Elaine Knowles

I’m a marketing strategist and fractional CMO working with brands in Ireland and internationally. I also lead Just Ordinary Folk, a virtual collective of senior creatives, strategists and makers who help brands communicate with clarity, personality and purpose.

Over the last 20+ years, I’ve worked across brand, digital and integrated marketing in both agency and client-side leadership roles. My career began with Merrill Lynch’s digital team in Sydney, before moving into a decade of brand-building with O2 in Dublin, shaping award-winning campaigns, partnerships and CSR work at a time when telco brands truly mattered.

From there, I moved agency-side: leading Client Services at Image Now, then joining Brando (later merging with Huskies) where I worked on brand, digital transformation and integrated creative campaigns for both global and local brands.

Most recently, I spent six years on the leadership team at 123.ie, leading brand strategy, communications, acquisition and retention, sponsorships and a full rebrand—maintaining strong performance in a data-driven, conversion-focused environment.

Today, I help brands navigate a marketing landscape where storytelling, data and AI-powered effectiveness need to co-exist. My focus is simple: make brands clearer, smarter and more human.

For more you can check me out on LinkedIn.

Brands & Clients I've worked with

Aliv (Bahamas), One Communications (Guyana, USVI, Bermuda), Logic (Cayman Islands), Brava (Miami), 123.ie, RSA Ireland / Intact Financial Corporation, Sky Ireland, O2, ALIV (Bahamas), Phonewatch, Failte Ireland 'Wild Atlantic Way', Londis, Merrill Lynch, HSBC, Bank of Ireland, Irish Distillers (Jameson), Heartbeat of Home, Eircom, Eircom Wholesale, Three, TV3, DAA, Telstra (Aus), Nuance (Aus), Bord Na Mona, Aer Rianta, IBEC, Smurfit Kappa.