Leading Marketing in Private Equity: Insights from Andrew Burke

Following our recent panel event ‘From Brand to Bottom Line: The High-Impact CMO in Private Equity’ hosted by Allura Partners, Andrew Burke, CEO of Click Click Marketing, shares his extended perspective on leading marketing in a PE-backed business.

Transitioning from traditional business ownership to private equity backing comes with unique challenges that reshape the way marketing leaders approach their roles. Andrew Burke, CEO of the award-winning agency Click Click Marketing, shares his experience navigating the PE-backed marketing landscape, where the pressure to deliver measurable results has never been more intense. 

From Traditional to PE-Backed Operations 

Moving into a PE environment introduced Burke to a more structured approach to business objectives. "Private equity tends to have a very clear set of objectives," he notes. "These defined financial parameters and profitability expectations create opportunities to align marketing initiatives more directly with broader business objectives. I found myself taking an entirely different approach to business operations. I became more commercially minded, balancing brand building with immediate revenue generation." 

Referring to the dynamic nature of PE, he noted that the challenge lay in managing three critical horizons simultaneously: immediate tactical requirements, medium-term strategic objectives, and the longer-term vision aligned with the PE firm's exit strategy. "As general managers, the demand on us is tactically what are we doing today, this week, next month, into mid-level horizons, and then the longer term".  

Burke says cross-functional collaboration becomes paramount in this environment. It's necessary to align brand objectives with CFO priorities while maintaining operational feasibility by the COO's requirements. 

"Making sure that there's really clear alignment between each of those functional heads prevents the 'leaky bucket' syndrome that can derail efficiency efforts," he observes. 

Metrics That Matter in the Boardroom 

Burke's experience highlights one of the most significant challenges that marketing leaders must navigate in PE environments: translating marketing activities into boardroom-relevant metrics. He advocates for focusing on data that directly supports longer-term objectives rather than vanity metrics. 

"What's our net new customer logo growth? Did we achieve the 15 logos that we're targeting this month? These are the metrics that resonate at the board level, rather than traditional marketing metrics on communication, campaigns or digital efforts." 

He added, "It's critical to understand the important numbers that are actually going to achieve those longer-term objectives and get agreement on those like EBITDA, retention or market expansion."  

From Functional Lead to Decision Maker 

From Burke's experience, functional marketing leads who rise to become key decision makers within an organisation understand how their work connects to broader business objectives and can act as "a growth agent within the business". 

"It's not just delivering a brand, but delivering a brand that enables that growth," he explains. This involves identifying new market opportunities, recognising areas where the business needs strengthening, and serving as the authentic voice of the customer within the organisation. 

While monthly board meetings help maintain surface-level alignment, he says a CMO's real work happens in daily operations. 

"They dive deep into their own world, but at the same time have that perspective view, which is appreciative and understanding of others."  

Ultimately, they articulate the importance of their role to other C-suite executives and demonstrate a clear return on investment. "The CMOs who can connect the dots internally and externally… have the voice; they have the ear of the CEO."  

For those looking to progress their careers beyond the CMO role, Burke says that, despite only 5% of CMOs advancing to CEO roles, meaningful impact at the C-level creates opportunities across the entire organisation. 

Lessons Learnt 

Reflecting on his transition into the PE arena, Burke says there are a few things he would have done differently in preparation; increasing his financial literacy is at the top of the list because "understanding not just marketing ROI but broader business economics and PE fund dynamics is so important". 

"I underestimated how much that was essential to the success of me and my role… the structured, metrics-driven nature of PE environments demands a level of financial sophistication that I needed to develop," he says. 

However, the human element remains just as crucial. PE firms rely on operational leaders who understand their markets and can communicate effectively about complex business dynamics. "The most successful partnerships occur when PE financial expertise combines with deep operational knowledge and authentic customer understanding." 

It's a challenging balance to achieve, but one that offers exciting opportunities for those willing to evolve their approach.