John Beale Email & Phone Number

Minneapolis, Mn, Us

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

As a Senior Manager, at Bain, my role centers on guiding teams to solve complex marketing challenges for clients, particularly in Consumer Products, Retail, and Financial Services. I leverage my extensive marketing experience and TV knowledge to work closely with senior marketing leaders, focusing on operational changes in creative, media, or marketing capabilities. My primary goals include ensuring client satisfaction, achieving outstanding results, and maintaining team morale during demanding projects. Additionally, I play a key role in internal initiatives, co-leading our PRIDE groups and being part of the FRWD@Bain leadership team. Recognized for my contributions, I have been the Worldwide Employee Survey Champion for the last two years.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Entered a rotational role, in our external marketing team, responsible for all Customer Practice marketing efforts targeting Fortune500 potential and existing clients. Responsible for all marketing of the practice across website, digital media, e-mail, PR, podcasts, social and events. Strategic project lead of Bain’s Cannes event and marketing presence.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

As a newly married couple, we decided to look outside of South Africa for new growth opportunities, and packed up everything and moved to the United States (I am an American citizen), and chose Bain & Company’s offer In this role I was responsible for media and specifically TV and digital media streams on marketing case work for some of the top clients (Fortune 50 brands) in CP and Retail category. I was tasked with taking over Bain Media Lab, a startup within Bain housing numerous proprietary TV Analytics tools that empower case delivery. I have grown revenue and the team size across Bain Media Lab for 3 consecutive years

South Africa

As Head of Communications for Pernod Ricard, I oversaw PR, Media, Events, Corporate Communications, Social, and Content for 13 brands across 12 countries. My role involved integrating various functions, leading to about 35% cost savings by insourcing social media content and community management, as well as digital and social marketing. I also streamlined cross-functional processes with finance and sales, reducing budget overruns by approximately 10%. Collaborating with local specialists in 12 countries, I improved marketing and media integration, introducing tighter analytical and financial control processes. Our innovative media strategies led to record-breaking sales and marketing achievements. We established first-to-market TV partnerships, significantly grew premium brands like Absolut, Ballantine’s, and Beefeater, and enhanced brand equity by targeting underserved audience segments through product integration, influencers, and out-of-home media. I was chosen as Pernod Ricard TV host, the internal corporate communications channel, and hosted our annual events for the company.

Cape Town Area, South Africa

In my second year I was promoted to Senior Manager, and my remit grew to incorporate all Sub-Saharan Africa (12 countries) media. I was also tasked with a full revision of all agency contracts across PR, events and creative, and further reduced agency scope, and costs by another ~15%. I created the first integrated media briefing and reporting dashboards for Pernod Ricard SSA, adopted by Global HQ.

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Role was created for Pernod Ricard, 2nd largest spirits manufacturer and home to some of the largest brands in the world like Absolut, Jameson, Chivas Regal, GHMumm, Beefeater Gin etc. I rehauled the media process internal to Pernod Ricard, through a Pernod Ricard global best-practice winning RFP pitch process consolidating 4 media and digital agencies into 1, saving ~30% non-working spend. I implemented and integrated the first MMM into the business driving new-found learning about marketing spend.

Cape Town Area, South Africa

I felt the need to come back to what I love, which is consulting brands on marketing and media, and started my own consultancy Eight Thinking. Jumping at the gap in the market to help agencies pivot to digital age, I created digital media training curriculums, consulted on numerous media agency RFP’s for $100M+ business’ and had 100% win rate across all. I consulted on marketing and go-to-market strategies for clients from fin-tech startups to communications agencies.

Cape Town

As the Managing Director of MEC Global, a $500M media agency under GroupM, I was headhunted to lead a major transformation aligning with MEC's global vision. My role involved transitioning the agency from traditional media to a more integrated, digital-focused performer. In two years, we boosted digital revenue from 2% to over 44%, thanks to a consumer-first, mobile-first strategy, exemplified by our work with Johnson and Johnson. My leadership attracted dynamic, young talent, fostering innovation and collaboration with creative agency partners. This approach led to notable successes, including groundbreaking campaigns for Smirnoff Vodka and Johnnie Walker, driving substantial sales growth and earning recognition at Cannes Lions and Loeries. We also turned Heineken into South Africa's fastest-growing beer brand, winning global media innovation awards. My tenure was a profound learning experience in leadership, managing operations, HR, and client engagement. This period culminated in a two-month sabbatical to contemplate my career path.

City Of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

For final year I was in house consultant to Vodacom Communications team assisting them craft unique communication approaches across social, PR an internal comms. during various crisis periods engaging often with the board of directors, CEO, CMO and CTO.Key Achievements: 2 Vodacom CEO awards, 3 IAB Bookmark awards, a Vodafone Global Accolade for social media rollout, and setup Vodafone’s social media customer service center which is now the largest in the world.Awarded 2012 IAB’s Social Media Marketer of the Year

City Of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

[Formerly Cerebra Communications] As social media was rapidly growing, I pivoted to the country’s top specialist social media consultancy, Cerebra Communications. Among my professional achievements I grew agency revenues over 300% within the first year, and with a stellar team and client, developed and executed Vodacom social media strategy into the largest, fasted growing and most engaged brand on social media in the country. Implemented ad-hoc crisis communications for largest premium retailer Woolworths SA. Managed team of 8 community and content managers including reporting across above named clients

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

Contributing editor for cars.co.za - writing car reviews and syndication of those reviews across magazines (Mens Fitness) and personal online blog

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

I was promoted to Senior Media Strategist at Nota Bene, the media strategy hot-shop within MEC, and joined the team who won Vodacom, south Africa’s largest telco, while also sharing media strategy and planning responsibilities for Edcon, south Africa’s largest clothing retailer. I was solely responsible for all ZAR22M digital media revenue growth in a single year for the agency

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

I began my career as a media planner, under the tutelage of some of South Africa’s best female media strategy talent. Six months into the role I was chosen as the digital media interlock strategist between GroupMDigital and the 4 largest media agencies in the country, promoted to senior media strategist and was responsible for growing digital media revenue, upskilling traditional media teams and delivering integrated media strategies to top tier clients

Bachelor'S Degree, Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services

Activities and Societies: Academia Leadership Soccer

Diploma Of Education, Marketing/Marketing Management, General, B+

Other; Certificate In Financial Accounting, Complete

Financial Accounting is an 8-week, 60-hour online certificate program from Harvard Business School. This course teaches the fundamentals.