Client Stories
Redesigning a Global Marketing Organization for Growth
A large international manufacturing company, headquartered in Belgium, requested help with redefining their digital marketing organization and way of working to realize their ambitions.
Challenge
As companies grow, so do the complexities of their operations—especially in marketing. Structuring global and local teams, aligning strategic objectives, and ensuring future readiness become increasingly challenging. This client, a well-established global manufacturer, was facing precisely these growing pains.
Despite a strong investment in marketing and an ambitious global strategy, the existing organizational setup, processes, and team structures were no longer sufficient to support the company’s evolving needs. The global marketing team had developed a forward-thinking roadmap in collaboration with local markets, but execution was hindered by structural limitations.
The company turned to Customer Collective to help reshape its global marketing organization to better support strategic growth and local responsiveness.
Approach
We began by assessing the current situation through comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research across both global and local markets. This diagnostic phase allowed us to identify key areas for improvement and understand maturity differences across regions.
Following these insights, we defined a set of organizational design principles and conducted a detailed capabilities mapping and gap analysis. We explored multiple blueprint scenarios for the future organization, carefully balancing central oversight with local flexibility.
Together with the client, we co-created a solid target operating model, tailored to the complexities of their multiple brands and local market nuances. This included:
- A clear mandate for the global marketing team
- Defined roles and responsibilities
- FTE allocation and resource planning
- A phased implementation roadmap
- Redesign of impacted processes
Results
Four marketing teams—totaling around 50 FTEs, primarily based in Belgium and key roles across other countries—were reorganized. The new structure clearly defines the role of the global marketing team, empowers local markets, and strengthens the headquarters team to better drive strategic impact.
The result is a future-proof marketing organization, aligned around shared goals and equipped to support the company’s global ambitions.