There are not many marketers who can boast about having founded a major brand. But that’s what Gav Thompson did when he launched Giffgaff in 2009, which is just one significant stop-off in a career spanning almost 25 years. Not one to settle on a particular path, his professional journey to date has been anything but linear. Indeed, it is the very epitome of a zig-zag career, taking in some of the biggest names in agency world, telcos, startups and a stint as CMO of Paddy Power at the height of criticisms over its controversial - some might say distasteful - ad campaigns. In a wide-ranging interview Thompson discusses: Why hanging out in bars and shops is the route to true customer centricity. How far is too far when it comes to controversial ads. The cultural, branding and insight challenges of launching a startup. Why 'creativity versus data' is a false dichotomy. The route to brand success - a marriage of efficiency and effectiveness.

FMCG has always been heralded as the ultimate place to learn marketing, but with the rise of faster-paced, perhaps more innovative sectors where young marketers can learn a wider array of skills and more hands-on learning experience, is FMCG still the only option?

Amanda Mackenzie is one of the UK’s most respected marketers. Beginning her career in agencies, she jumped brand side in 1998 with a series of challenging jobs in unpopular sectors including a stint as CMO of Aviva where she oversaw one of the biggest rebrands in financial services history.   She left marketing in 2015 to work with film-maker Richard Curtis on Project Everyone before becoming CEO of Prince Charles’s charity Business in the Community in 2016. She was awarded an OBE for services to marketing in 2015.   In a wide-ranging interview, Mackenzie discusses: Why marketers should pursue P&L responsibility Why the complexity of unloved sectors should be appealing to marketers The ongoing battle for gender equality in boardrooms Why the “incredible” Richard Curtis is as good a strategist as he is comedy writer Why most brands talking brand purpose are just paying “lip service”

As brands overhaul the established model of discount-based loyalty schemes, is rewarding longevity now the answer to incentivising profitable customer relationships?

Marketing Week editor Russell Parsons speaks to Tom Goodwin, head of innovation at Zenith and author of "Digital Darwinism" about a wide range of topics from the importance of people and creativity in digital transformation to the role of brands on social media.

In the latest Marketing Week Explores Podcast reporter Molly Fleming speaks to Mark Sandford, chief revenue officer at the Book of Man, about the impact toxic masculinity has on male mental health, while senior writer Charlotte Rogers interviews Iain Sawbridge, CMO of Beano Studios, about using content to address children's issues around mental health, confidence and emotional literacy.

Marketing Week editor Russell Parsons speaks to David Wheldon, CMO of RBS Group and president of the World Federation of Advertisers. The "accidental careerist" talks about his 35 years in marketing in which he has held executive positions agency-side and at global brands including Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Barclays and now RBS where in addition to overseeing brand strategy for some of the UK’s biggest financial services brands, he is also on its executive committee. In a candid interview, Wheldon discusses: The challenge of rebuilding RBS' brand repuation Why marketers shoudn't get distracted by digital Tackling a "discombulating" corporate crisis at Barclays Why marketers would benefit from working at agencies His career highs and lows The biggest challenges marketers will face in the future

In the latest Marketing Week Explores Podcast features editor Lucy Tesseras, senior writer Charlotte Rogers and reporter Ellen Hammett explore the latest developments in tech from Bitcoin and blockchain to virtual reality, the Internet of Things and 5G.

Marketing Week editor Russell Parsons speaks to Professor Byron Sharp (the influential author of How Brands Grow and director of Ehrenberg-Bass Institute at the University of South Australia) about what motivates his work, what attracted him to a career in marketing and more. Through his work he has gathered the attention of some of the world’s biggest brands, many of which have adopted his evidence-based approach. However, some have also taken issue to his black and white approach. Sponsored by Salesforce.

Is marketing considered a career destination? We surveyed more than 8,000 students about whether they would consider marketing to be a career destination. And the results have proven to be a wake up call for the industry.