The Art of Excelling in a ‘Squiggly Career’ with The Marketing Society’s CEO, Sophie Devonshire - Episode 9

03/07/25 • 42 min

Sophie Devonshire’s career could be described as ‘squiggly’, but in business she’s a laser-focused CEO with an infallible eye for marketing and team-building.

Drawing on experiences from Coca Cola and Proctor and Gamble, she’s mastered the art of ‘leading with speed’, building purposeful pauses into business, and shaping roles to play into a team’s strengths.

Her leadership now is shaped by countless pivotal moments in her career, so join us as we discover how The Marketing Society’s CEO shaped her entrepreneurial lens.

Key takeaways from this episode:

Navigating a "squiggly" career path from FMCG giants and agency work to international roles
The power of pace-setting and agility in modern business leadership
Balancing speed and responsibility in growth
Building high-performing, complementary teams that can execute at pace
Finding passion and purpose in your work

Sophie Devonshire

https://www.sophie-devonshire.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiedevonshiresuperfast/

Connect with Dave Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/
Learn more about Brandpie: https://www.brandpie.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandpie/

Sophie Devonshire’s career could be described as ‘squiggly’, but in business she’s a laser-focused CEO with an infallible eye for marketing and team-building.

Her leadership now is shaped by countless pivotal moments in her career, so join us as we discover how The Marketing Society’s CEO shaped her entrepreneurial lens.

Key takeaways from this episode:

Navigating a "squiggly" career path from FMCG giants and agency work to international roles
The power of pace-setting and agility in modern business leadership
Balancing speed and responsibility in growth
Building high-performing, complementary teams that can execute at pace
Finding passion and purpose in your work

Sophie Devonshire

https://www.sophie-devonshire.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiedevonshiresuperfast/

Connect with Dave Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/
Learn more about Brandpie: https://www.brandpie.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandpie/

Previous Episode

Cesare Ragazzi’s Revival: How to Breathe New Life Into a Brand with CRLAB Chairman, Andrea Mandel-Mantello - Episode 8

Investing in a bankrupt business isn’t usually the most appealing option, but for Andrea Mandel-Mantello, it was a stroke of genius...

The Cesare Ragazzi name was known throughout Italy when Andrea took over. Through a strong rebrand, resilience, and passion for improving people’s lives, Andrea’s brand now brings those values to a staggering 26 countries.

Join us on Pivot Points to discover how Andrea brought a household name back from the brink of bankruptcy.

Key takeaways from this episode:

How Andrea took a bankrupt company and breathed new life into the Cesare Ragazzi brand
The perseverance required to turn a company around and repay its debts
How strategic partnerships and innovative marketing are key to internationalisation
The importance of keeping a dedicated team motivated and aligned with your company's mission

Andrea Mandel-Mantello: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mantello/

Connect with Dave Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/
Learn more about Brandpie: https://www.brandpie.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandpie/

Next Episode

The Crucible Moments That Reforge a Leader with Former-CEO of The Body Shop & Charles Tyrwhitt, David Boynton - Episode 10

Over the course of a remarkable 30-year career, David Boynton has led some of the world's most prominent brands, including L'Occitane, Charles Tyrwhitt, and The Body Shop.

It’s a journey that’s taken him through transformative moments and challenges at every stage, bestowing him with pivotal learnings around leadership, growth, and culture.

Join us this week to discover the ‘crucible moments’ in which David was thrown into the fire, and emerged reforged...

This episode covers:

The critical role of a clear, meaningful organisational purpose, exemplified through David’s work with The Body Shop
Navigating significant changes at huge companies while maintaining core cultural values
Culture as a fundamental driver for growth and success, not an add-on
Willingness to reset strategies and challenge existing operational models when market conditions change
Balancing heritage and innovation within longstanding brands

David Boynton

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-boynton-a111331/

Connect with Dave Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/
Learn more about Brandpie: https://www.brandpie.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandpie/