Jalin transforms marketing for investor-backed companies
As an interim exec he’s levelled marketing up for ten companies - including three ‘unicorns’ - backed by investors like Goldman Sachs, Index Ventures and SoftBank.
With Jalin’s help, they’ve seen:
Improved metrics (he "smashed his targets" at Tide and “saved 35% on marketing expenditure while hitting revenue numbers“ at Omnipresent)
A stronger marketing team
Smooth transition to a strong perm CMO, whom he can help select
His work is “exceptional”, according to the founding CEO of a unicorn neobank. His playbook highlights have gone viral - and now he’s launching the full version as the CMO Masterclass.
He’s also an advisor
Alongside interim CMO work, Jalin advises ambitious companies (e.g. an explosively-growing AI startup and a pan-European neobank) and serves as a non-exec director (previously to a fintech scale-up, two startups and a new school he also chaired).
Fyxer AI’s CMO says “investing in coaching from Jalin was the best decision I’ve made in my CMO career.”
With a distinctive back-story
Jalin’s background is unusual for a CMO, which is reflected in his style:
An ex-management consultant, he’s highly commercial (“rarely… have I had marketing engagement as fruitful,” notes Omnipresent’s CFO)
He’s held senior ops roles and is comfortable with complexity (“he took over… a team spread over multiple continents and created a disciplined process for delivery,” notes Prodigy Finance’s COO)
He’s aesthetically attuned and relishes brand-building (“Jalin did a fantastic job repositioning Algolia for the AI age,“ says their CTO).
He’s also served as part-time Venture Partner to a VC fund and spent seven years at Google. He studied at Oxford, holds an MBA with distinction from INSEAD - and grew up in Dar es Salaam.
Would you like to talk to him? Why don’t you drop him a line?
Engage him as your:
Interim CMO
Running and transforming marketing - typically for AI, SaaS and fintech companies with marketing teams of 5-50 and spend in the millions (or tens of millions)
Over the course of a year, Jalin will improve a combination of customer economics and growth. He’ll strengthen your team. And he'll run the smooth transition to a perm CMO, whom he can help you select
You’ll have him four days a week (reaping >95% of the benefit of full-time help at 80% of the cost) yet he takes full responsibility for the teams and areas he runs
He works off a day-rate and generates high ROI for you
Former clients include Algolia (global AI search SaaS ‘unicorn’), Mollie (Amsterdam-based payments ‘unicorn’), and Tide (leading UK business neobank)
Marketing advisor
Advising and mentoring founders and marketing leaders of investor-backed companies, and sometimes investors themselves. Fyxer AI’s CMO says “investing in coaching from Jalin was the best decision I’ve made in my CMO career”.
Jalin usually works on a retained basis after a trial period
Current and former clients include the CMOs of Fyxer AI (dubbed “the UK’s fastest-growing startup”), Adzuna and FlashPack. Jalin’s also advisory CMO to a new pan-European neobank
He’s previously advised the portfolio of Fidelity Int’l Strategic Ventures (FISV) on marketing as a part-time Venture Partner (until conflicts of interest intervened)
Board member
To investor-backed businesses and occasionally, ambitious charities
Bringing experience of scaling products at Google and at startups (mostly in fintech and SaaS) and coaching execs on marketing
Former NED and marketing advisor to a VC-backed fintech scale-up (that’s bringing private equity, as an asset class, to a broader audience), two startups, and an ambitious new school he chaired for a period
Photos: Jalin Somaiya
“Jalin did an exceptional job as CMO at Tide.
Within months he took Tide’s marketing function and turned it into a substantial, world-class team acquiring 8% of the UK business banking market. He really ‘gets’ the strategic context and so optimises for overall business impact rather than just meeting a narrow target. He did, however, also smash his targets!”
George Bevis, founding CEO, Tide - leading business neo-bank
Jalin was Interim CMO
“In Jalin, we had a very strong chairman for the International Academy of Greenwich.
This role was highly complex and demanding, requiring negotiation with, and navigation of, local and national government. He chaired with integrity and tenacity, balancing the needs of the various stakeholders, and showing a flair for clear decision-making and communication.”
Liz Robinson, CEO, Big Education Trust
Jalin was Chair, formerly Vice-Chair
“Jalin did a fantastic job repositioning Algolia for the AI age.
As Algolia rebuilt its entire product to leverage AI, Jalin guided the exec team to refine our positioning and messaging in the market. Then he launched it across our site, sales teams and company - on time & budget. We’re now generating 30% more MQLs than before. Like the other C-levels here, I’m very impressed.”
Sean Mullaney, CTO, Algolia - AI SaaS ‘unicorn’
Jalin was Interim Head of Transformation (reporting to the CEO)
“Jalin brought us immediate value with his analytical skills and instinct for prioritisation.
Rarely in my career have I had marketing engagement as fruitful and analytically rich, as my interactions with Jalin. He took over our marketing function, quickly reviewed and reallocated spend - and within a quarter, managed to save us 35% on our expenditure while hitting his revenue numbers. He brought clarity to the function and aligned it neatly towards business outcomes.”
Tucker Dearth, CFO, Omnipresent - global SaaS ‘soon-icorn’
Jalin was Interim VP Marketing
“Jalin was an excellent addition to Prodigy Finance.
He took over responsibility for a team spread over multiple continents and created a disciplined process for delivery. He… earned himself a well-deserved promotion, where we gave him more teams to run. Jalin joined our executive team as part of this and brought a notable clarity to our decision making.”
Sarah Harvey, COO, Prodigy Finance - global lender of $1bn+
Jalin was Interim CMO
“Jalin would be an asset to any organisation.
His approach is structured, thoughtful and above all, flexible to company needs. He has a remarkable ability to be high-level or detail-obsessed and move at breakneck speed or be more considered if necessary... A particular highlight: Jalin managed the definition of our core mission and repositioned the company's brand.”
Ishaan Malhi, founding CEO, Trussle - mortgage broker backed by Goldman Sachs
Jalin was Interim Executive
“Investing in coaching from Jalin was the best decision I’ve made in my CMO career.
He helps me navigate critical decisions with deep insights about business, marketing and human nature - every conversation leaves me more clear-sighted and confident.
Franky Athill, CMO Fyxer AI
Jalin is Franky’s marketing coach
Photo: Jalin Somaiya