Christian Francis, PCM, is a distinguished CMO, CRO and senior growth marketing executive with over two decades of go-to-market leadership experience, growing brands and driving commercial success. He is a Harvard Business School alumnus and an executive team member with extensive experience in M&A resulting in highly successful exits. As the Chief Marketing Officer at Social News Desk, he leverages AI and data analytics to transform social media engagement for leading organizations. His expertise leading businesses and brands to market prominence spans across SaaS, Broadcasting, FinTech, Media, Publishing, Technology, and Private Equity, consistently scaling businesses and achieving aggressive growth targets.
At Bergner Media, Christian optimized customer acquisition strategies, reducing costs and accelerating growth. He also led marketing initiatives that prepared the firm for a successful sale to a private equity firm. His strategic acumen was further demonstrated at McClatchy, where he co-created the national marketing agency ‘excelerate Digital’ and established the corporate marketing division. At Pentair, Christian built a global marketing organization focused on consumer and channel growth strategies, earning recognition for his contributions with the Sustained Excellence Award from ENERGY STAR®. As the Head of Marketing at January Spring, Christian was the right hand to the CEO and led the demand and lead generation operations, fostering commercial profitability for the business.
Christian’s leadership extends beyond his executive roles; he actively mentors future marketers through the American Marketing Association, where he serves as Director of Marketing. His academic credentials include a Diploma in Organizational Leadership from Harvard Business School, and an Associate of Arts in Studio Arts from Hudson County Community College. Christian also graduated from the University of East London in the United Kingdom. His accolades include the SIPA Award for Editorial & Marketing Collaboration, the Sustained Excellence Award for Continued Leadership & Superior Contributions, the Honorary Leadership Award by Phi Theta Kappa, the Young Business Entrepreneur Award by McKinsey & Company as well as the Comenius Partnerships & Leonardo Da Vinci Award by the European Union Commission. In every role, Christian Francis brings a unique blend of strategic vision, digital savviness, and leadership acumen, continuously pushing the boundaries of modern marketing.
Character:
Christian is recognized for his leadership and commitment to excellence, as evidenced by numerous awards and accolades throughout his career.
Knowledge:
He focuses on tangible ROI performance tied to business objectives, converting demand into opportunity value to boost revenue, expand margins and optimize investments.
Strategic:
Christian possesses deep expertise in leveraging AI, data analytics, demand generation and digital marketing strategies that optimize customer acquisition, drive revenue growth and enhance brand equity.
Communication:
His leadership skills demonstrate diplomacy and cross-functional collaboration, and his ability to foster strong partnerships and mentor the next generation of marketers underscores his exceptional communication and collaborative skills.
