Mitch Oliver, Global Corporate Brand and Purpose Director, Mars

Michele “Mitch” Oliver is now the Global Corporate Brand and Purpose Director, a newly created role at Mars. Previously she was VP of Marketing for Mars Chocolate UK. In this role Mitch was responsible for bringing the business’ much-loved chocolate brands to life, including MALTESERS, GALAXY, MARS, SNICKERS and M&M’s.

With over 20 years’ experience in the consumer-goods industry, Mitch joined Mars UK, a private and family-owned company, on the graduate programme in 1995. Since then she has held a variety of roles across the business including Sales and Manufacturing, before moving into marketing positions at a local, regional and global level. Mitch has held her current role since February 2015.

Mitch has a particularly strong marketing background, moving from Galaxy Brand Manager to European Brand Portfolio Manager, and prior to her existing role served as UK Strategy Director, until eventually landing her dream job as VP of UK Marketing with a team of 50 Associates – what Mars call their employees.

Mitch not only manages the Mars portfolio of chocolate brands, but also sits on the UK Business Management Team where she makes key decisions that shape the business as a whole.

More recently, one of Mitch’s proudest moment at Mars has been the latest work to champion inclusivity across all brand communications; with Mars’ latest series of MALTESERS advertising campaigns focused around disability. Mitch believes that as one of the biggest advertisers in the UK, Mars has a responsibility to create content that celebrates modern Britain in all its diverse glory. Mitch, along with the UK Marketing team, has pioneered the work on Mars UK’s advertising campaigns becoming more intentionally inclusive, where brands can connect with consumers from all different backgrounds and viewpoints.

Mitch is an active supporter of women in business and has mentored a number of women at various points in their careers at Mars over a number of years. She is also a passionate supporter of working parents and is proud to have role modeled working flexibly and championed developing great talent at all life stages. Mitch was also named one of “100 Women to Watch” in the Female FTSE Report in 2015.

Outside of the workplace, Mitch worked as a Samaritan during her maternity leave, spending six months of her maternity leave volunteering in the marketing department at Oxfam, and is a qualified Senior Level Coach Practitioner.

Mitch is an alumnus of London Business School (2005-2006), where she completed the Global Business Consortium programme, and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Durham.