Helen Lancaster
Summary
Dynamic Chief Marketing Officer with 15+ years of experience driving brand transformation, revenue growth, and customer engagement in the B2B cloud and digital transformation space. Spearheaded Kerv’s strategic marketing initiatives, contributing to over 12× revenue growth (£10M to £120M) and positioning the company as a trusted leader in digital innovation.
A proven thought leader, Helen has shaped Kerv’s industry presence through high-impact events, trend-setting reports, and award-winning employer branding campaigns (e.g., Great Place to Work™ and Top 20 UK Best Workplaces for Women). Adept at aligning marketing strategy with business objectives and building customer relationships (relationship with The Retail Trust has helped save millions of pounds, and wellness initiatives have reached 700,000 UK Retail Employees).
Committed to innovation, inclusivity, and measurable results that drive market leadership.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Chief Marketing Officer
Kerv
London
09.2019 - Current
- Led a marketing team of 12 direct reports and 5 dotted line reports
- Led brand and website development for Kerv's 2020 launch, driving growth from £10m to £120m and headcount from 100 to over 900 employees
- Oversaw all communications, including flagship events for 700 employees and a company wide tour with Kerv's MD - enhancing employee engagement and clarity
- Collaborated with HR and executive teams, achieving a Glassdoor rating of 4.5* and recognition as 'Rising Star' at CRN 2023 Reseller Awards
- Member of the leadership team which took Kerv to 7th place in the 2025 Great Place to Work (large enterprise)
- Directed sales development team to exceed targets by 150%, generating meetings and opportunities across all lines of business
- Spearheaded digital strategies and ABM pilot initiatives, launched 'The Learning Kerv' podcast (on second series) focusing on AI
- Co-founded women@kerv group and shortlisted for Role Model of the Year at Women in Tech Excellence Awards
Head of Marketing, Northern Europe
NTT Communications
London
04.2014 - 09.2019
- Lead a high performing digital and demand generation team covering UK, Sweden and The Netherlands
- Influenced key enterprise wins from a creative events programme featuring in-house and industry events for both customers including industry events (UC EXPO), roundtables and hospitality events
- Built a content approach and pioneered an inbound engine for Northern Europe (Heroic Journey to a Digital Workplace)
- Built GTM service story to integrate cloud service offerings
- Championed the implementation of Social Selling with LinkedIn Sales Navigator across the EMEA Sales force delivering over 250% ROI
- Piloted and ABM approach to global pharmaceutical sector and won company Intrapreneur and Innovation awards
Enterprise Marketing Manager
KCOM
London
01.2012 - 06.2014
- Worked hand-in-hand with the sales leadership to develop GTM strategy for the retail and finance verticals around a Cisco Contact Centre, WAN and LAN portfolio
- Created market leading research with the Contact Centre Association to explore 4 key verticals (insurance, retail banking, retail and utilities) which became cornerstone of the sales and marketing GTM
- Created messaging framework and content strategy for KCOM enterprise which linked together the four proposition areas (consultancy, managed services, contact centre and networking) and included identifying tends and future modelling
- Ran customer and prospect events which included industry roundtables in conjunction with the Chief Wine Officer, and in-house events which showcased KCOM's thought leadership at iconic venues such as the BT Tower, developed follow up workshops and content to assist the sales effort
Global Account Manager
Nortel Networks
Maidenhead, Windsor and Maidenhead
12.2006 - 09.2010
- Managed global account for 12 months, delivering managed services and fostering relationships with leadership team
- Contributed to 2012 Olympic sponsorship programme, coordinating events and collaborating with Olympic Committee
Sales Support Specialist
Nortel Networks
Maidenhead, Windsor and Maidenhead
09.1997 - 11.2006
- Liaised with partners and distributors on commercials, customer support for Global Accounts
Education
Batchelor of Arts - English and French Literature
University of Warwick
Coventry 09.1994 - 06.1997
Diploma of Higher Education - Marketing
Marketing Diploma
London /2010 - /2013
Skills
- Inclusive leadership
- Values driven
- Strategic visioning
- High performing teams
- Innovation drive
- Brand development expertise
- Content-led approach
- Extensive network
- Internal comms expertise
Languages
Spanish
Advanced
Accomplishments
Shorted listed for Role Model of the Year in the Women in Technology Awards 2024, Company 'Intrapreneur' award - NTTC, Marketing Innovation Award - NTTC
Timeline
Chief Marketing Officer
Kerv
09.2019 - Current
Head of Marketing, Northern Europe
NTT Communications
04.2014 - 09.2019
Enterprise Marketing Manager
KCOM
01.2012 - 06.2014
Global Account Manager
Nortel Networks
12.2006 - 09.2010
Sales Support Specialist
Nortel Networks
09.1997 - 11.2006
Batchelor of Arts - English and French Literature
University of Warwick
09.1994 - 06.1997
Diploma of Higher Education - Marketing
Marketing Diploma
/2010 - /2013
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