Casla Conversations... with Claire O'Toole, Head of B2B Marketing at Westfield Health

Millie Hurst, 25th August 2025

Welcome to Casla Conversations – our interview series where we speak to the people behind the strategies shaping B2B marketing. In each edition, we talk to a B2B marketing professional to find out about their career journey, lessons learnt, and what keeps them inspired.

This time, we sat down with Claire O'Toole, Head of B2B Marketing at Westfield Health. Claire is a ‘squiggly career’ advocate, mum of three, and a fitness enthusiast. She also belongs to a highly exclusive group of people who have been panellists at our drinks and discussion events. Sign up for Casla's next virtual event on our website.

In our conversation, we covered leadership, AI, the juggle of being a working parent, and her role at Westfield Health, a provider of corporate health and wellbeing solutions. ‘I still think, “What’s the catch?”’ says Claire. ‘I've worked there since 2018, and it's a brilliant place – it’s challenging but very supportive at the same time. My colleagues are ambitious and creative – it's a fantastic environment to lead a marketing function.’

Leading by example with healthy habits

Claire studied an undergraduate degree in Sports and Exercise Science, and then completed a Master’s in Mental Health and Behavioural Medicine, so she has a deep understanding of physical and mental health. ‘As a manager in marketing, I think it's important that you demonstrate the importance of well-being to your team,’ she says.

‘I was in the gym at seven o'clock this morning at Westfield to set myself up for the day. I get some of my best ideas when I’m exercising, it's like it frees up some of the processing in your brain. I think having it as a regular part of our day adds up over time.

‘I know I'm definitely a better manager and colleague when I am keeping myself in a good place, so that's regular movement, making sure we take breaks, eating well, making sure we're keeping hydrated during the day and encouraging the team to do that as well.’

Claire mentions that they have a monthly team meeting coming up, but most people are on annual leave. So instead of just cancelling the meeting, everyone is being asked to spend the time on something positive for their well-being.

‘You could do some exercise, you could read your book, you could have an extended break and make yourself a really nice lunch – whatever it is that you wanted to do,’ says Claire. Then everyone in the team sends messages to share how they used the time for their well-being.

The most fulfilling careers are ‘squiggly’

‘I am a big advocate of the work of Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis at Amazing If. ‘They have generated the concept of “squiggly careers” in that a career doesn't have to be the ladder-like, linear progression that I think is typically thought of, and I can relate to that a lot from my own career.

‘I didn't start out in marketing. Marketing wasn't really featured in any of my studies. It was when I got into the world of work that I started to learn more about marketing and enjoyed how it meant that you learnt more about all the different aspects of the business.

‘It was then that I thought, marketing is really interesting. There's a lot of variety to it. And that's when I went to the Chartered Institute of Marketing and did my CIM diploma, while working full-time.

‘I also moved house during that time and consolidated it from two years into one so it was quite intense. But it was absolutely worth it, and I loved the practical nature of the course. That was really the start of my love for marketing.’

Claire explains that she took what looked like a step backwards on paper to join Westfield Health, going from a manager role to an executive role, but she knew that it would allow her to gain valuable experience working in a larger marketing team where she could learn and grow from others.

The key to developing your leadership style? Good role models.

How would Claire’s team describe her as a manager? ‘Considered but supportive,’ she says. ‘I think that's part of my introversion – I'm naturally more of a thinker, and I don't like to be put on the spot. I'm more, “Let me go away and think about that, and we'll work on it together.”

‘There's never an endpoint or moment when you think, “Ta-da! I'm the best manager or leader,”’ says Claire. ‘I think the importance of continuous learning is something that stands out to me throughout my career.’

One of Claire’s values is having good role models, and we talked about the power of ‘borrowing brilliance’ from the people around us. ‘I'm inspired by people that I work with. I found it interesting to learn from others and think about how I could make their leadership style more “me.” Early on, it's easy to be a copycat and not feel true to yourself, but with experience, you get more confident in your own style.’

‘I think I always try to put myself in other people's shoes and think, “Is that a way that I would like to feel?” I want somebody to feel appreciated, valued and that they’re doing great work. They’re universal things we all want to feel when we come to work.’

