Claire Sadler, Chief Marketing & Fundraising Officer – British Heart Foundation

Claire is an award-winning senior executive, CMO and diversity champion with proven record of delivering revenue growth. Her career spans agency and client-side roles, with part of her early career as an Account Lead at Proximity, one of the top direct marketing agencies in the UK. She then spent 13 years at BT in various marketing and customer related roles, rising to become Group Brand Director. Followed by three years as Marketing Director at Direct Line, growing the brand in the small business market.

She’s currently Chief Marketing & Fundraising Officer at The British Heart Foundation. She’s responsible for the fundraising P&L, marketing and fundraising strategy and execution, new product development, data and customer experience across all products and channels.

Claire is also a proud member and incoming Vice President 24/25 of WACL – Women in Advertising and Communications Leadership. WACL is a not-for-profit network for the most senior women in the UK advertising and communications industry, which exists to accelerate gender equality within our industry through inspiration, support, and campaigning. She’s also successfully instigated and championed the first marketing apprenticeship programmes within Direct Line and the British Heart Foundation to improve social and ethnic diversity within the industry.

Outside of work, Claire is married with two sons and lives in Surrey. She loves the sunshine, is a regular bootcamp attendee and a fan of cake.

Claire Sadler, 7Jan2021, Photographer BronacMcNeill

NOMINATIONS FOR 2026 ARE OPEN!

The program is free but highly selective so firstly we ask senior business leaders working within Marketing, Media and Advertising to nominate the best of their emerging leaders for a place on the program. All ‘nominees’ then receive an ‘Invitation to Apply’ which includes essential information about the process.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE GLOBAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2026 ARE OPEN

Applicants may apply to EITHER cohort regardless of country of residence, but must commit to attend both Residential dates & the Virtual day of their chosen cohort. Attendance is mandatory and a condition of acceptance onto the program.

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