Revolutionizing B2B Marketing: Meet the Founders of Grove B2B Agency

The New Era of B2B Marketing

B2B marketing has often been viewed as a machine focused on efficiency, relying heavily on programmatic ad buys, automated email funnels, and extensive reporting. However, three former Dentsu B2B APAC executives believe that the industry has overlooked a crucial aspect: actual business impact. Enter Grove B2B, an advisory-to-activation agency aiming to refocus on what truly matters—helping marketers drive revenue and growth.

Meet the Founders

Kiaran Geen, Samantha Cunliffe, and Jake Hird bring over five decades of combined experience in B2B marketing. As the new CEO, Geen, formerly president of Dentsu B2B APAC, has dedicated 25 years to leading marketing teams. Cunliffe, now chief client officer, has crafted strategies for major markets as the former managing director of Dentsu B2B Australia. Hird, taking the role of chief strategy officer, has a strong grasp of evolving buyer behaviors.

Agency Operations

Based in Sydney and Singapore, Grove B2B is currently onboarding clients and will initially target sectors like technology, financial services, manufacturing, and professional services. The founders plan to adopt a fly-in, fly-out model as they expand across APAC, with intentions to hire more permanent roles soon.

A Strategic Shift

The decision to establish Grove B2B was a strategic move by the founders, aiming to create an agile and cost-effective agency that prioritizes client relationships. The founders express a strong passion for B2B, wanting to delve deeper into client partnerships. They recognize that traditional holding companies often struggle with the financial implications of such engagement, leading to a trend of successful agency startups in the B2C space, and now it's time for B2B to follow suit.

Bridging Strategy and Execution

Grove B2B aims to bridge the gap between strategy and execution, offering core services such as customer insights, go-to-market planning, and training. Hird highlights a common issue where agencies either provide high-level strategic advice without follow-through or focus solely on execution without understanding the business context. Grove B2B intends to offer both, filling this critical gap in B2B marketing.

The B2B Boom

B2B marketing is at a pivotal moment. Over recent years, there has been a significant shift towards digital investment, moving budgets from traditional methods to data-driven performance marketing. However, as CMOs increasingly prioritize digitization, many find themselves struggling to connect marketing efforts to business outcomes. The founders emphasize that effective marketing must go beyond just driving engagement; it needs to be a business driver.

Cultural Insights

Grove B2B's approach is also shaped by its regional perspective. Understanding cultural nuances is crucial to effective marketing, and the founders leverage their extensive experience across APAC to navigate these complexities. While launching in Australia and Singapore, they have ambitions to expand throughout the region, recognizing the cultural diversity that their clients face.

A Thoughtful Growth Strategy

The agency is not in a rush to scale. All clients will work directly with the founders to ensure that every engagement maintains the essence of their vision. They plan to hire strategically, focusing on bringing in the right B2B thinkers to support their clients' needs.

Personal Touch

The founders also aim to bring their personalities to the business. With a focus on honesty, trust, and integrity, they are committed to challenging the status quo in the industry. Their goal is to foster knowledge, collaboration, and success across the B2B landscape, proving that marketing can indeed be a powerful driver of business growth.