work with Scott very early on, at my very first agency gig (Lexis PR) in fact. Scott always made time for people. To listen. To give advice when it was asked for. He lived by the mantra that people are at the heart of organisational greatness. I hope that I was able to learn from that and apply his teachings throughout my career. 

What is your most hated business expression?

When presenting creative, the response: ‘I don’t get it’. It’s irrelevant. Does your audience get it? That’s what matters.

How can marketers be braver?

There are so many people out there smarter than you are. Take the time to listen and learn from them.

What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?

I was offered a great in-house role straight out of university by someone I admired a huge amount. I turned it down in favour of a more junior job in agency life. Best decision I ever made.

Which leader do you admire most and why?

For an organisation to be successful you need strong leadership at all levels. Sarah Dawson, Managing Director at CSM, emboldens, encourages and empowers those around her. She has a knack of knowing when she’s needed in the trenches and when she needs to step aside and let others lead. Viki Monk (one of our Communication Directors) and Harriet Young (a Senior Account Director in our Strategy & Consultancy team) are just two who have benefitted recently from Sarah’s approach and shown leadership of their own. They had a shared vision around the power of women’s sport at CSM and were inspired to see it through. The results speak for themselves.

What’s your favourite word?

‘No’. Underused and underrated.   

Tell us a secret

We’re entering a new era for women’s sport and it’s going to be huge.