Oliver Kimberley, General Manager of Managed Services at Quad, has shed light on the subtle yet telling signs that marketing teams are bogged down by low-value work, urging leaders to recognize these challenges etched in their teams’ expressions and their own leadership frustrations.
Speaking from his extensive experience guiding brands across retail, healthcare, and financial services, Kimberley revealed, “I think on some level you just know—you feel it when you get to your computer and see the work piling up, and you sense your team’s emotional strain, even if you’re ticking off tasks, it often feels like underdelivering.”
His insights, built upon Quad’s recent ADWEEK webinar on best-in-class marketing operations, offer a roadmap for African marketing leaders to shift focus toward high-impact strategies amidst growing complexity.
Kimberley identified key forces driving this complexity, noting, “Marketers are juggling more channels and launching campaigns faster than ever, managing local to global demands with highly personalized content, yet facing shrinking budgets, static teams, and economic uncertainty pushing them into uncharted areas like AI.”
To counter this, he advocates practical steps for efficiency and scalability, urging organizations to move beyond cost-cutting with suppliers—a trend spanning 15-20 years—and instead audit their marketing ecosystems for optimal resource allocation.
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“If that feels overwhelming, partners like Quad can step in with blueprints, uncovering end-to-end execution gaps that clients often miss, helping them reach a stronger operational footing,” he explained.
For the next six months, Kimberley advises CMOs to prioritize process optimization—“get the process right, as people manage it and technology enables it, starting with clear goals and pain points”—while emphasizing that empowering teams requires active listening and balancing remote work demands to prevent burnout, advocating for schedules that allow thoughtful ideation over endless meetings.
He also distinguishes strategic partners from mere vendors, defining the former as those who offer tactical support, challenge clients, and demonstrate genuine care, especially in crisis moments, positioning Quad as a leader in this transformative approach.
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