A fractional CMO in Spain. Board-level marketing, without the full-time hire.

Why Spanish businesses hire a fractional CMO

Plenty of growing companies in Spain reach the same point: marketing has become too important to run on instinct, agency reports and a stretched in-house team, but the business isn't ready to commit to a permanent Chief Marketing Officer. A fractional CMO fills that gap. You get a named, senior owner for marketing performance, working one to three days a week alongside your existing team, without the cost of a full-time senior hire.

Fractional or interim: which fits your situation?

The two models cover the same seniority of role, but they solve different problems.

Fractional CMO. One to three days per week, typically for three to six months at minimum, so the impact can be seen through. This suits a business that needs senior direction, a clear plan and someone to hold agencies and channels to account, but not a full-time leader. The UK and European version of this service is set out on the Fractional CMO page.

Interim marketing director. Full-time, dedicated cover for a leadership gap, restructure or critical campaign, in place within days rather than the months a permanent search usually takes. Details are on the interim marketing director page.

Fees are agreed to scope. For an honest view of what drives the day rate — seniority, complexity, days per week and whether the work is ongoing or a fixed project — read how much a fractional marketing director costs.

Marketing leadership that works across borders

Many businesses in Spain don't only market to Spanish customers. Alicante, Benidorm and Valencia all depend on British and international buyers, residents and visitors, whether that's a property enquiry, a legal consultation, a clinic appointment or a table booking. The marketing that works for local customers rarely works the same way for them: activity follows the Spanish calendar and misses the UK school holidays and viewing seasons that drive international demand, and English enquiries can wait days for a reply while Spanish ones are answered the same day.

I've spent my career building clear, measurable marketing systems for international brands including Mars, Tata Communications and Bupa Global, and I've led marketing reaching high-net-worth individuals and expats across the globe. I also live in Spain and market to English speakers myself. I work natively in English, with working Spanish: I understand Spanish well and can discuss complex topics in it, but English remains the working language of every engagement. I can read, review and liaise on Spanish-language material where needed.

If your challenge is local, there's a dedicated page for Costa Blanca and Valencia marketing. If it's recruitment rather than customers, see employer branding for companies hiring in Spain.

What the first three months look like

Every engagement starts in the same order. I travel on-site within Spain and Europe where the work needs it, with travel costs covered by the client. Engagements run in English, with English-speaking teams.

Commercial clarity. Agreeing what marketing is actually accountable for: revenue, pipeline, bookings or enquiries, in every market you sell to.

Structure. Checking whether the team, agencies and budget are set up to deliver that outcome, and fixing ownership where it is unclear.

Evidence. Making sure tracking and attribution let the board trust what it's being told. At Mars that meant a 75%+ reported year-on-year campaign efficiency improvement across 13 brands; at Royal Mail, a +37% CTR improvement while reducing spend by 20% across a £12M+ budget.