Most teams hire a CPO or a CMO. The Rocking Lobster gives you both in one interim executive — leading product strategy and shipping it hands-on (Jira, Scrum, tickets, ceremonies) while directing marketing and running the CRM day to day. Here's why founder-led teams choose a single dual operator over two separate hires.
Product and marketing usually mean two executive salaries and a translation layer in between. One operator who has run both — sometimes on the same day — collapses that gap. What gets built and how it's sold are decided in a single head.
Not an advisor who leaves you a deck. Directs marketing strategy while operating the CRM by hand; leads product strategy while implementing Jira, writing tickets, chairing agile ceremonies and acting as Scrum master. The thinking and the doing live in the same person.
When one person owns the roadmap and the narrative, positioning is built into the product from day one and launches actually land. No more “marketing didn't know what shipped.”
Some weeks the business needs a product operator, some weeks a marketing leader — often both at once. A dual operator flexes to the gap you actually have this quarter instead of forcing you to bet on a single seat.
A single executive search runs 4–6 months — and you'd need two. Embedded across product and marketing in a fortnight, with a written scope and one number to own by Friday.
Most engagements end with a sharper brief for the permanent CPO and CMO — often a shortlist too. See what “great” looks like in both seats before committing to two of the most expensive hires you'll make.
These anonymised examples show what embedded interim product, marketing, and operational leadership looks like in practice: finding the real constraint, putting a workable fix in place, and leaving the team stronger.
Bring us the operational knot, stalled launch, team friction, or delivery risk. We’ll start with the outcome that matters and work backwards to the smallest fix that creates momentum.
Finding a truly niche AI Director for a client can sometimes feel like searching for the unfindable — and this particular brief in Bristol was exactly that. Then I came across Gary Pine. From our first conversation, I had a strong feeling he was the match we needed — and how right I was. Gary interviewed with my client and absolutely blew them away. His depth of industry knowledge, technical expertise and clear understanding of how AI delivers real commercial value immediately stood out. Just as importantly, his cultural alignment and approach were a perfect fit for the business. I can honestly say I have never had an interview process result in such overwhelmingly positive feedback from a client. Gary is the complete package — a strategic thinker, technically exceptional and commercially grounded. I could not recommend him highly enough, and when he has finished delivering impact with my client I would welcome the opportunity to place him again.
I had the pleasure of working closely with Gary during our time together at W2, where he held the dual role of Chief Product and Marketing Officer. Gary's expertise in overseeing the entire product lifecycle — from conception to launch — was remarkable. He has a unique ability to align product development with the company's strategic business goals, always ensuring that every decision supports long-term success. Gary's strategic leadership was key in overseeing the product strategy, where he masterfully collaborated with various departments to ensure cohesion and a unified vision. He excels at motivating his team, fostering a collaborative environment that encourages creativity and experimentation. In addition to his product leadership, Gary served as our Chief Marketing Officer, developing and executing marketing strategies that drove revenue growth and elevated the brand. His understanding of market research, consumer behavior and competitor analysis was crucial in positioning our brand effectively in a competitive market. Beyond his professional skills, I highly recommend Gary on a personal level. He's an outstanding team player, fun to work with, and always brings positive energy to the workplace. Any team would be fortunate to have someone like Gary, who combines strategic expertise with a genuine care for his colleagues.
I've had the pleasure of knowing and working with Gary for several years. Throughout that time I've been consistently impressed with his passion for the work he's engaged in, and the breadth of his capabilities and skills. Gary is a people-person, and has a seeming increasingly rare talent to actually listen to what people have to say. Whether with his team or colleagues, in management meetings, or engaging with customers, he has the ability to help translate between factional thinking, root out what really matters, and express complex ideas in a means that everyone can understand and focus upon. In respect to marcomms, Gary's ability to formulate strategy, build consensus, and execute are exceptional. Importantly, his ability to generate consolidated performance reports and analyses are critical to understanding value-generation and ensuring that continued investments are well-directed and well-spent. Gary has always demonstrated willingness to go the proverbial extra mile — sharing his knowledge, experience and insights across the business to help everyone succeed. In a world teeming with “look at me” types, Gary is a do-er not a bragger. His self-effacing style belies his ability to effectively manage people and get the job done — every time.
Experienced fractional professionals that manage to excel at Marketing and Product are rarer than the few hairs on my head. Two distinct disciplines that take years of hands-on work to master — hard enough in a single sector. Gary arrived at Boxarr with a solid reputation that sounded too good to be true. The kind of references written by an exceptional Marketeer! Bottom line, he blew the doors off. A self-effacing style, exceptional skillset and ability to gel a disparate team working together, all wrapped up in a single package. He brought clarity, direction, flexibility, willingness to ask the difficult questions and take on whatever was needed for the team to succeed. If you are looking for a superstar, call or DM me for some detail behind this short recommendation.
Gary is an excellent product leader with the ability to articulate product vision like no other. His philosophy of empowering his people left a real mark on me and is something I incorporate into my own leadership style today. Gary is also an outstanding public speaker and presenter that will advance the cause of any brand he is associated with. I would not hesitate to recommend Gary and look forward to working with him again in the future.
