What does it take to unlock potential in iconic brands and lead teams through uncertainty? In this energising episode of Uspire Unlocked, Amanda Downs sits down with Steve Challouma,senior commercial leader, former GM for Birds Eye UK & Ireland, and interim Marketing Director for Suntory Beverages (home of Lucozade and Ribena).
Across three decades shaping some of Europe’s best-known food brands, Steve traces his path from Unilever graduate to leading major transformations across multiple ownerships. He shares why staying at one company doesn’t mean standing still and why delighting consumers and stewarding brand history anchor his leadership. He also shares how the Japanese principle of “Gemba”, spending time where value is created, deepens empathy, fuels innovation, and keeps leaders relevant.
Here are the highlights:
00:00 Intro: Meet Steve Challouma
01:30 Almost 30 years with one business: why Steve stayed
02:12 Three ownership phases: Unilever, Private Equity, Nomad Foods
04:08 The underrated power of frozen food and brand stewardship
07:07 Key career decisions, inflection points, and early sliding doors
15:21 Building high-performing teams and prioritising people over titles
16:00 Turning around declining brands at Birdseye
19:04 Execution over innovation in challenging times
19:48 Sales vs. Marketing: breaking down commercial silos
25:57 Staying externally connected, healthy marketing lifestyles
27:51 Evolving from knowledge-holder to orchestrator
31:01 Influential leaders: integrity, low ego, building belief in others
33:31 Steve’s values: curiosity and kindness, and why clear is kind
36:47 The importance of culture, candour, and psychological safety
37:19 Guardian leadership and bringing Japanese principles to Suntory
About The Uspire Partnership:
The Uspire Partnership: Building the future of business
The Uspire Partnership helps businesses evolve. From start-up, scale-up,
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About Steve Challouma
Steve Challouma is a senior commercial leader with nearly 30 years’ experience shaping and growing some of Europe’s most iconic food brands. As former CMO of Nomad Foods and General Manager of Birds Eye UK & Ireland, he led major brand, category and capability transformations across a €3bn business, steering household names like Birds Eye, Goodfella’s and Aunt Bessie’s through periods of significant change and sustained growth.
A Fellow of both The Marketing Academy and The Marketing Society, Steve has built a reputation for combining sharp strategic thinking with a deep passion for consumer behaviour, brand building and modern marketing leadership. He is currently the Interim Marketing Director at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, where he leads the marketing organisation behind Lucozade, Ribena and Celsius, some of the UK’s most culturally resonant and fast moving brands.
Across his career, Steve has been known for developing high performing teams, shaping strong marketing capability and driving long term commercial impact. His work continues to influence leaders and organisations across the industry.