Genuine Humans

Hosted by Social Element

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Episodes

Latest episode

Oct 2025

Language

EN-US

About the show

This is Genuine Humans, exploring the stories behind the great marketing leaders of our time and how their journeys have influenced the brands they’ve brought to life. Hosted by Tamara Littleton, CEO and Founder and Wendy Christie Chief People Officer of The Social Element.

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60 recent

October 2, 202534 min

Kirsten McPherson: Human-centric leadership

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Kirsten McPherson, Marketing Director at Mondelez International. Kirsten takes us through her career, highlighting her roles at Procter & Gamble and Mondelez, as well as her membership of the Marketing Academy. Kirsten reflects on the impact of influential individuals and programs, such as the Fulcrum Challenge, on her development and touches on the need for human-centric leadership in the industry to combat burnout and improve engagement. She also shares the Marketing Academy leadership rebellion manifesto.

September 18, 202529 min

Gaelle Comte: Breaking career barriers

Join Tamara and Wendy as they sit down to chat with Gaelle Comte, Senior Vice President of LIONS Learning at Cannes Lions. Gaelle shares her journey from growing up in the French Alps to playing a leading role in digital innovation in the advertising industry. Gaelle takes us through her career that’s spanned household names like Debenhams, News UK, Virgin and Carphone Warehouse. We hear about how important social mobility and empowering women is to Gaelle as she explores ways to help others gain access to the industry.

September 4, 202548 min

Nicola Young: Know your truth

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Nicola Young, CMO of soon-to-launch skincare brand, Genaura. Nicola started her marketing career at Scottish Television before switching to radio, where she worked for stations like Jazz FM, Magic, and Global Radio. She later joined Estée Lauder Companies, overseeing the marketing of 29 brands. Nicola also touches on the importance of resilience, networking, mentorship and her competitive spirit.

June 26, 202548 min

Jayvee Nava Brady: Building communities

Join Tamara and Wendy as they discuss the power of community with this week’s guest, Jayvee Nava Brady, Director of Community at Bubble. Jayvee started out managing spin studios and moved on to be the Vice President of Studios and then the Vice President of Community at Peloton. Jayvee talks about building thriving and engaged communities for brands.

June 5, 202547 min

Abbie Hickman: Defending what’s right

Tamara and Wendy are joined by Abbie Hickman, Head of Restaurant Marketing for UK and Ireland at Nando’s. We also hear about Abbie’s time at i2C (now Nectar 360) and her work at Alpro. Abbie talks about the importance of being seen as a defender. Of using your power to stand up for people and of the desire to make a significant impact on the lives of those around her.

May 15, 202530 min

Gareth Abel: The science of marketing

Tamara and Wendy are joined by experienced Chief Marketing Officer, Gareth Abel. Gareth honed his marketing expertise working for Orange, Samsung & Etisalat, and he works with organisations to deliver sustainable profit growth through highly effective marketing. Gareth talks about the importance of understanding market dynamics when working internationally and continuous education. We also hear about his framework for sustainable profit growth.

April 24, 202534 min

Mays Elansari: Grasping strategic opportunities

Senior brand marketing specialist, Mays Elansari, joins Tamara and Wendy this week to discuss her fantastic career in marketing, which includes roles at McCann Erickson, MasterCard, and Tiffany & Co as well as strategic roles at Penhaligon’s and Subway. Mays talks about her experience working in B2C and B2B brands and the differences in working for agency and client-side marketing. She emphasises the importance of flexibility, agility, and resilience in her career and shares her passion for problem-solving and advocacy for gender equality.

April 3, 202545 min

Aretha Sabeng: Chasing Curiosity

This week, Tamara and Wendy are joined from New York by Aretha Sabeng, Director of Marketing at Garnier at L’Oreal. Aretha shares her journey from aspiring engineer to marketing professional, detailing her early career challenges and pivotal moments, including a management training program that sparked her passion for marketing. Aretha emphasises the importance of genuine human support in her success and reflects on her childhood experiences that shaped her resilience and curiosity.

March 20, 202528 min

Tatiana Canessa: Selfless leadership

Tatiana Canessa, Innovation Activation Manager at Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS, joins Tamara and Wendy this week to talk through her career journey. From working in social media in her home country of Uruguay, to working for the World Health Organisation in Washington D.C and now in her role at Johnson & Johnson, Tatiana has always believed in fostering cultures of innovation and supporting her teams in following their passions and talents.

February 27, 202523 min

Rachel Moss: Authentic leadership

Rachel Moss, Head of Marketing Strategy at Allwyn, joins Tamara and Wendy this week to talk about her career journey, from her time at Storck to her role in brand management at Kraft and her work at Premier Foods. Rachel discusses the impact that great leaders and supportive networks have had on her life and talks about her commitment to authenticity in leadership.