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In this episode of Your Future in Sales and Marketing, we’re joined by Florence Paoli, Marketing Director at Reckitt, whose career spans France, the UK, the Middle East, and now Australia, to explore International career, inclusive leadership and how to embrace AI.

Originally from Lyon, France, Florence grew up with a strong foundation of respect, trust, safety, and hard work. After completing a business and marketing degree, Florence discovered her love for business and marketing strategy. Determined to build an international career, she later joined Reckitt as a Assistant Brand Manager on Nurofen, beginning a decade-long chapter in the UK.

With a clear vision of going global, Florence later moved to Dubai, where she spent three years working across developing markets - navigating new cultural dynamics and broadening her leadership perspective. 4 years ago she relocated to Sydney to become Marketing Director for the ANZ region, bringing with her a truly international lens on brand building, consumer centricity and inclusive leadership.

In this episode, we explore:

• How apprenticeships can accelerate marketing careers
• What it takes to build a truly international path and how to adapt to the cultural differences between countries
• How to intentionally design a global marketing career
• What being a truly inclusive leader means
• How to develop your authentic leadership voice

Florence’s story is a powerful example of what happens when strategic ambition meets cultural curiosity - and why stepping outside your comfort zone can fast-track your growth in sales and marketing.

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In this episode of Your Future in Sales and Marketing, we’re joined by Alex Barsley, General Manager at AB World Foods, whose path into commercial leadership proves there’s no such thing as a “typical” sales and marketing career.

Growing up in Shropshire in the UK, Alex was raised between two very different professional influences - a father working on a dairy farm and a mother in sales. That blend of work ethic and commercial instinct would quietly shape her future.

After studying at university in Cardiff and spending time in Toronto, Canada, Alex qualified as a teacher. But when she returned home to find there were no teaching jobs available, she pivoted - taking her first role in sales, selling sweets out of the boot of her car.

What followed wasn’t a traditional route through brand management or classic marketing roles. Instead, Alex built a broad commercial toolkit: working in revenue management, supporting mergers and acquisitions, leading SAP system rollouts, and managing field sales controllers. Each move expanded her perspective and capability - ultimately leading to her current role as General Manager.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why “falling into” sales can be the start of something big
• The value of cross-functional experience in building commercial leadership
• How revenue management sharpens strategic thinking
• What operational projects (like SAP rollouts and M&A) teach you about business
• Why there’s no single blueprint for a successful career in sales and marketing

If you’ve ever worried that your background doesn’t look textbook enough, Alex’s story is a powerful reminder that diverse experience can be your greatest advantage.

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In this episode of Your Future in Sales and Marketing, we sit down with Briar Keenan, Commercial Excellence Leader at Big Rocks Ltd, to explore what it really means to build a career on your own terms.

Originally from New Zealand, Briar grew up surrounded by tourism destinations, nature, and ski fields - eventually settling in Queenstown. With parents working in tourism and hospitality, her upbringing was grounded in service, resilience, and adaptability.

But her career didn’t begin in sales or marketing.

Briar studied Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Canterbury, developing deep skills in problem-solving, modelling, and processing complex data. By the end of her degree, she had developed a strong interest in sustainability - a theme that would continue to shape her thinking. After two years working in tech, she made the move into FMCG, starting in Demand Planning at Unilever.

From there, she built a multi-functional career across major global businesses including Diageo, gaining experience across planning, commercial, and strategy roles. Today, she’s carving out a portfolio career in commercial excellence consulting and contracting - stepping beyond the traditional corporate path to create something more flexible, impactful, and aligned to her strengths.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How an engineering mindset can be a superpower in sales and marketing
• The value of cross-functional experience in FMCG
• What “commercial excellence” actually means in practice
• What it really looks like to go out on your own
• The risks, realities, and rewards of building a portfolio career

If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s an alternative to the corporate ladder - or how to future-proof your commercial career - this episode offers an honest and practical perspective.