Strategy and execution are the same job.

I'm a marketing leader who builds the systems my team runs on. Twenty years of growth results in agencies, at a multinational and in B2B SaaS. No engineering background, and an AI-powered marketing platform in production to show for it.

Frédéric Bescond

How the last eighteen months went

The short version of how a marketer with no engineering background ended up running a production AI platform.

  1. Harvard Business School, AI Essentials for Business. SAFe 6 PO/PM certification.

  2. First API connected to Claude Desktop. Then a tenth. Then I crashed my machine.

  3. Rebuilt from a blank page with architecture in mind: MCP server, OAuth 2.1, 30+ APIs, real-time dashboards.

  4. CMO at Witivio. The CMO Cockpit goes into production: 160+ tools, AI workflows, team productivity doubled.

  5. Published Why a CMO needs to become an Enhanced CMO.

  6. Wrapped up at Witivio: +40% sales contribution, brand reputation up 79%, visibility doubled on strategic non-branded queries.

  7. Since

    Canadian work permit in progress. I used the wait to sharpen the builder side of the job: end-to-end conversion flows with payment and e-signature, document AI verification, security hardening, AI cost discipline.

What an Enhanced CMO does

It's not a title and not a certification. It's a way of operating that I practised daily, then wrote down. Five moves.

  • Learn by doing

    Pick a real workflow that costs real hours every week. Build. The insight shapes the roadmap, not the other way round. Clarity comes from practice, not before it.

  • Ride the waves in sequence

    AI first helped with tasks, then reshaped processes, now it reorganises how teams work. Adapt the organisation at each stage instead of betting on one.

  • Think platform, not tools

    Data, agents and decisions in one place. A dashboard is a tool. A marketing intelligence platform is an advantage. Mine connects 30+ data sources into a single cockpit for opportunity sizing, AI workflows and faster decisions.

  • Be your own architect

    Spec what the business needs: what the agents do, how data flows, what gets automated and what stays human. You don't have to code it. You have to think it clearly enough to get it built.

  • Lead through practice

    Build something real and let the team see the result. The conversation shifts from "AI will replace us" to "I could build that for my problem".

Results I can put a number on

Each line is a measured outcome, with where it happened.

+40%Sales contribution through a repositioned go-to-market, a dual-CRM architecture and AI-run marketing operationsWitivio, 2025–2026
2×Daily productivity of a three-person marketing team running on the CMO CockpitWitivio
2×Visibility on strategic non-branded queries, brand reputation up 79%, LinkedIn reach doubledWitivio
+20%Online conversion across 33 markets with data, A/B testing and AI personalisation, several million euros in added revenuePMI Europe
+55%Customer acquisition on an underperforming market, through a targeted promotional plan and UX/CRO workPMI, Spain
$0.5MYearly savings from the "Digital First DNA" programme on a key market, with customer satisfaction held stablePMI
+45%Organic traffic by fixing technical issues, content gaps and link building across 200+ target termsPMI

Experience

Agency owner, consultant, corporate executive, board member, SaaS CMO. The thread is the same: turn a business need into a system that performs.

Oct 2025 – May 2026

Chief Marketing Officer

Witivio, AI solutions for Microsoft 365

Global marketing strategy and revenue contribution for an AI-powered employee experience platform across three product lines (Teams Pro, AI Desk Pro, Copilot Factory), from freemium at scale (500K+ active users, 10K+ organisations) to enterprise sales.

  • Re-architected the go-to-market to bridge product-led growth and enterprise sales with a dual-CRM model (Brevo/Chargebee and HubSpot), redefined ICPs and deployed an omnichannel acquisition engine: +40% sales, +14% projected ARR, +10% ARPA.
  • Unified the brand and digital ecosystem, consolidating four web properties to build trust and generate qualified leads through SEO/GEO, CRO and accessibility: visibility doubled on strategic non-branded queries.
  • Redesigned the brand platform: positioning, brand center, design system and GDPR compliance. Brand reputation up 79%.
  • Launched a thought-leadership programme activating company champions on LinkedIn: impressions and reach doubled, comments up 4×. Built a journalist database and ran the first PR campaigns.
  • Designed the CMO Cockpit, a custom marketing intelligence platform integrating 30+ APIs with a unified performance dashboard, and deployed AI workflows across the team: daily productivity doubled.
Apr 2025 – Sep 2025

AI-powered CMO Cockpit

Harvard Business School applied project

Combined advanced AI leadership training (Harvard Business School, SAFe 6 PO/PM) with the hands-on build of an AI-powered CMO platform. The project became the foundation of the Cockpit later run in production.

  • Designed and built a marketing intelligence platform connecting CRM, ad platforms, analytics, SEO, customer feedback and market intelligence through 30+ APIs.
  • Implemented an MCP (Model Context Protocol) architecture, OAuth 2.1 security and real-time dashboards for CAC, LTV, ROAS and churn.
Jun 2021 – Mar 2025

Head of Web & eCommerce Europe

Philip Morris International

Led marketing transformation across 33 markets, turning business needs into scalable, high-performing solutions. Advised senior leaders on strategy, performance and technology using AI, analytics and automation.

