Mentor
Martin George
Overview
Martin George is an experienced commercial and marketing leader whose career has spanned some of the UK’s best-known consumer, travel, healthcare and retail brands. After graduating from Loughborough University, he began his career in marketing at Cadbury before joining British Airways, where he spent 19 years in a series of roles across marketing, commercial and general management. He ultimately became Commercial Director and a member of the Board, gaining deep experience in brand, revenue management, customer strategy and complex international operations.
Martin went on to broaden his experience across multiple sectors. As Group Development Director at Bupa, he was responsible for marketing, communications, CSR and the Cromwell Hospital, combining commercial growth with a strong focus on reputation and social impact. He later held senior roles at John Lewis Partnership as a Division Director and most recently at Waitrose as Customer Director, where he sat on the Waitrose Management Board and led marketing and customer experience. Across these roles he has consistently focused on aligning brand, proposition and service around the needs of customers in fast-changing markets.
Alongside his executive career, Martin has been part of leadership teams that have set up businesses in the hospitality, media and healthcare sectors, and has held Non-Executive Director roles across hospitality, hobby, sport and travel. He chaired Global Radio’s charity (now Make Some Noise) for ten years and now pursues a portfolio of non-executive, mentoring and charity roles. His current board portfolio includes Goodwood, Visit Jersey and Trust Alliance Group, and he is currently a Non-Executive Director at Salthouse Consulting, an Advisor to a number of start-ups and a Governor at Lady Eleanor Holles School in South West London.
Martin brings deep cross-sector expertise in:
• Brand, marketing & customer strategy – leading marketing and customer functions for major consumer, travel, healthcare and retail brands including British Airways, Bupa and Waitrose.
• Retail, travel, healthcare & customer services – senior leadership roles across aviation, grocery, department stores and multi-channel service organisations.
• Growth, development & corporate reputation – combining commercial development with communications, CSR and stakeholder management in health and consumer-facing businesses.
• Charity, education & community impact – long-standing involvement in charitable boards and school governance, linking business experience with broader societal contribution.
He is valued as a grounded, commercially astute advisor who brings a strong customer lens, clear thinking and a collaborative style to the leaders and boards he supports.
PDF Profile
Download PDFMajor Career Roles
Waitrose
Customer Director
British Airways
Commercial Director
Bupa
Managing Director, Group Development
Other Career Highlights
Visit Jersey
Chair
Grays of Cambridge (International) Ltd
Chair
Goodwood
Non-Executive Director
Hornby plc
Non-Executive Director
Brooklands
Non-Executive Director
PrivateFLY Ltd
Non-Executive Director
Doctors Clinic Group Ltd
Non-Executive Director
Thorntons plc
Non-Executive Director
UNIQ plc
Non-Executive Director
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