“Spikes Excitement Talks” is an engaging podcast hosted by Gordon Euchler, co-founder of Spikes, featuring some of the most famous figures from the world of marketing and branding. Each episode welcomes guests who share their professional journeys and delve into what personally and professionally excites them. From notable studio heads to leading minds in top advertising agencies, listeners gain an intimate look at the passions driving these industry leaders.
In this episode, Maik speaks with Heike Panella, General Manager Clarins Germany at Groupe Clarins, about brand building in beauty, the future of the point of sale and leading with responsibility.
From Group Product Manager at L’Oréal Paris and Managing Director of the Active Cosmetics Division at L’Oréal Germany to Global Brand President of Eau Thermale Avène and now General Manager Clarins Germany, Heike shares how a passion for marketing and consumer connection has guided her through 25 years in beauty. She talks about creating in-store experiences in an omnichannel world, Clarins’ B Corp journey and purpose beyond products, and the Leadership Compass approach of leading from the front or from behind.
She also looks ahead at the future of brand building, arguing that tougher competition, AI and new channels demand smarter thinking, strong vision and excellent execution with fewer resources.
Tune in to hear Heike’s perspective on brand experience, responsible leadership and building momentum, and why the toughest challenges are what excite her most.
2 Nov 2026
Spikes Excitement Talk #242 with Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan
In this episode, Gordon speaks with Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s Deutschland LLC, about local brand building, the return of “Ich liebe es” and why brand matters more than ever.
From Unilever and Philips to McDonald’s Nederland and McDonald’s Deutschland, Stijn shares how combining creative thinking with a love for numbers has shaped his path in marketing. He talks about owning the guest experience end to end like a conductor, launching McCafé drinks in Germany with a creator first approach, and why the best leaders are not the smartest person in the room but make the room smarter.
He also looks ahead at the future of marketing, arguing that the industry is becoming more human and more technological at the same time, and that in the age of large language models, brands must clearly tell people what they stand for to show up at all.
Tune in to hear Stijn’s perspective on localization, cultural relevance and earned media, and why a brand has to bring something to the party to truly belong in people’s lives.
2 Nov 2026
Spikes Excitement Talk #241 with Kathryn Swallow
In this episode, Gordon speaks with Kathryn Swallow, Global Category Head - OTC at Haleon, about building brands as businesses, the changing relationship between consumers and their health, and why simplicity drives scale.
From Global and Regional Brand Manager at Unilever and Marketing Director at Rightmove to Global Brand Vice President for Dove and Rexona and now Haleon, Kathryn shares how a school lesson on Benetton sparked a lifelong curiosity about the power of brands. She talks about why a brand is a business, why relevance and trust matter more than fame, and why global brands only succeed with deep local relevance.
She also looks ahead at the future of consumer health, arguing that OTC brands built on trusted science still have their biggest stories to tell, and that the magic lies in creating repeatable growth models at global scale.
Tune in to hear Kathryn’s perspective on brand fundamentals, consumer health and global growth, and why nothing has to be that complicated.
Who has been a guest on Spikes Excitement Talks
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Erik Liebe
Tommaso Calzolari
Efrain Rosario
Daniele Tundo
Jon Halvorson
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
20 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 45 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
77
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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