How one CMO moved to general management by harnessing the power of brand

Many marketers dream of stepping outside the brand function and firing from all cylinders as the leader of a business. Pip Heywood, managing director of greetings card marketplace Thortful, is one marketing leader who made that move.

After gaining a degree in law, Heywood kickstarted her career with a graduate programme at Rank Hovis McDougall where she swapped between different divisions, such as finance, operations and HR to gain full-bodied business experience. It was when working in the marketing department as part of the scheme that she realised that was the path for her.