Phil has that rare ability to flip between strategy and execution seamlessly. He helped us find clarity quickly and land some early wins that made a real impact.
Case Study
Unblocking Volkswagen's Global Marketing Transformation
Enterprise AdTech / Volkswagen + Omnicom
The Opportunity
Volkswagen Group was undertaking a global marketing transformation — spanning 110+ markets — led by Code Worldwide, a data and technology agency within Omnicom Group. The goal: automate creative production, standardise marketing operations, and embed AI-driven tools into the end-to-end workflow. But progress had stalled. I was brought in to diagnose the issues and reset the initiative.
The Approach
Working across teams at Code Worldwide, Volkswagen HQ, and Omnicom Group agencies (including PHD and DDB), I ran a series of workshops and interviews to surface blockers, misalignments, and points of friction.
Key to unlocking progress was securing a renewed mandate from the top. I defined and articulated the commercial and operational value of the transformation — and presented this directly to the Group CMO, securing executive buy-in to proceed.
To validate the benefits and gain traction, I oversaw proof-of-concept pilots in Germany and France with VW and Škoda, enabling real-world demonstration of the strategy's value.
The Output
- Defined and quantified transformation benefits across global operations
- Secured Group CMO buy-in and senior alignment
- Aligned regional and agency teams around a refreshed transformation roadmap
- Guided PoC execution in Germany and France (VW + Škoda)
The Outcome
The engagement unlocked a stalled transformation — reactivating momentum across global and local teams. With executive sponsorship and a validated approach in place, the programme was restructured and rolled out with renewed clarity and confidence.
- €1M+ in savings identified at HQ level alone (excluding markets)
- Programme repositioned from stalling risk to strategic priority
- Cross-functional teams aligned across 110+ markets