Claire Sadler

Award winning CMO, Marketing Week Top 100 Most effective marketers, President Women in Advertising & Communication Leadership (WACL) 2025/26, Diversity Champion, Marketing Academy Fellow 2023

New Malden, England, United Kingdom

About

Award-winning senior executive, CMO and diversity champion with proven record of delivering revenue growth. An inspiring, successful leader of teams through business and marketing transformation improving efficiency, effectiveness, customer and team outcomes. I’ve got broad and deep experience gained from both agency and client side, across B2C and B2B brands including Nicorette, Regaine, Whiskas, Mars and recently BT, EE and Direct Line. What I’m great at and where I thrive: - Leading through change. Setting the vision, translating into an operational plan, empowering and coaching my team to deliver. A turnaround or growth challenge that requires creative and commercial know-how - Building strong, collaborative relationships with stakeholders, team and agencies through honesty and integrity – values that are important to me. - Developing people and creating more equal opportunities. Including raising charity income to fund training bursaries, establishing a female talent pipeline programme and instigating the first marketing apprenticeship programme in Direct Line Group and the British Heart Foundation What others have said about working with me: “Claire is a superb operator, and one of the few people I know with the precious skill of being equally creative and commercial. She interrogates the data, understands her customers, builds a business plan, cares about delivering results, and then inspires creative work that is breakthrough and brand building. I’m looking forward to working with her again one day. Zaid Al-Qassab, CMO Channel 4, ex-CMO BT. “I worked with Claire as my client for 6 years. I can honestly say it was a huge privilege. She is super smart, full of integrity, brave and intuitive. She is exacting, but incredibly kind. She's the kind of client you want to go the extra mile for.” Melissa Robertson, CEO, Dark Horses. “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are an excellent leader, and that is exactly how I’d describe Claire Sadler, who I’ve been lucky enough to learn from and be inspired by over my career.” Allie Lawson, Marketing Director, Tyl at Natwest Group My expertise covers: Business strategy, digital and data transformation Customer insight, research and product and proposition development Brand and marketing strategy Marketing effectiveness Campaign execution - advertising, below the line, digital campaigns Data, segmentation, CRM Compliance & governance within regulated industries

Experience

  • Chief Marketing Officer at British Heart Foundation
    Jan 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 7 mos

    Reporting to the CEO and member of ExCo. P&L responsibility for the charities' income, leading and developing innovative, customer-focused propositions, fundraising and marketing strategy that grows income and support for the BHF

  • WACL President 2025/26 and WACL member at WACL (Women in Advertising & Communications London )
    Jul 2016 - Present · 10 yrs 1 mo

    WACL is a network of the UK's most senior women in advertising, communications and media with the purpose of accelerating gender equality within the industry. Gather Chair 2019 delivered one-day conference providing training and inspiration for over 400 women and raising over £100,000 for charity and training bursaries Gather Chair 2020 delivered first ever virtual Gather Week during Covid lockdown, achieved 200% increase in event attendance and global reach.

  • Marketing Director at Direct Line Group
    Oct 2017 - Dec 2020 · 3 yrs 3 mos

    Leadership team member, reporting to Managing Director as divisional Marketing Director. Responsible for directing brand strategy, proposition development and through the line campaign execution. Successfully scaled and grew the business to be the fastest growing revenue stream within Direct Line Group. Shortlisted for Best marketing team in B2B Awards 2020.

  • BT (13 yrs)
    • Group Brand Director
      Apr 2017 - Sep 2017 · 6 mos

      "Claire was one of our most senior and respected marketers at BT with a reputation for strategic and operational excellence in a complex matrix business. She's confident in communicating and influencing at Board level - she's not afraid to question the status quo, but does so with impressive EQ. She is highly customer-focused and tireless in seeking new way to improve efficiency, effectiveness and better serve customers. I'd happily recommend Claire; she's be a strong addition to any senior leadership team". Gavin Patterson, Chairman, Non-Exec Director, ex-BT Group CEO.

    • Director Marketing, Data and Insight
      Apr 2016 - Mar 2017 · 1 yr

    • Marketing Director - CIM Women in Marketing - winner of Best B2B marketer 2014.
      Mar 2014 - Mar 2016 · 2 yrs 1 mo

      CIM Women in Marketing - winner of Best B2B marketer 2014.

  • Account Director at Proximity London
    Jul 2000 - Mar 2003 · 2 yrs 9 mos

    Proximity London is one of the top direct marketing agencies in the UK. Responsible for a team of 5, managed digital and direct marketing activity for several B2C clients which included Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Mars, Regaine, Nicorette.