Jalin transforms marketing for investor-backed companies
As an interim exec, he’s levelled up marketing for ten companies, including Algolia (AI SaaS unicorn), Mollie (payments unicorn) and Tide (UK SMB neobanking unicorn).
With Jalin’s help, they’ve seen -
Improved metrics: Tide’s founding CEO noted he "smashed targets" and Omnipresent's CFO that he "managed to save 35% on marketing expenditure while hitting revenue numbers."
Stronger teams: he builds high-performing functions to outlast him
Smooth transitions: to a perm CMO, he can help select
His work is “exceptional”, according to the founding CEO of an SMB banking unicorn.
He’s also an advisor
Jalin advises CEOs and heads of marketing and serves as a non-exec director (previously to a fintech scale-up, two startups and a new school he also chaired).
Fyxer’s founding CMO says “investing in coaching from Jalin was the best decision I’ve made in my CMO career” and an educational trust’s CEO described him as “a very strong chair” to their board.
Through the CMO Masterclass, he shares his playbook
Participants describe this 10-week, cohort-based course, where Jalin shares his system for running marketing, as “a game-changer” (Head of Marketing, Qube), “a brilliant system” (CMO, Bloom & Wild) and “the most valuable marketing course I have been on” (Head of Marketing, Maeving).
The last cohort’s recommendation score was 9.4 out of 10 - share your details here to hear first about the next one.
His 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.
If you’d like to talk to him, drop him a line.
Bring Jalin on 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
Depending on the number of days you bring him on for, he can take full responsibility for the teams and areas he runs while in situ
Former clients include Algolia (global AI search SaaS ‘unicorn’), Mollie (Amsterdam-based payments ‘unicorn’), and Tide (SMB neobanking unicorn)
Marketing advisor
Advising the CEOs and marketing leaders of investor-backed companies.
Jalin’s help is tailored to your situation - and builds on the content of his CMO Masterclass
He is currently retained as an advisor to the CEOs of companies including a startup pan-European neobank and an online pension provider with £1bn+ in assets under administration (growing 70% at annually)
He coaches CMOs - including the founding CMO of Fyxer AI (dubbed “the UK’s fastest-growing startup”) and the CMOs of Jack & Jill and FlashPack. He has also advised the portfolio of Fidelity International Strategic Ventures (FISV) on as a part-time Venture Partner
Board member
To investor-backed businesses and ambitious charities.
Jalin’s board help builds on his advisory skillset, his experience of growing scale-ups - and his time at Google (where he launched Chrome across EMEA, driving faster share gains there than in the US)
He’s former NED to Titanbay (a scale-up bringing private equity, as an asset class, to a broader audience), two startups, and an ambitious new school that he also chaired
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 - SMB neo-banking ‘unicorn’
Jalin was Interim CMO
“In Jalin, we had a very strong chair 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.
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 was Franky’s marketing coach
“Jalin helped me take marketing at Flash Pack to the next level.
He taught me an advanced, analytical and scalable system for driving growth - I now prioritise, plan and measure with greater clarity. He’s a sharp, thoughtful coach who’s helped me grow as a marketing leader.”
David Gordon, Head of Marketing at Flash Pack
Jalin was David’s marketing coach
Photo: Jalin Somaiya