Former Nine trade marketing boss Jamie Gilbert-Smith has launched Occam Strategy & Consulting, a new consultancy offering senior-led, flexible marketing solutions for brands, media owners, rights holders and sponsors navigating increasing complexity and commercial pressure.
With more than 25 years’ experience spanning B2B and B2C marketing, media, sponsorship and creative commercialisation, including leadership roles at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, Octagon, and most recently as director of trade marketing at Nine where he recently led the Olympic and Paralympic strategy, Gilbert-Smith has developed a model designed to reflect the economic and organisational realities facing the industry today.
“Occam is built on the belief that clarity drives performance,” said Gilbert-Smith. “After years working with major brands and rights holders, I saw the need for a more flexible, senior-led model. One that delivers strategic depth without the overheads of traditional agencies or the fixed cost of in-house FTEs.”
Occam Strategy is a strategy-first consultancy offering fractional CMO support, backed by a bench of experienced specialists who are brought in only when needed. This approach removes fixed-cost overheads and the challenges of legacy capabilities to deliver bespoke, outcomes-focused strategy that reflects today’s economic reality.
The model comes at a time when CMO budgets have flatlined at just 7.7 per cent of company revenue, according to Gartner’s 2025 CMO Spend Survey, and nearly 40 per cent of marketing leaders are cutting agency spend in favour of more flexible and accountable partnerships. Meanwhile, the rise of fractional CMO roles is accelerating, as brands seek high-level expertise without full-time headcount or retainer models.
“The imperative for clarity is real. Brands with clear strategy and aligned execution grow revenue up to three times faster. Occam Strategy is built on the principle of Occam’s Razor: when faced with complexity, we should remove the superfluous to focus on what’s truly effective. This consultancy prioritises clarity and impact over clutter, legacy and excess.”
Occam said it can help brands sharpen positioning, unlock growth opportunities and go to market with clarity. It can assist rights holders to package and commercialise their platforms more effectively and help media owners unify internal narratives and better engage clients and advertisers. It can also help sponsors design partnerships that move beyond visibility to deliver business impact.
Services include:
- Brand and marketing strategy
- B2B and B2C go-to-market planning
- Sponsorship and rights-holder alignment
- Creative commercialisation
- Sport and entertainment marketing
- Executive advisory and transformation
Gilbert-Smith says Occam was designed in response to a growing demand for experienced, outcome-led marketing support that’s adaptable to shifting budgets, leaner teams, and an evolving commercial landscape.
“There’s never been more pressure to deliver more with less. Occam gives clients the clarity, thinking and leadership they need without fixed-cost overheads or legacy internal capabilities. It’s the right talent, only at the right time.”
