Annika Adler
European Marketing Director
London
Summary
Bilingual business leader fluent in English and German, with 15 years of experience in global, regional, and local brand and commercial roles. Passionate about building brands and launching innovations that drive category growth, enhance brand loyalty, and achieve commercial success. Demonstrated expertise in delivering transformational growth while prioritizing sustainability and inclusion within business strategies. Leadership style emphasizes radical candor, creativity, and a strong commitment to commercial objectives and social impact.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
4
4
Languages
Work History
European Marketing Director
SC Johnson – Lifestyle Brands (Ecover & method)
04.2022 - Current
- Leader of the European brand marketing team for Ecover and method (RSV ca $250m growing 10.0% CAGR/UK ca.$165m). Promoted from EU head of brand.
- Team: 5 direct & 14 total across EU
- Creative Development | Media Planning | Innovation Commercialisation | Brand Performance Tracking | Agency Management | Brand Communication end-to-end | Performance Marketing | Strategic Portfolio Management | Consumer Insight and Market Reporting | Pricing | Brand Partnerships |
- Leading brand marketing strategy for Ecover and method across Europe driving brand commitment through integrated full-funnel marketing campaigns ensuring cultural relevance, brand alignment, and creative excellence. Responsible for EU business reporting, analysis and insight feeding into the monthly S&OP cycle. Mentoring, managing, and developing the EU marketing team into a high performing team. Leading annual investment strategy and budget allocation balancing people, planet, and profit.
- Key wins
- Responsible for creative performance of $12m annual marketing spend delivering SOV>SOM
- Built digital-first launch plans for method body wash – now #1 on Amazon
- Responsible for brand repositioning of Ecover brand including comms platform, and innovation pipeline delivering 30bps of market share gains
- Created “The Chair” campaign addressing consumption and waste—winning industry awards and driving +23% category outperformance, delivering 2x engagement vs norm across media platforms, growing brand awareness 9%, consideration 16% YOY
- Scaled Amazon sales +30% YoY through full-funnel optimisation, winning the digital shelf
- Nominated as delegate for company’s first ever internal leadership Acceleration Program
Co-Founder + Director
Friends on the Hill
07.2024 - Current
- Co-founded and running an after-school art club in Streatham, providing London living wage employment to four local childcarers and awesome art skill development for 30+ kids.
- Launched this passion project in just 6 weeks over the summer holidays after the closure of existing provision – because equal opportunity parenting and screen-free fun are important!
Marketing Manager Nescafé
Nestlé
05.2021 - 04.2022
- Promoted to lead the UK & Ireland Coffee Mixes Business across NESCAFÉ and Starbucks and Coffee Mate (£150m RSV in UK).
- Team: 4 direct in the UK
- Brand Communication | Innovations strategy | Monthly brand S&OP process | Pricing | Portfolio Management | Team Management | Media strategy
- Leading the brand marketing strategy for NESCAFÉ coffee Mixes and Starbucks worth £150m. Led team and portfolio through high inflation periods including PPA projects and cost price increases. Responsible for leading media strategy for the total NESCAFÉ business worth £6m. Developing and mentoring team of 4 marketers. Delivering growth to flat consumption coffee category by launching winning NPD (Nescafe Iced Coffee) and relaunching Starbucks Coffee Mixes with new packaging and new recipes.
- Key wins
- Developed and implementing portfolio strategy optimisation for NESCAFÉ coffee mixes portfolio delivering +£1m savings annually
- Led media strategy for NESCAFÉ securing Capital Radio and Friends sponsorship (SKY & Comedy central) in highly competitive and inflationary media landscape
- Launched fastest growing coffee mixes NPD “NESCAFÉ ICED” delivering 210bps of incremental household penetration overtaking first-to-market competitor Kenco
Senior National Account Manager
Nestlé
08.2019 - 05.2021
- Secondment from sales to obtain critical experiences for future general management career. Promoted within role from managing Sainsbury’s and Waitrose to managing #1 customer Tesco. Responsible for 15m RSV
- Key Account Management | Joint Business Planning | Monthly S&OP cycle management | Customer category data analysis | Negotiation
- Responsible for leading Nestle’s infant nutrition business - one of the few categories where Nestle is the challenger. Successfully led cost-price increase negotiations, range reviews, and entries into new product categories.
- Key wins
- Delivered profitable market share growth (+150bps-200bps) across customers through range expansion (+3 incremental super premium milks during 10% range reduction) and promotional optimisation (Tesco clubcard) in line with customer strategy
- Delivered 2 rounds of cost-price increases delivering +£1m in incremental Net Sales
Marketing Manager Nescafé
Nestlé
07.2017 - 07.2019
- Requested to return from expatriation by UK MD to lead the biggest and most loved coffee brand portfolio NESCAFÉ Original (£100m RSV, -5% decline).
