Bruce Fennessy, CMO at XContent Business Solutions, has a career marked by innovative marketing strategies and successful new business development, driving dynamic growth within the company. With a unique blend of creativity and analytical acumen, Bruce has established himself as a key figure in the intersection of marketing communications and modern technology.
His journey began in the tourism industry, where, as a young professional, he honed his skills through hands-on learning and a determination to master every aspect of his role. This foundational experience set the stage for his career to take off in 2006 when he relocated to Oman. There, as Director of Sales and Marketing for a destination management company (DMC), Bruce played a pivotal role in building the company from the ground up, laying a strong foundation for its future success. His six years in Oman were rich with diverse experiences across industries such as sporting events, exhibitions, advertising, and consultancy, including a significant role with The Port of Salalah, the region’s second-largest shipping port.
Returning to South Africa, Bruce founded Auric, a Marketing and Communications consultancy that expanded into various sectors, including technology. After eight successful years, Auric was acquired by XContent Business Solutions, where Bruce assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer. His leadership has been instrumental in the company’s growth, leveraging his extensive international experience and deep understanding of multiple verticals to steer XContent’s marketing strategies.
Bruce is also a strong advocate for work-life balance and hybrid work models, recognizing their importance in maintaining a motivated and effective team. This philosophy mirrors his personal life, where his passion for surfing and teaching his daughters, the sport underscores his commitment to positivity and balance.
Below are highlights of the interview:
With 17.2 years of experience, what have been some of the key milestones in your career? How have these experiences shaped your approach to marketing and communications?
If you go back to my first taste of marketing and communications, it has actually been 22 years in the game. As I mentioned before, the move to Oman in the Middle East was a key moment in my career progression. This move was essential as it required a lot of out of the box thinking as well as being able to communicate in a country whose first language is Arabic. While there was, and is, a large expatriate population, the requirement to be able to blend your communications and marketing collateral to suit your targeted audience requires a deep understanding of said audience.
The next milestone would be starting my own business. This had a big impact on me as it came with a lot more to consider and helped define how I engage my teams and customers. In sport they call it “man-management”, which can be related to both internal and external. In my opinion all stakeholders are key to a successful business. It can’t just be one or the other.
What are the key elements of successful event management and advertising in today’s market? How have these elements evolved over your career?
I was given some key advice from a mentor back in 2008 prior to the start of an international sporting event which I was directing. He said, “An event is like a big train rolling down the tracks. It is going to roll through no matter what, so instead of getting in the way, roll with it.” It is very true. You can’t control everything that is going to happen, but you need to be prepared with contingencies for when something does happen.
In the build up to the event, it is essential to align your messaging with your desired outcome. Everyone in your team, from advertising sales to web development to the on-event team must buy into your message. In this way you have continuity of message, and it is much easier to build your event brand for future iterations.
Advertising is different, and yet similar in a number of ways. Advertising is your message put out there for all to see. The most important thing to remember is that you are promoting something to someone. I say this because in order to do this effectively, you need to understand people. Blanket messaging is fine when you are selling a lifestyle (think a soft drink on a hot summer day) but when you are speaking to a specific audience, understanding what makes them tick is very important. In this way you can capture their attention quickly and then keep them aligned to what it is that you are telling them.
I have made it my mission to understand people. Things like immersing myself in a culture and becoming a cog in the local market chain. Learning to communicate in their language to break down barriers, and then earning their respect which helps to get a better understanding of what drives them.
How do you foster a positive internal culture at XContent Business Solutions? What role does communication play in maintaining this culture?
We have a number of senior individuals who play a role in this. I can speak on behalf of my team though. I live by two words in business. Constant Communication. It is essential to creating an environment where everyone feels they have a voice and that it is heard. I don’t believe in cracking a whip but rather getting down and doing the things that need to be done.
There were two pieces of advice from my youth, which stick with me. The first was from my mother who said, “Don’t expect others to do something which you are not prepared to do.” The second was from an ex-school principal. He said, “Things don’t just happen, we make them happen.”
I follow these pieces of advice as much as possible, every day. We are a team, and everyone should stand interlinked to move forward together.
Why is work-life balance important to you, and how do you promote it within your team? What changes have you implemented to support hybrid work?
I think globally a work-life balance was pushed into the spotlight during the pandemic. All of a sudden people realised that there was something missing before. We were so caught up in the rat race, that we forgot about the things which really make an impact on our lives.
During the pandemic and with the onset of lockdowns, I suddenly got to spend time with my daughters. I got to learn more about who they were, what they did and what it meant to them. Before that, I was so focused on work and I was travelling so much, that I was missing what was right in front of me, and what mattered most.
We, at XContent, have adopted a hybrid work model to try to support the needs of our team. Thankfully being a technology business, this wasn’t a big stretch for us as remote setups are one of our specialties.
Ultimately for me though, when I am home after work, I am home. I am present.
How does your passion for surfing influence your professional life? What lessons from surfing do you apply to your work and leadership style?
The ocean is powerful. It is raw. It is nature personified. It has a way of calming me no matter what the situation. I try to bring this calmness to my work environment. Lessons? There will always be another wave. You are not going to have the perfect wave every time but when you do have a great wave, embrace that feeling and continue to seek out that success. And finally, Shaun Thompson says it best in ‘The Surfers Code’, Always paddle out!
How do you balance your professional responsibilities with teaching your daughters to surf? What does this activity mean to you personally and as a father?
When you are able to be present, be present. Nobody has to work 24 hours a day. Being able to enjoy that time in the ocean with them and seeing them reveling in the ‘stoke’ of riding a wave and turning around to do it again with a massive smile on their face, is what makes it special. I wish it was an everyday occurrence but it’s not. So, being able to have that time with them and imparting my love of the ocean and that which I have learned is extremely special.
How would you describe your leadership style, particularly in managing a diverse team and navigating complex marketing challenges?
Open and inclusive. Understanding that everyone has a way in which they need to be managed to get the most out of their skill. I think a mistake that some leaders of business make, is that they try and get people to conform to the way they want things done. For me though, when I hire people, it is because they have a skill set and personality which I believe will be beneficial to the company as a whole. Why hire an adult and then treat them like a child? It makes no sense.
If you can get this right, then anything complex can be figured out by the team all pulling in the same direction.
What advice would you give to aspiring marketing professionals looking to build a successful career in this field? What key qualities or skills should they focus on developing?
The industry is going through a massive shift with the onset of AI. Understanding how best to use the tools being created is essential as it will be a big benefit going forward for anyone looking to make a career in marketing and communications. This being said, for me the most important thing is to understand people. Product, price, place and all the other marketing Ps play second fiddle to People. Learn as much as you can about who you are marketing to. In doing this you break down the barriers to a successful campaign.
I have made it my purpose to be good at as much as I can. From graphic design to SEO, web design and development to copywriting, you should be able to pick up any slack when it is needed.
Finally, never stop learning.
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