Hi, I’m Jim

Raised in a Catholic family of six children, with a nurse mother and an attorney father, Jim’s early years were shaped by faith, family, and community. Sports, neighborhood friendships, and small jobs like paper routes and snow shoveling instilled a strong work ethic and a sense of responsibility, while books and movies expanded his imagination and fueled his curiosity.

A standout on the football field, Jim carried with him lessons of teamwork and perseverance. He enrolled at Franklin & Marshall College, where he traded football for acting, discovering new ways to express himself. Lifelong neighborhood friendships remained steady, and influential courses, books and movies opened his eyes to a bigger world and a desire to make a meaningful impact.

After graduating from Franklin & Marshall, Jim spent four formative years at Time Inc. in the Time- Life division, where he observed firsthand how business, not just editorial, drove the company’s direction. He experienced both inspiring and challenging leadership, helping him recognize that business — and the people who drive the strategy of a company — would be his path.

Jim earned his MBA from Penn State, where he also met his wife Kathleen, and began his career at P&G. These early years laid the foundation for his understanding of consumer-centricity, the power of strategy before tactics, and the importance of developing people and leaders.

Jim spent nearly two decades at Procter & Gamble, starting in brand management and advancing through key marketing and leadership roles. After early positions in the U.S., including a stint in Hunt Valley, MD, he moved to Europe in 1995 to lead operations in the Czech and Slovak Republics. He later oversaw P&G’s Baby Care business across Europe and globally, culminating in his appointment as Global Marketing Officer in 2001.

Named P&G's first Global CMO, Jim led a transformative period where annual sales doubled. He championed bold ambition, purpose-driven brand building, and a culture of empathy and creativity. Under his leadership, P&G became the first client to attend Cannes Lions — later winning Marketer of the Year — forming groundbreaking partnerships with agencies. His work not only changed P&G but also influenced the broader marketing industry.

Served on the Board of Directors and chaired the Compensation & Leadership Committee during a time of significant transition for the company. When Motorola split in 2009, Jim served on the board at Motorola Mobility, guiding the company through acquisition by Google for $12.5 billion.

Motivated by lessons learned at P&G, Jim launched his own firm focused on helping companies and leaders discover and activate brand purpose to drive growth and performance. The company quickly became known for its work in purpose-driven leadership and organizational transformation.

Provided strategic guidance during AOL's repositioning as a digital content and advertising leader, culminating in its acquisition by Verizon.

Pioneered a new MBA course focused on brand purpose, bringing in weekly industry leaders and helping students apply purpose to brand-building. The course became one of the school's most distinctive and impactful offerings

Jim’s first book, Grow, was the culmination of years spent studying what makes great brands thrive. It introduced a powerful insight—that businesses driven by a clear, authentic purpose outperform their peers. Drawing on deep research and real-world examples, the book helped reshape how marketers and leaders think about growth, purpose, and the role of brands in people’s lives. It quickly became a go-to resource for anyone looking to build not just a successful company, but a meaningful one.

Jim launched and has since led the Cannes Lions festival’s first and only leadership development program for CMOs, equipping senior marketers with the tools to lead with purpose and drive business growth.

The Deloitte University Next Generation CMO Academy helps rising CMOs strengthen their leadership capabilities through interactive sessions, panels, and live podcast interviews focused on purpose, leadership, and elevating marketing’s role within the C-suite.

Teaches executive education courses on leading marketing organizations, contributed to the design of Kellogg’s first online MBA program (teaching four modules), and plays a key role in the annual Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit.

Co-authored with journalist Tom Post, Jim’s second book explored how big, established companies can learn from the energy and agility of startups. Unleashing the Innovators brought together stories from both sides of the business spectrum—legacy organizations and scrappy disruptors—to show how unlikely partnerships can drive real innovation. It reflected Jim’s growing focus on leadership transformation and his passion for helping companies stay relevant in a fast-changing world.

Created The CMO Podcast, where Jim has hosted over 360 interviews with some of the world's most influential marketers and business leaders. The show has amassed over 3.7 million downloads and is praised for its honest, insightful conversations. Guests often remark on Jim's ability to create a trusted space to talk about leadership, purpose, and personal growth.

Marked the milestone with a special two-part “reverse the microphone” episode, hosted by Jonathan Mildenhall, featuring reflections from Jim and conversations with three returning guests from the original season.