- Team: 2 direct in the UK
- Brand Strategy | Customer Activations | Campaign Development | Media Planning | Cost optimisation | Brand Turnaround
- Responsible for setting the strategy for the most profitable and most loved NESCAFÉ brand in the UK. Developed a new brand positioning and brand communications platform.
- Key wins
- Developed and implemented award winning campaigns (“Cheeky Mug” & “Morning Personalities”) delivering +267bps market share and +4.4% revenue growth which were subsequently rolled out globally
- Delivered + £1.3m in annual savings by leading cross functional team to optimise value chain (including recipe reformulation and packaging optimisations)
Consumer Marketing Manager Beverages
Nestlé
02.2016 - 07.2017
- Expatriate to Manila, Philippines for 18 months assignment in coffee division (#6 coffee market globally for Nestle) to work on growth engine coffee mixes focusing on both the youth recruitment pillar as well as developing propositions for bottom of the pyramid consumers.
- Communications Development | New product development | Media strategy | Cost optimization
- Key wins
- Developed products from concept to launch delivering +1,070bps share
- Conceived and launched 360-degree brand communication platform around product versatility driving penetration and frequency of consumption for NESCAFÉ Mocha: “How do you like your Mocha?” and “How do you shake your Mocha?” delivering 200bps of incremental market share
Global Innovation Manager
Nestlé
05.2015 - 01.2016
- Expatriate to Switzerland to gain experience in global innovation role
- Innovation Management | 3rd party manufacturing | E-Content Development | E-Commerce | Loyalty | New Product Development | Brand Partnerships |
- Leading global coffee accessory business strategy for NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto to drive in-home usage and loyalty of pod coffee machines. Developed a new e-com playbook for coffee machine accessories. Developed NPD pipeline through design brand partnerships to drive brand appeal.
- Key wins
- Led portfolio optimization for accessories reducing excess inventory by 80k CHF and simplifying the portfolio by 15% by removing tail end of portfolio
- Developed 3-year innovation pipeline for NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto accessories incl. strategic brand partnerships with Durgol and Guzzini
- Developed and implemented the global e-content guidelines for coffee accessories to accelerate e-business
Brand Manager Nescafé
Nestlé
05.2011 - 05.2015
- I joined a direct entry program into brand management working my way up to brand manager.
- Team: 1 direct in the UK
- Brand Management | Packaging Development | Customer Activations | Innovation Strategy | Innovation Development | Agency Management | Integrated Media Planning
- Key wins/projects
- Led cross agency team to turn brand communication strategy into compelling multi-million integrated campaigns (including TV, press, social, digital, PR, and experiential) growing awareness and consideration delivering record sales (global #1 brand sales in 2014)
Marketing & Sales Graduate Trainee
Diageo
05.2010 - 05.2011
- Field based business development executive in off-trade ensuring availability and visibility of range.
- Featured in worldwide Google case study on how programmatic advertising can drive brand awareness with presentations at “Think with Google, 2015” and Programmatic Advertising convention in Copenhagen
- Developed and implemented the first rotational seasonal limited edition flavour strategy with the launch of the highly successful consumer favourite “Gingerbread Latte”
Education
Master of Science - International Management & CEMS
Rotterdam School of Management
NL02.2010
Bachelor of Science - International Business
Maastricht University School of Business and Economics
NL09.2007
Skills
Decision making
MY LEADERSHIP STYLE
- What I lead for: consumers first, what-needs-to-be-true mindset, inclusive marketing
- How I lead: with radical candor
PASSIONS
Baking (Excellent waffles)
Interior Design and DIY
My 2 cats Sherlock and Dr. Watson
Timeline
Co-Founder + Director
Friends on the Hill
07.2024 - Current
European Marketing Director
SC Johnson – Lifestyle Brands (Ecover & method)
04.2022 - Current
Marketing Manager Nescafé
Nestlé
05.2021 - 04.2022
Senior National Account Manager
Nestlé
08.2019 - 05.2021
Marketing Manager Nescafé
Nestlé
07.2017 - 07.2019
Consumer Marketing Manager Beverages
Nestlé
02.2016 - 07.2017
Global Innovation Manager
Nestlé
05.2015 - 01.2016
Brand Manager Nescafé
Nestlé
05.2011 - 05.2015
Marketing & Sales Graduate Trainee
Diageo
05.2010 - 05.2011
Bachelor of Science - International Business
Maastricht University School of Business and Economics
Master of Science - International Management & CEMS
Rotterdam School of Management