In this episode, we dive deep into B2B marketing strategy and the latest consumer behaviour trends with Annabel Venner, former Global Brand Director at Coca-Cola and Hiscox. If you want global marketing insights that challenge the status quo and reveal how to pivot your campaigns for modern audiences, this is a must-listen.

Key Takeaways:

1. The New Consumer Thoughtfulness: Why buyers are ditching generic expensive gifts for hyper-personalised, practical gestures—and how brands must adapt.
2. Career Agility: How Annabel successfully transitioned from consumer goods (Coca-Cola) to complex B2B financial services (Hiscox), and why continuous learning is non-negotiable.
3. The Myth of "Asia": Why treating the Asian market as a single homogeneous entity is a costly mistake, with on-the-ground lessons from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

In an ad-tech world increasingly driven by AI, human connection remains the most powerful strategy we have. Join us as we explore the future of programmatic curation and supply-side decisioning with Fern Potter, SVP of Strategy & Partnerships at Multilocal.

In this episode, Fern explains how streamlining the audience experience is creating viable alternatives to the walled gardens. We also dive into fascinating consumer trends, unpacking why Gen Z is abandoning static images for video storytelling to filter out AI disruption. Finally, we cover the deeply human side of business, discussing the vital importance of setting psychological boundaries and separating personal ego from professional outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Power of Curation: How bridging audience experiences on the supply side makes programmatic advertising less expensive and more efficient.
2. Monetising Data Assets: How supply-side decisioning allows publishers to control performance and pricing directly.
3. Leadership & Boundaries: Why internalising the success or failure of a project can be damaging to your career.
4. Finding the Signal: Why futurists like Deborah Kantt and empathy experts like Brené Brown are essential guides for modern leaders.

Chapter Timestamps:

1. 00:00 - Introduction & Welcome
2. 00:31 - The Signal in the Noise: Futurism & Media Indicators
3. 00:43 - Gen Z Media Consumption & Filtering Out AI Disruption
4. 04:56 - Navigating People's Attention in Advertising
5. 05:22 - What is Programmatic Curation in Ad-Tech?
6. 07:58 - Standing Out in a Competitive Ad-Tech Marketplace
7. 10:43 - Monetising Data Assets via Supply-Side Decisioning
8. 14:22 - Leadership Hero: Brené Brown
9. 18:14 - The Importance of Psychological Boundaries in Business
10. 21:59 - Finding Community: Digital Leading Ladies & Panel Power

Links & Resources:

1. Watch the full video interview on YouTube:https://youtu.be/zW74gTDu74g
2. Connect with your host, James Welch, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameswelch1234/
3. Connect with today’s guest, Fern Potter, on LinkedIn:

In this episode, host James Welch sits down with original "Maths Man" and analytics pioneer, James Walker. From their early days at JWT to James’s successful exit selling Edge Consulting to Accenture, they discuss the existential shifts in the advertising data landscape.

James Walker breaks down why Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) is experiencing a massive resurgence in 2026, why Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA) failed to deliver, and the specific "bad metrics" that trip up e-commerce investors. Whether you are an agency owner, a data analyst, or a C-suite executive, this episode offers a masterclass on bridging the gap between creative sparks and hard commercial data.

Key Takeaways & Timestamps:

1. [01:29] Signal in the Noise: Why Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) is hot again and the recent M&A activity shaking up the sector.
2. [03:29] The Death of MTA: How the decline of Multi-Touch Attribution and post-COVID inflation brought MMM back to the boardroom.
3. [05:00] Democratizing Data: The impact of open-source tools like Meta’s Robyn and Google’s Meridian on the agency landscape.
4. [06:50] Life After Accenture: James discusses his transition from selling his agency to advising Private Equity boards.
5. [09:44] The CAC vs. CLTV Myth: Why comparing Average Customer Acquisition Cost to Customer Lifetime Value is a "bad metric" that leads to poor valuation decisions.
6. [12:57] The Billion Dollar Bet: Lessons learned from selling Edge Consulting to Accenture and managing massive digital transformation projects.
7. [16:26] Bright Spark: Why James Hurst (HelloFresh, ex-Google/Tinder) sits at the perfect intersection of design, business, and transformation.

Guest Bio: James Walker is a serial entrepreneur and data analytics pioneer. He began his career bridging creativity and math at JWT's Advanced Techniques Group. He founded Edge Consulting, which he successfully sold to Accenture, where he served as President International for Accenture Marketing Sciences. Later, he became the Global Head of Analytics at OC&C Strategy Consultants. Today, he acts as a senior advisor to boards and Private Equity houses, specializing in marketing effectiveness and valuation.

Keywords: Marketing Mix Modeling, MMM, Data Analytics, Multi-Touch Attribution, CAC, CLTV, Marketing Strategy, Accenture, Private Equity, AdTech, E-commerce Valuation, James Walker, James Welch.