How Stanley 1913’s CMO and CPO Partnered to Manage Hypergrowth

Stanley 1913 is navigating hypergrowth, global expansion, and shifting consumer expectations. Kate Ridley (chief brand officer) and Graham Nearn (chief product and sustainability officer) describe how a tight executive partnership became a strategic tool during this transformation. Their approach combines candid communication, structured decision-making, and pragmatic talent and capability investments.

Ridley and Nearn emphasize ''secure vulnerability''—a leadership stance where executives are candid about uncertainties and trade-offs while remaining aligned on objectives. That candidness supports faster, clearer decisions when stakes are high.

They also prioritize pre-alignment: getting major stakeholders on the same page well before launches to avoid costly missteps. Continuous dialogue replaces one-off approvals, creating a feedback loop between brand, product, and commercial teams.

• Psychographic segmentation: target consumers by attitudes and behaviors rather than demographics alone, to find more relevant product and partnership fits.
• Capability-gap diagnosis: articulate gaps in skills, systems, or scale in concrete terms so leaders and investors can approve focused investments.
• Employee feedback as operational input: convert frontline insights into prioritized capability investments rather than leaving them as anecdotal notes.

Sustainability and product strategy

Product and sustainability functions are tightly linked to brand positioning. Nearn's remit over global product and design connects innovation with the company's "Built for Tomorrow" vision, ensuring sustainability and product choices support the brand promise.

Both leaders prioritize building high-performing, diverse teams. Nearn's background as a coach influences how he structures team performance and development, while Ridley focuses on blending purpose, creativity, and commercial discipline in hiring and role design.

• Build a routine of candid, structured conversations between brand and product leaders.

• Translate employee feedback into tracked investments and measurable capability upgrades.
• Pre-align internal stakeholders on objectives and trade-offs before public launches.
• Enter new geographies with partnerships that have cultural relevance to the target audience.

The partnership model described is intended to allow a heritage brand to evolve without losing identity. The combination of clear capability diagnostics, aligned leadership, and selective partnerships creates a repeatable approach for managing rapid growth and international expansion.