Paul Mills

A little bit about me...

I am a Chartered Marketer and have over two decades’ experience transforming marketing performance for SMEs, LLPs, and global enterprises. I specialise in scaling mid-tier B2B organisations across biotech & pharma, financial services, healthcare & life sciences, and professional services.

I launched VCMO in 2023 to help businesses build competitive advantage through flexible and affordable access to superior marketing leadership, uniting the best marketers, innovative delivery partners, and growth investors. I also host the Fractional Futures podcast, sharing practical insights on fractional leadership, and my no-nonsense approach to the value of strategic marketing.

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My marketing credentials:

✅ Chartered Marketer (CIM)
✅ Fellow of CIM
✅ SOSTAC® Certified Planner

Where I add most value as a marketing leader...

1. Transformation – Restructuring or building marketing functions from the ground up to deliver higher performance, stronger alignment, and measurable commercial impact.
2. Functional Alignment – Closing capability and operational gaps by uniting senior leaders, sales, and marketing teams into a highly effective, efficient growth engine.
3. Brand Repositioning – Elevating brands with sharper positioning, messaging, and value exchange to generate stronger awareness, demand, and customer engagement.
4. Troubleshooting – Applying advanced analytical techniques and strategic frameworks to diagnose root causes of underperformance and embedding practical, creative solutions that deliver results.
5. Resource Optimisation – Maximising marketing impact with minimal financial and human resources through smart prioritisation, creativity, and commercial discipline.

The most common misconception I hear about marketing is...

"...Marketing is just advertising. In reality, marketing is the discipline of creating superior customer value, outmanoeuvring competitors, and building the unfair advantage that drives enterprise value for owners and stakeholders."

Some of my best marketing was delivered at...

• Shaw & Co - Built Shaw & Co’s marketing platform from the ground up, delivering a full corporate rebrand, new website, and collateral suite. Positioned the firm as a UK corporate finance disruptor, doubling revenue within two years during Covid.
• DAS UK Group (acquired by Arag) - I led the marketing to consolidate 122 legacy websites into four enterprise-grade platforms supporting nine million customers. I rebranded DAS Law as an independent firm, downsized the Group's marketing function, and increased output to align with wider organisational transformation.
• Grant Thornton - I built and scaled the marketing team for Business Growth Services, driving national promotion of the Government’s GrowthAccelerator programme to over 26,000 SME clients. I achieved and exceeded client sign-up targets, securing a government contract extension through demonstrable performance impact.

Some fun facts about me...

1. I have performed a full heart bypass procedure on an adult pig as part of my cardiothoracic sales training at J&J Medical.
2. During my placement year at Ford, I invented 'ambient mood lighting' as a future feature which was subsequently developed and rolled out.
3. In 2018 superstar DJ Lisa Lashes invited me behind her decks at a gig at the Doghouse in Bristol.

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