Florida State University Launches CMO Post; Beauty, Gaming Brands Aim For Global Growth With New Chief Marketers

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We’re tracking recent chief marketer appointments in the beauty, gaming and retail sectors this week, as well as the creation of a CMO role at Florida State University.

Agnes Landau Named Shiseido Americas’ New CMO

Beauty industry veteran Agnes Landau has taken on the CMO mantle at Shiseido Americas, where she will lead marketing and merchandising efforts for the Shiseido brand, as well as Clé de Peau Beauté, Nars, Issey Miyake, Narciso Rodriguez, Hermès Fragrances and Tory Burch Beauty. Furthermore, Landau will also be in charge of creating and launching a diversity, equity and inclusion strategic roadmap for the company’s U.S. businesses.

Prior to joining Shiseido, one of the world’s oldest cosmetic companies, Landau held various senior leadership roles at Revlon, Clinique, where she worked for 16 years, and the Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

“The changes we announced today ensure that we have top talent, both new and internal, in the right functions to drive growth,” said Ron Gee, president and chief executive officer of Shiseido Americas. “Today, the Americas region continues to be dynamic, resilient and most of all, a compelling opportunity for growth. As a key strategic priority for Shiseido, we will continue to focus our energies on the Americas region, particularly among our marketing, commercial and digital functions.”

Carla Dunham Takes On Chief Marketer Role at Away

Away, the New York City-based luggage and travel accessories retailer, has hired former Foxtrot executive Carla Dunham to take over the chief marketing officer position at the company, succeeding Melissa Weiss, who left the role in July 2022.

Previously, Dunham worked in merchandising and marketing roles for a variety of retailers, including Target, Saks Fifth Avenue and Kate Spade & Company. While at Foxtrot, Dunham led the company’s merchandising and marketing departments for three years before joining Away in December.

Dunham’s appointment follows other C-suite changes at the brand as it prepares to ramp up operations as consumers embrace travel spending more than three years following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Case in point: Away’s performance during the Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday holidays was almost double that of 2021, according to a company spokesperson.

Snowprint Studios Welcomes New CMO Jonathan Winters

Jonathan Winters, Miniclip’s former director of performance marketing, has joined Snowprint Studios as the mobile game developer’s chief marketing officer. Snowprint Studios is a mobile game developer known for Legend of Solgard, Rivengard and Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus, a title that has accrued 1.5 million players since its launch.

“I am very excited to join Snowprint and work with such a talented team,” Winters told Pocket Gamer. “I can’t wait to help grow its gaming presence on a global scale. Tacticus has the potential to become a global phenomenon in the tactical segment and I’m super excited to bring the game to its full potential. Being a fan of turn-based strategy and RPG games, I’m looking forward to this fantastic role.”

Winters worked at Miniclip for a little over eight years, where he is credited with helping to grow their global gaming audience. He joins Snowprint Studios following their Best Mobile Game of the Year win for Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus at Pocket Gamer’s Mobile Game of the Year awards.

“Jonathan’s track record and extensive experience from marketing a large number of titles across multiple platforms make him the ideal person to drive Snowprint’s marketing strategy,” said Alexander Ekvall, Snowprint Studios CEO, in a company press release. “He has the proven capability to lead the growth of Tacticus and our future projects in the turn-based tactical segment on mobile, drawing upon his experience of successfully marketing a variety of games to a huge global audience.”

Susannah Wesley-Ahlschwede Accepts Role As Florida State University’s First-Ever CMO

Earlier this month, Florida State University announced the hiring of its first-ever chief marketing officer—Susannah Wesley-Ahlschwede. The Florida native, FSU alumna and adjunct professor of communications will be stepping into the role in familiar territory.

“This is an exciting hire for the university, and I believe Susannah will bring a fresh perspective to help Florida State tell our story and advance our brand,” Richard McCullough, Florida State University president, said in a press release.

Prior to taking on this new role, Wesley-Ahlschwede held various jobs in the marketing and communications sector, working for brands like the Ford Motor Company, American Airlines, Shell, Porsche, Nissan and Takeda, a Japanese pharmaceutical company.

Wesley-Ahlschwede’s role as the university’s first CMO, which will see her working with academic and administrative leaders to develop the university’s marketing strategy, starts on Feb. 13.

“FSU is a powerhouse with incredible students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, community and fans, and I’m excited for the future as we work to become a top 15 university and elevate our reputation in research, academics and innovation,” Wesley-Ahlschwede told FSUNews. “My time at FSU shaped who I am today, and I can’t wait to come back to partner with our world-class team.”

Navigating The Intersection Of Culture And Conversion With Michelle Taite, CMO At Intuit Mailchimp

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In this episode, Michelle and I discuss Mailchimp’s acquisition by Intuit, how it aligns with its mission, and how it impacts its customers. Mailchimp is passionate about empowering its customers, and they are working to develop relationships with them both online and offline to provide added value. Knowing they market to marketers, Michelle and her team lead by example and show what great marketing looks like at the intersection of culture and conversion.

Michelle Taite has a unique perspective on marketing due to her background in government intelligence forces, shoe design, consumer-packaged goods, ice cream, and enterprise software services. Most recently, she became CMO of Mailchimp after their acquisition by Intuit. She is working to evolve the brand, create a more connected customer journey, and bridge performance with creativity.

 In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How Michelle’s background in intelligence and design helped her transition to a successful career in marketing
  • What Mailchimp is doing to empower its clients
  • The role Wink plays in Mailchimp’s strategy and the benefits of a “design first” culture

 Key Highlights

  • [01:00] How a background in design and intelligence shaped who Michelle is today
  • [03:25] Michelle’s path from Israel to Intuit
  • [08:00] Why design is pervasive in the MailChimp culture
  • [08:40] Intuit’s acquisition of Mailchimp
  • [10:45] How the acquisition shifted the marketing strategy
  • [13:15] Why Mailchimp considers itself a lifestyle brand more than a SaaS brand
  • [15:45] Why Mailchimp is showing up in unexpected but natural ways
  • [17:10] Alan’s personal MailChimp antidote
  • [19:00] Mailchimp’s international initiatives
  • [20:10] The future of the brand
  • [22:50] The responsibility, challenges, and opportunities of marketing to markers
  • [25:30] Wink: Mailchimp’s internal marketing agency
  • [29:00] How icecream impacted her career
  • [34:50] Get out more!
  • [35:20] How psychology impacts Michelle’s view of marketing
  • [36:30] Brands to watch
  • [39:40] Why marketers need to lean into new technology early

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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth opportunities. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies but is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine companies.