VCMO Founder - Paul Mills.

Over 20 years in marketing leadership taught me a simple truth:
‍tactics alone don’t scale businesses. Sadly, too many organisations burn time, effort and money on activities that don't move the dial.

I've seen talented in-house teams burning out, agencies selling execution without direction, and business leaders frustrated by poor marketing returns. Across roles in B2B and B2C, I noticed the same gap: marketing without strategic leadership always falls short.

VCMO was created to close that gap — giving businesses access to strategic marketing leadership that drives revenue, reputation, and resilience without the cost or risk of a full-time CMO or Marketing Director.

1. You started out wanting to be a fast jet pilot. How did you end up in marketing?
I began life aiming for the RAF, but a medical setback cut that short. At 18, I joined Eli Lilly as an apprentice analytical chemist, swapping a flight suit for a lab coat. Testing drugs like Prozac gave me a grounding in discipline and precision — skills I later channelled into the world of marketing.

2. What’s the most memorable moment from your early career?
During my university placement at Ford (2002), I pitched an idea I called “ambient mood lighting” for the next generation Fiesta. My supervisor dismissed it — but executives loved it, and it later became a standard feature in Aston Martins and Range Rovers, before trickling down to Ford's own models. Not bad for a placement student! That experience taught me the value of challenging assumptions and backing creative ideas with conviction.

3. You’ve worked across science, automotive, healthcare, and professional services. What’s the common thread?
I’ve always gravitated towards complex, technical environments that challenge me. Whether analysing drugs, learning heart surgery to sell medical devices, or navigating highly regulated industries, my strength is simplifying complexity. I translate intricate systems into practical strategies teams can act on — and that ability has become my “superpower” in marketing leadership and business transformation.

4. Your time at Johnson & Johnson Medical sounds unique — what did it teach you?
Working in surgical theatres, I supported heart surgeons using pioneering minimally invasive devices — even practising on a beating pig’s heart in Hamburg. Not many marketers can say they’ve operated on a pig! It was intense, technical, and high-pressure, but it gave me a grounding in complex sales and confidence working with world-class experts.

‍5. Why did you launch VCMO?
The pandemic accelerated a huge shift. Business leaders often undervalued strategic marketing or treated it tactically. I saw a clear gap: ambitious firms needed embedded, board-level marketing leadership — without the cost of a full-time CMO. VCMO was born to fill that void and raise the standard of marketing leadership.

6. What’s your long-term mission with VCMO?
I want to build one of the most trusted and respected marketing brands. Too many businesses have been burned by poor advice or underwhelming delivery. By blending Chartered, strategic-first CMOs with cutting-edge AI tools, my goal is to transform how marketing is perceived — shifting it from cost centre to the primary driver of enterprise value.