
Differentiate. Align. Accelerate Growth.
I help CEOs, PE investors and ambitious businesses sharpen their positioning, align commercial teams unlock shareholder value and drive rapid growth.
Differentiate. Align. Accelerate Growth.

ABOUT
Achieve your business goals with the expertise of an award-winning marketing strategist.
I bring more than 30 years of strategic marketing and commercial leadership experience, helping high-growth, investor-backed, PLC and international businesses across Europe and the US sharpen their positioning, accelerate growth and create shareholder value.
Senior-level expertise + flexible delivery = your competitive edge
MY APPROACH
The Essential Edge Growth Framework
Differentiate. Align. Accelerate.
Drawing on over 30 years of strategic marketing and commercial leadership, The Essential Edge Growth Framework brings together three interconnected disciplines to turn strategic ambition into measurable, sustainable growth.
01
DIFFERENTIATE
Stand Out. Be Chosen.
Establish a compelling competitive position and a clear reason for customers to choose you.
- Growth strategy & market focus
- Competitive positioning
- Customer value propositions
- Brand & messaging
Outcome
Stronger market positioning & competitive advantage
02
ALIGN
Connect Strategy & Execution.
Align leadership, marketing, sales and delivery around shared commercial priorities.
- Commercial priorities & goals
- Sales, marketing & delivery alignment
- Integrated go-to-market strategy & plan
- Operating model, governance & KPIs
Outcome
Aligned teams, priorities & go-to-market execution
03
ACCELERATE
Turn Strategy into Growth.
Translate strategy into focused programmes that build demand and deliver results.
- Integrated campaigns & ABM
- Sales enablement
- Demand & pipeline generation
- Performance measurement & optimisation
Outcome
Stronger pipeline, conversion & profitable growth
Enabled by human expertise, data & AI
Seasoned judgement and intelligent technology enhance insight, execution, productivity and decisions across every stage.
WHAT I DO
Essential Results
Human Expertise Leads. AI Enables. Growth Follows.
Repositioned a mid-sized business to achieve 5x over the target value creation goal
Repositioned a medium-sized professional service firm by developing and implementing Total Value Optimization™ (TVO), a differentiated approach to supply chain transformation, leading to the successful growth and sale of the company.
Consistently grew and achieved over £3Bn sales target for six consecutive years
As a member of the senior management team of a major international IT services firm, leveraged differentiated marketing, sales, deal pursuit and account development techniques, resulting in the consistent winning of >$3bn in new revenue annually over a six-year period.
Drove 28% CAGR for five years for an international consulting firm
Tripled the share price of an IT software company
Led a major rebranding and messaging exercise across all aspects of Gresham Computing (real-time transaction processing and control) to reposition the company for growth. Gresham’s share price went from 40p to £1.30.
The Essential Edge was the key.
Sustainable growth requires more than technology. It depends on clear strategy, compelling differentiation, deep market understanding and effective commercial execution.
At Essential Edge, I combine strategic marketing and commercial experience with modern marketing capabilities, data and AI to help organisations work smarter, make better decisions and improve performance.
I see AI not simply as a content creation tool, but as an augmentation layer across the marketing operating model, enhancing market intelligence, customer insight, planning, execution and performance optimisation.
My philosophy is simple: human expertise leads; AI enables; commercial results matter.
You can engage me as a:
Strategic Marketing Consultant.. |.. Advisor.. |.. Fractional CMO.. |.. Interim CMO
How I work with you
Senior Leadership & Advisory
Strategic Marketing Consultant
Targeted expertise for positioning, growth strategy, go-to-market and performance challenges.
Strategic Advisor
Experienced counsel to CEOs, investors and leadership teams.
Fractional CMO
Senior marketing leadership, strategic direction and execution oversight without a full-time hire.
Interim CMO
Hands-on executive leadership during transformation, transition or accelerated growth.
Specialist Marketing Delivery
Fractional Marketing Team
I bring together trusted specialists across content, digital marketing, PR, demand generation and campaign execution, giving you flexible access to the capabilities you need.
TESTIMONIALS
What my clients say
Simon Knowles in the media
The Simple Guide to ESG in the Supply Chain
While CMO at Maine Pointe, Simon co-authored a white paper with Alan Amling, distinguished fellow at the Global Supply Chain Institute of the University of Tennessee, on the importance of ESG to corporate leadership and supply. You can read the white paper and listen to Simon and Alan speaking on the subject on a couple of podcasts.
RECOGNITION & MEDIA
Featured in
Articles featured in:

Publications featured in:

CEO Monthly Magazine
CMO Award Winner 2022
Significant contributor in:

LATEST THINKING
Essential Edge Quarterly Insights
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