The time-saving superpowers of being a parent

We touched on the balance of family life and work life, and how to maintain boundaries and avoid burnout. ‘When I'm at work, I'm at work. And when I'm at home, I am Mum. I do think being a mum makes you very effective with your time.

‘Being a mum is part of who I am, and who I am as a person informs what I do at work,’ says Claire. ‘It helps me to empathise a lot more with my colleagues. It's also interesting that you've asked about it now, because we are in the midst of the six-week holidays, so you are getting a very real story.

‘It's hard. It is hard to manage it all. One thing I've learned is that boundaries have got to be stuck to, particularly as my children are quite small. I’m good at getting things done when they have to be done because I know that I can't run over in that meeting or can't run over with that task.

‘I work for a health and wellbeing company. So we’re regularly talking about things like burnout, supporting your mental health, and making sure you’re taking care of your well-being.’

Adapting marketing strategy to the AI era

I ask Claire, ‘AI – love it or hate it?’

‘I'm in the middle. I like it, I see the benefit of it, and I use it regularly. But I still think there's an element of caution, and there's got to be some of your own criteria and guidelines on using it. But I encourage it – I find it really interesting and I like getting it to challenge me about my thinking.

‘AI is having a huge impact on how people find us (Westfield Health). So we're having a close look at that at the moment.’ Claire’s team are exploring ways of being authentic and genuine in their marketing, and being found in AI search, with one example being their peer-to-peer newsletter, delivered from their Chief People Officer.

‘We have some wonderful people behind our brand, and we hear that from the customers who work with us, that they like the people they interact with at Westfield. So it made sense for us to put a person in front of a communication. And we’ve found that that's done really well.

‘So I think we'll do more of that. There are always things to refine in marketing. That's why I love it. If we were to sit down and have this conversation in a year's time, the rates of change with AI would be considerable. So what we're talking about now will probably just be how we work, and it becomes the norm.’

Quickfire questions

What’s the best leadership advice you’ve been given?

‘Be human! Remember that the people you lead will all have different preferences and ways of working. There’s no point forcing people to do things in a particular way.’

What do you think is the biggest marketing myth?

‘That marketing is there just to make things look nice. In reality, we're there to support with a company's common goal – which most of the time, is bringing in more revenue, isn’t it? And marketing can absolutely be a revenue driver, not just a department that spends money.

‘I see marketing as key in understanding the wants, needs and motivations of your prospects and your customers. We have a really good understanding of who they are.’

What's your favourite thing to do outside of work?

‘My world revolves around my three small children. I have six-year-old twin girls and a two-year-old little boy. They're at a very consuming age, which is wonderful, but also chaotic, so I'm a multitasker inside and outside of work.

‘Aside from that, I love being outside. Being in Sheffield, there are so many places to walk and exercise. I try and get outside, both with and without the children. I love walking and running.’

What's your favourite marketing buzzword (that you secretly love)?

‘What would my team say that I say all the time? Probably “revenue or value.” We're here to bring in revenue and to show value to our customers. What's the impact that it's going to bring? What value is this going to give to our customers and our prospects?’

What's a tool you can’t live without?

‘HubSpot. I think their CRM system is really effective for us as marketers, and I love the insights and data and how it brings it together.’

What was the last great piece of B2B content that you saw?

‘I saw it this morning, and shared it with a couple of members of my team – it was a newsletter from Cognism and the subject line was “Search traffic is tanking. Now what?” So it links with the conversation that we had today around what to do differently with AI. I thought it was really interesting.’

Claire also recommends The diary of a first time CMO by Alice de Courcy and Owning the Outcome , a podcast hosted by Sarah McDevitt, HubSpot’s Senior Director of Partner Strategy.

What would you say to past Claire when she was joining Westfield Health?

‘Keep open-minded and take opportunities when they come up. I don't know if this is a female trait, but sometimes you can think, “I'm not qualified enough for that opportunity or that promotion,” when in reality, why not you? Why can't you do that?’