The IRONMAN Group has announced the appointment of Marieka Barnard to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role after serving most recently as Vice President of Event Marketing for The IRONMAN Group in EMEA.
A release from IRONMAN noted… ‘Barnard has deep institutional knowledge and expertise of the endurance sports industry. Barnard joined the organization full time in 2011 as a marketing coordinator, progressing to her most recently held position as Vice President of Event Marketing for Europe, Middle East and Africa where she led the marketing efforts for one of the largest regions in the business.
‘Throughout her time with The IRONMAN Group, she has showcased a commitment to excellence through effort, an exceptional work ethic, and a commitment towards elevating the journey and experience of our athletes.’
“It gives me great pleasure to appoint Marieka into an executive leadership role; she has done excellent work, cares deeply about our brands and athletes, and has earned the respect from her colleagues,” said Andrew Messick, President and Chief Executive Officer for The IRONMAN Group.
“Marieka is a naturally effective leader, and her institutional knowledge is a significant asset in shaping our consumer facing business approach.”
IRONMAN added… ‘In her new role, Barnard will define and execute The IRONMAN Group’s marketing strategies and lead the company’s continued evolution to a more customer-centric organization, not only through event experiences but also through products and services designed to support and motivate athletes along their journey.
‘She will focus the organization on the core elements that have resonated with athletes for over 45 years with an eye towards creating and implementing direct to consumer engagement and marketing strategies that showcase the positive benefits and life-altering impact of world-class events and series within The IRONMAN Group’s portfolio. The global role will be focused on building capabilities around event and product marketing, analytics, digital platforms, and communications channels across all brands, ensuring the message is relevant for each specific community of the various sports the company engages with.’
Marieka Barnard said “Having been a part of the journey towards the finish line for nearly a million endurance athletes over the past 12 years, I am still inspired each time I see the pride and elation on the faces of athletes achieving their dreams with us around the world.
“I look forward to helping create a more engaging and personalized experience for our community and partners and evolving our marketing efforts to better meet our customers’ needs and aspirations.”
Prior to her time with The IRONMAN Group, Barnard also spent time as a corporate communications specialist working with Coca-Cola Sabco, before joining agency Green Room in South Africa as a Public Relations Executive, with key account focuses on the agency’s sport, FMCG and automotive clients including General Motors South Africa, the Chevrolet Warriors cricket franchise and Coca-Cola Sabco.
Marieka is based in London and holds a master’s degree in applied media studies from Nelson Mandela University. She will report to Chief Revenue Officer Matthieu Van Veen. She succeeds Suzanne Cohen who departs The IRONMAN Group to pursue other personal and professional interests.
Andrew Messick added “As Marieka steps into this important role, we are thankful to Suzanne for her contributions to the organization in helping to re-establish our footing with consumers post pandemic and wish her the very best in her future endeavours.”
