Senior marketing experience, made accessible and flexible
I founded Elevate Growth to give growing businesses access to the kind of senior marketing leadership and strategic thinking I’ve spent my career delivering for some of the world’s leading brands – without needing to build a large marketing function around it.
Over 30 years, I’ve worked client-side, in global agencies and as a consultant, leading brand and marketing strategy across businesses ranging from major international organisations to challengers, start-ups and scale-ups.
Today, I bring that experience to clients through fractional marketing leadership and focused strategic consulting – helping businesses make better marketing decisions, build stronger brands and turn strategy into action.
Why Elevate exists
I kept seeing growing businesses reach a point where marketing had become too important to manage reactively, yet they didn’t always need a full-time senior marketing hire. What they needed was experience: someone who could step in, understand the business quickly, set clearer priorities and help turn plans into action.
That’s why I created Elevate Growth. It gives start-ups, scale-ups and mid-sized businesses access to senior marketing leadership when they need it – whether that’s a fractional role for a few days a week or focused strategic support around a specific challenge.
The approach is practical and commercially grounded. I work with the people and partners already in the business, bring in trusted specialists where needed, and stay close enough to the work to help make things happen.
- 30 years in marketing
- Client, agency & consulting experience
- Global leadership across 17 markets
- MBA with distinction
Connect with Gerhard on LinkedIn
Meet Gerhard Sagat
I’m a senior marketing leader and strategist with 30 years’ experience across client-side leadership, global agencies and consulting. My career has taken me from building and repositioning brands to leading global marketing teams, shaping go-to-market strategies and helping businesses turn marketing into a stronger driver of growth.
Before founding Elevate Growth, I was Global Head of Brand Marketing at IG Group, where I helped lead a major global brand transformation across 17 markets. Earlier in my career, I held senior strategy roles at McCann and DDB, working with brands including Nestlé, Unilever, McDonald’s, Volvo, FNB and Huawei.
Today, I work with founders and leadership teams as a fractional CMO, Marketing Director and strategic consultant – bringing the same level of senior thinking to businesses that need experience, clarity and momentum without necessarily hiring a full-time marketing executive.
How I work
I start with the business, not the marketing. I want to understand where you are today, where you want to get to, and what needs to change to close the gap.
From there, I look at the marketing itself — what’s working, what isn’t, where the gaps are, and where the biggest opportunities sit. That gives us the basis for a clear set of priorities and a practical roadmap.
I’m comfortable operating at board and leadership level, but I’m equally happy rolling up my sleeves when the work needs doing. I can lead existing teams and agencies, bring in trusted specialists where needed, or help build capability from the ground up.
Commercially grounded
Marketing decisions should connect back to the goals of the business and the outcomes that matter.
Collaborative
I work with founders, leadership teams, marketers, agencies and other stakeholders rather than operating in a separate strategy bubble.
Hands-on when needed
I don’t stop at recommendations. If the business needs help turning the plan into action, I get involved.
- 7+ marketing effectiveness awards
- APEX Grand Prix winner
- Loeries judge for creative effectiveness
Experience built across brands, businesses and markets
Global marketing leadership
As Global Head of Brand Marketing at IG Group, I led brand strategy and transformation across 17 markets, helping build a stronger and more consistent global brand while supporting a period of significant business growth.
Strategy leadership in global agencies
I held senior strategy roles at McCann and DDB, working across brands including Nestlé, Unilever, McDonald’s, Volvo, Huawei and FNB – from global brand strategy and positioning to new propositions, launches and growth programmes.
Client-side commercial experience
My career also includes senior marketing roles in financial services, hospitality, gaming and food, giving me experience of marketing from inside the business as well as from the agency side.
Fractional and consulting work
Through Elevate Growth, I now work with businesses across sectors including SaaS, education, technology and professional services, providing fractional marketing leadership, marketing strategy, positioning and go-to-market support.
That mix of client, agency and consulting experience means I can look at marketing from both sides: the strategic thinking and the practical reality of getting it delivered inside a business.
Selected brands and businesses I’ve worked with
Across client-side roles, agencies and consulting, I’ve worked with businesses ranging from global brands to challengers, scale-ups and growing SMEs.
Need senior marketing experience in your business?
Whether you need ongoing fractional leadership or focused strategic support, let’s start with where the business is today and what you’re trying to achieve.