Interview with Greig Mailer

Describe your job in 10 words

Communicating, driving revenue and attracting fans to Hibernian Football Club.

What do you wish you'd known at the beginning of your marketing career?

You can’t always wait for the perfect time, with all the information and analysis to make a decision. Sometimes you just have to jump. 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

“They need to win.” Lex Gold, my Chairman at the SPL, sat me down after a successful sponsorship negotiation where I thought we had left some money on the table. He was playing the long game and was already looking at the renewal deal three years down the line.

What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given?

I’ll go for the worst advice I have given... A friend of mine taught me a lesson when I tried to talk him out of quitting his graduate accountancy job. He made the move, despite my efforts, to go on to play professional poker and is now managing an impressive property management company and portfolio. 

Don't underestimate…

The importance of showing that you care. 

Where do you look for inspiration?

I always find it useful to spend a few hours on Youtube, looking at other campaigns, films and listening to music. It gets the creative juices flowing.

My biggest influence...

My parents – they brought me up to stick in, work hard, try new things and make my own way in life.

The leader I most admire and why?

It has to be Sir Alex Ferguson. He did OK for a boy from Govan. He was fearless, set his standards high and was always ahead of the curve, making changes before he had to. 

What I am reading and book(s) I would highly recommend...

I’m currently enjoying a brilliant new publication called Nutmeg – in-depth, quality writing on Scottish football. It’s an antidote to some of the click-bait football coverage that can dominate online.

I’d recommend the Gold Mine Effect by Rasmus Ankersen – an eye opening book on high performance. 

Greig on Twitter @greig23 @HibsOfficial

Greig will be speaking at our Industry Insights "Using the beautiful game to inspire social change" event at Hibernian FC on Sat 25 Feb. Please email Hayley asap if you'd like to book a free place.