Syl is an Executive Coach and Mentor, Non-Exec Director, President of the Marketing Society and former Global Chief Marketing and Innovation Office for Diageo. Diageo is a FTSE 10 company, with over 200 brands operating in 180 countries. As CMO, Syl led Global Marketing, Design, Innovation, R&D, the Digital centre of excellence and Reserve, Diageo’s luxury division.
She is President of the Marketing Society, sits on the board of the Marketing Academy, and is an Executive Coach and Mentor for C-Suite individuals. With Thomas Barta, she has co-created an online Marketing Leadership Masterclass which helps marketers significantly advance their leadership capabilities.
Before she was appointed CMO, she was Global Innovation Director, responsible for Diageo’s innovation strategy, including all new product development, launch programmes and R&D. Prior to that, she was Marketing Director for Diageo Great Britain. She held Marketing roles in Allied Domecq, Gillette and was a General Manager in the Holson Burnes Group, a Bain Capital company.
Syl has been a Non-Executive Director of Domino’s Pizza Group plc, on the executive committee of the World Federation of Advertisers, a Trustee for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and Chaired the Distill Venture’s Investment Committee
Syl has been consistently recognized for her service to industry. She was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queens 2020 Honour list in recognition of her services to business and equality in the workplace.
