My background
Marketing has been my career by choice since I graduated more than 30 years ago, and it still holds my curiosity. What keeps me passionate about it is what it can do for a business when it's done well: not a bolt-on, but an integral part of how the business grows. I've worked on every side of marketing: client-side, agency-side, running my own business and, through Harmanie, leading marketing for others. In that time, I've worked through every major shift: print, direct mail and events, then digital and social, and now AI. I've trained at each stage, so my experience is extensive and always up to date.
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Client-side
Started out at Estée Lauder in various marketing roles across the group, then moved to EY. Later headhunted as Head of Marketing for a growing business, where I increased turnover from £1.5m to £8m in five years.
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Agency-side
The best part of a decade in experiential agencies as Account Director, leading national campaigns for brands including Alpro and Nestlé.
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Business owner
Co-founded and ran a fire safety company, responsible for marketing alongside finance, recruitment and people. I understand first-hand what it takes to run a business.
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Founder, Harmanie
Since 2018, working as a Fractional CMO with established B2B businesses turning over £5m to £25m, often contributing at board level.
I'm fully qualified in marketing, with postgraduate diplomas from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Digital Marketing Institute, and a Specialist Award in AI Marketing from the CIM. I'm currently training as an AI architect.
Having spent my career as a Fractional CFO, Group Finance Director and Non-Executive Director, I have worked alongside many marketers. Few have impressed me as much as Nikki has.
How I work
I usually come into a business when it knows it wants to grow, or knows its marketing needs to work harder, but isn't sure what needs to change.
I'm a firm believer in not jumping straight into doing more marketing. I want to understand where the business is now, where it wants to get to, who it really needs to reach, why those people should choose it, and what marketing needs to do to get it there.
For me, it's about doing the thinking first and the marketing activity second.
That isn't always a straightforward conversation. Leaders often see marketing differently from each other, and I'm comfortable having the honest discussion that tends to get avoided, so the direction we agree is the right one, not just the easiest one.
The thinking behind Harmanie
When business and market work in harmony, growth follows.
The name Harmanie is a play on my surname, Harman, and on the idea at the heart of everything I do: harmony between the business and its market.
That idea is built into the logo, too. The H represents two pillars, the business and the market: distinct forces that don't naturally move in step. The connecting line is where business ambition and market reality come into harmony and begin to work as one, giving the business upward direction and momentum. The circle around it reflects a complete, disciplined approach that delivers clarity, alignment and measurable progress.
That's my role: bringing clarity, structure and senior marketing leadership, so your business moves forward with purpose.
What you can expect
Commercial thinking.
Marketing connected to growth, margin and investment, discussed in the language of the boardroom.
Evidence, not opinion.
Research behind every recommendation, because a strategy without evidence is just what somebody thinks.
A quick grasp of complex businesses.
Technical, specialist or regulated, I get to grips quickly with how the business works and why its customers buy.
Credibility at every level.
From the board to the sales team to your customers.
Independent, but invested.
An outside perspective, without the politics, and ownership of the outcome as part of your leadership team.
What has impressed me most is Nikki's ability to quickly understand highly technical markets, engage credibly with customers, suppliers and stakeholders, and translate complex information into practical business recommendations.
Beyond the day job
I once took a year out to travel the world and ended up working on EY's client hosting programme for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
When the business I'd helped grow was bought out, I took voluntary redundancy and decided to back myself. That's how Harmanie started in 2018.
I lead a regional marketing community and judge industry marketing awards, because the profession has given me a lot and I like giving something back.
I share my thinking through speaking, LinkedIn and original research, including my report What is the Marketing Point? on marketing's role.
Working with me
Every engagement starts with a Marketing Direction Diagnostic, which gives you an independent assessment and a practical roadmap. Where you need senior leadership beyond it, I continue as your Fractional CMO.
To find out whether we're a good fit, see who I work with, or start with a conversation.
Book a discovery callNo obligation, just a conversation about your business.
Connect with me on LinkedIn