  • Managed an international team of 10 experts supporting 33 markets (IQOS, VEEV, Zyn).
  • Optimised digital performance with data, A/B tests and AI personalisation: +20% online conversion and higher NPS across 55% of markets, generating several million euros in additional revenue.
  • Revitalised an underperforming market with a €1.8M annual digital budget through a targeted promotional plan and UX/UI/CRO work: +55% customer acquisition, 80% user conversion.
  • Led 150+ product launches and 100 marketing campaigns, building stakeholder collaboration and standard operating procedures.
  • Deployed the "Digital First DNA" initiative (AI chat, FAQ/UX redesign, YouTube resources): $0.5M in annual savings on a key market with customer satisfaction held stable.
  • Grew organic traffic by 45% through SEO audits, technical fixes, content for the consumer journey, link building and outreach: ranking gains across 200+ target terms.
  • Created a Web & SEO community connecting markets and experts, with 98% positive feedback from members. Received a recognition award for supporting critical cross-functional initiatives.
Jan 2020 – May 2021

Digital Lead Consultant

Merkle (formerly Isobar, Dentsu), embedded at Philip Morris International

Embedded advisor leading digital performance initiatives across SEO, content and omnichannel journeys.

  • Led a remote team of 3 experts delivering programmes across global and local markets.
  • Drove +39% organic traffic and +107% revenue through SEO strategy: technical, content, backlinks, reputation.
  • Optimised online-to-offline journeys and resolved content gaps across key customer touchpoints.
  • Contributed to a +61-point NPS lift by aligning the digital experience with brand expectations.
Aug 2017 – Dec 2019

Head of Digital Master Programs & Lecturer

INSEEC Chambéry, business school

Created and ran the school's digital master programmes, alongside the agency and board roles.

  • Recruited 40 expert lecturers and launched 5 new programmes; student enrolment grew tenfold.
  • Taught digital strategy, SEO/SEM, marketing automation and blockchain.
Nov 2015 – Aug 2020

Business Angel & Board Member

Webmecanik, CRM and marketing automation SaaS

Advised leadership at a scale-up built on Mautic open source, with a focus on product strategy, growth and investor readiness.

  • Supported go-to-market and product roadmap decisions, including CRM and automation features.
  • Helped improve MRR, churn, CAC payback and MQL-to-SQL conversion: breakeven reached in 3 years.
  • Facilitated the second funding round by mobilising the investor base and advising on positioning.
Dec 2007 – Jul 2017

Co-owner & Director

Paprika, creative and digital agency

Scaled a 16-person agency delivering omnichannel strategies and digital transformation for B2B and B2C clients.

  • Defined the strategic roadmap and led P&L management: +100% revenue, +160% margin growth.
  • Grew the key-accounts portfolio by 200% through client retention and consultative sales.
  • Delivered digital campaigns with ROAS/CPA optimisation, SEO, content, A/B testing and CRM automation.
  • Led the agency's own transformation (ERP, IT, team training): +200% productivity.

What I bring

Strategy you can hold me to, and the hands to build what it needs.

Competencies

  • Marketing strategy and B2B SaaS go-to-market ICPs, pricing, product-led growth to enterprise sales, dual-CRM operations
  • AI strategy and marketing intelligence platforms MCP architecture, agents and workflows, real-time dashboards, data governance
  • Building with AI Specifying and shipping production systems: conversion flows with payment and e-signature, document AI verification, security hardening, AI cost discipline
  • SEO, GEO and conversion optimisation Technical SEO, content for the customer journey, generative engine visibility, A/B testing, CRO
  • CRM, marketing automation and data analytics HubSpot, Brevo, Chargebee, GA4, attribution and revenue reporting
  • Team leadership International teams of 3 to 16, cross-functional orchestration, communities of practice
  • Microsoft 365 ecosystem Teams, Copilot, enterprise AI deployment with the right guardrails

Education and certifications

  • Harvard Business School AI Essentials for Business: building, leading and operating AI-powered organisations
  • INSEAD Executive programme, business strategy and financial performance
  • INSEEC Chambéry Master's in international business
  • Certifications SAFe 6 PO/PM, Google Analytics, HubSpot, LinkedIn Ads, Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals

What people I've worked with say

From LinkedIn recommendations.

"Fred is a senior professional with a combination of deep expertise, strategic vision, and a truly collaborative spirit. During 2024, he played a key role in driving exceptional results in Spain. Under his leadership, we saw double-digit growth."
Andrea Beloni, Digital Director, Smoke-Free Products (Spain), Philip Morris International
"Fred is a strategist as well as a doer with great management skills and values. Which is rare and precious!"
Stéphane Couleaud, VC and former CEO, Webmecanik
"Working with Fred was truly inspiring. He brings a rare combination of strategic vision and hands-on execution that makes things happen."
Milagros Videla, Head of Indirect eCommerce Strategy & Innovation Global, Philip Morris International
"Working with Fred was not only a learning opportunity but also truly inspiring. A true leader in every sense: thoughtful, knowledgeable, and empowering."
Rafaela Canavez, Web & Digital Commerce Sr. Specialist, Philip Morris International
"I had the pleasure of working under Frederic Bescond when I joined PMI. His leadership and guidance were instrumental in my transition into the company."
Eva Grzybek, Global SEO Deployment Lead, Philip Morris International

Let's talk

Two ways to work together: as your CMO or VP Marketing, or as a fractional CMO who builds alongside your team.

Based in Lévis, Québec. Canadian work permit in progress. Open to leadership roles in Québec and to fractional engagements with founders who want marketing that ships.

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