At the forefront of legal marketing innovation, our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition has harnessed the power of creativity, diversity and curiosity at every turn. Sophie Bowkett, Chief Marketing Officer at the global law firm of Bird & Bird, shares with Host Nicky Acuna Ocana insights into strength through vulnerability as well as the value-add that comes with promoting diversity and inclusivity to build strong workplace cultures.
She also recalls navigating the challenges of COVID, juggling parenthood and what it felt like to pursue an MBA while maintaining a robust career. (Hint: The ability to flex and be agile is key!) You’ll learn about the challenges facing CMOs in today’s legal services industry landscape, including the promise and pain points associated with new technologies like AI and data-driven analytics. Enjoy this lively conversation featuring top tips and words of wisdom from a marketing dynamo who knows how to motivate teams, leverage networking and turbocharge business development – while fostering a positive atmosphere of growth all along the way!
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Key Takeaways:
Starting out
How university and beyond set the stage for the career niche Sophie ultimately found – a sweet spot combining creativity and public relations within the legal services space.
Bird & Bird
About the recipe (hard work+results+commitment) that propelled Sophie through an organic series of exciting professional opportunities and onto the stage in her current CMO role.
Sage advice
Why Sophie believes it’s so important to stretch even beyond what we think we’re qualified to do, resisting the temptation to get in our heads and hold ourselves back.
The power of support
How Sophie’s trusted network has enabled her to manage competing priorities (including parenthood, COVID and ongoing education) through mutual support.
This is the time
What’s next for legal services as its marketing and business development functions evolve, professionalise and bring on board new technologies.
Leaning into leadership
How Sophie assesses talent and builds out her marketing teams, deliberately bringing together people with differing perspectives and experiences.
Diversity as a differentiator
Why incorporating a variety of perspectives is key to broadening the reach of legal services marketing, both internally and within a competitive global environment.
Inclusivity counts
How small things can make a big difference when it comes to building collaborative workplace cultures that enable all team members to be their authentic selves.
Making the reach
About the sponsorship, recognition and MBA that resulted from Sophie’s willingness to undertake challenges that have benefited her personally and professionally.
Incorporating mentorship
Why Sophie is committed to coaching, blocking out the time necessary to manage and help advance the careers of her team members.
Having it all
How the ability to both schedule and flex her time enables Sophie to fulfil the many roles she plays professionally and personally with a minimum of stress.
The power of vulnerability
Where honesty and sharing personal connections intersect with building strong workplace cultures in which all team members feel seen and supported.
The power of relationships
Why Sophie believes that cultivating a strong network at every stage of one’s career promotes psychological safety, creativity and personal/professional growth.
Paying it forward
About the ongoing commitment at Bird & Bird to building bridges and mentorship across international offices and job descriptions.
Biggest challenges for CMOs
Understanding how AI can be harnessed as a tool; learning how to leverage data-driven marketing analytics; promoting talent retention through long-term growth opportunities; and finding the right balance within a hybrid work framework.
Personal challenges along the way
How Sophie has navigated setbacks, pivoting when plans go awry or priorities shift dramatically or unexpectedly. Agility and peer support are key!
Words of wisdom
Proactively seek opportunities; dive in while knowing that it’s always possible to reverse direction; silence the “what ifs” and just take it day by day; and stay curious!
Key Quotes:
“It’s important to think about how you’re working and showing up and doing a good job because maybe they will remember – and might actually recommend – you.”
“There were definitely points where I was offered opportunities … and I’ve been quite good at pushing myself forward and not necessarily holding myself back. Give it a try and see how it goes!”
“It’s about taking those opportunities when they arise and not letting that little impostor voice sitting over your shoulder say, ‘Are you ready for this yet?’ Grasp the opportunity and take it forward!” (Nicky)
“Now is our time. There are so many really interesting things going on in the (legal) industry as it is evolving with the professionalisation of marketing and business development getting so much more sophisticated.”
“There’s so much diversity of thought and experience to consider, but if we go for the cookie-cutter … we’re never going to get those different perspectives.”
“The whole conversation (about diversity) has gotten a lot more sophisticated and there’s a better understanding now. But there’s still an awful lot to do in the industry in terms of more minority voices coming through.”
“Sometimes it’s hard to remember that you can’t be perfect all the time, so if you give yourself the ability to flex … it’s a really positive way to protect your own health and well-being.” (Nicky)
“When it comes to building or accelerating relationships, face-to-face contact makes such a massive difference ... the collaboration piece in learning and development is so essential.” (Nicky)
“You have got to be able to pivot quickly in order to lead in a new direction and it’s a useful sort of safety net to be able to talk to other people in the same position.”
“If the last few years have taught us anything it’s that things are changing quickly and new challenges can come onto the agenda in the blink of an eye.”
About Sophie:
As Chief Marketing Officer, Sophie leads a global team of MBD specialists at Bird & Bird. She’s responsible for the firm's marketing, BD and client relationship strategies, which underpin a focus on helping organisations being changed by the digital world. Sophie is passionate about the huge period of transformation the legal industry is undergoing today and how communication and brand-building strategies give a competitive edge against this backdrop. Before joining Bird & Bird, she worked in legal PR and supported a range of different law firms, barristers' chambers and alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) in getting their stories out into the world.
About Nicky:
Nicky has led high-performing recruitment teams for over 25 years. As the Regional Managing Director of Ambition UK, Europe & US, she leads a team of highly-skilled recruitment consultants who specialise in Business Services functions within Professional Services and are experts in their niche specialist areas. With an extensive network of senior and board-level contacts, she is also heavily involved in Executive Search, focusing on director- level appointments across Business Services for a range of Professional Services firms. Follow her 'Leading with Ambition' newsletter here.
