4 questions I wish I’d asked as a junior marketer: Britvic’s Matt Barwell
Despite being one of the UK’s top marketers, when it comes to risk-taking and identifying trends Britvic CMO Matt Barwell admits there are certain questions he should have asked earlier in his career.
It is rare to come across someone who is transparent about their career, from their humble beginnings to heading up marketing at one of the largest drinks manufacturers in the world. But Britvic CMO Matt Barwell is a breath of fresh air.
Barwell has spent his entire career in food and drink, working at Mars and Diageo before joining Britvic in 2014. He admits his career hasn’t been totally smooth sailing, though, but is the first to own his mistakes as they have helped mould him into the leading marketer he is today.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life,” he confesses. “There have been innovations that I’ve brought to market and programmes I’ve developed that haven’t been successful. But if you learn from those [mistakes] and are honest and open and respond quickly you will be backed-up by your colleagues.”
This attitude, alongside his ability to recognise and attack any hurdles he faced during his earlier days, has helped Barwell earn his marketing spurs.
He’s open about those hurdles too, and recognises that the ability to sit back, reflect and have the perspective to stay curious is “not always easy when you’ve got the pressures of delivery and short-termism on you”.
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