--- title: Non-Executive Director & Board Advisor | Matthew Gaunt description: Non-executive director and board advisor for UK consumer businesses. Independent challenge from someone who has carried the P&L, not just advised on it. image: https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hubfs/Matthew-conference.webp --- Cookie Settings [Skip to content](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk#main-content) [![Logo\_Primary-1-remove-background.com](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo_Primary-1-remove-background.com.png?width=1001&height=338&name=Logo_Primary-1-remove-background.com.png "Logo_Primary-1-remove-background.com")](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk?hsLang=en-gb) - [Home](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk) - [Non-Executive Director](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/non-executive-director-services) - [Services](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/work-with-me) - [About](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/about) - [Contact](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/contact) - [Blog](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/blog) - [Book Intro Call](https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/matthew-gaunt) # Non-Executive Director and Board Advisor for Consumer Businesses ## I ask the questions a board is too close to ask. ### Non-executive director, board advisory and fractional CMO work for UK consumer businesses. Bridging the gap between boardroom strategy and operational reality. [Get in touch](https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/matthew-gaunt) ## Three Seats. One Commercial Problem. ![The Chairman](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen_Shot_2026-03-04_at_11-15-01_am-removebg-preview.png?width=319&height=307&name=Screen_Shot_2026-03-04_at_11-15-01_am-removebg-preview.png) ### The Chairman "Do we have the systems, the data, and the AI governance to scale safely." [What a NED actually does](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/non-executive-director-services?hsLang=en-gb) ![The CEO](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen_Shot_2026-03-04_at_11-14-51_am-removebg-preview.png?width=319&height=307&name=Screen_Shot_2026-03-04_at_11-14-51_am-removebg-preview.png) ### The CEO "Revenue is up, but profit is down. What are the levers I can pull? What about AI?" [Three ways to work with me](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/work-with-me?hsLang=en-gb) ![The Founder](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen_Shot_2026-03-04_at_11-14-45_am-removebg-preview.png?width=495&height=476&name=Screen_Shot_2026-03-04_at_11-14-45_am-removebg-preview.png) ### The Founder "Marketing is a black box. You are spending the money but can't see the return. Your team is reactive, not strategic" [Fractional CMO work](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/fractional-cmo-uk?hsLang=en-gb) The Solution ## "I partner with founders and boards to build a commercial engine that scales." ## Three Ways to Work With Me. ![The Advisor](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen_Shot_2026-03-27_at_12.11.02_pm-removebg-preview.png?width=317&height=339&name=Screen_Shot_2026-03-27_at_12.11.02_pm-removebg-preview.png) ### The Advisor (NED and Chair) \- **Role:** Non-Executive Director, Chair or board advisor. \- **Focus:** Customer, commercial and digital. Risk assurance and governance. \- **Deliverables:** Independent challenge at board level. AI governance: policy first, then pilot. Commercial data that would survive due diligence. [NED and Chair services](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/non-executive-director-services?hsLang=en-gb) ![The Co-Pilot](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen_Shot_2026-03-27_at_12.10.59_pm-removebg-preview.png?width=317&height=319&name=Screen_Shot_2026-03-27_at_12.10.59_pm-removebg-preview.png) ### The Co-Pilot (Architect) \- **Role:** Advisor alongside the CEO or the CMO. \- **Focus:** Profit growth and sustainability. \- **Deliverables:** Commercial performance roadmap. Customer proposition clarity. Sharp lens on cost management. Mentoring the permanent CMO. [About the CMO Ally](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/cmo-ally?hsLang=en-gb) ![The Builder](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen_Shot_2026-03-27_at_12.10.56_pm-removebg-preview.png?width=317&height=293&name=Screen_Shot_2026-03-27_at_12.10.56_pm-removebg-preview.png) ### The Builder (Fractional CMO) \- **Role:** Create the systems, processes and governance to deliver improved returns. \- **Focus:** Infrastructure and stability. \- **Deliverables:** A roadmap for growth. Coach, teach or restructure the marketing team. Install the "Truth Dashboard" (P&L tracking). [About fractional CMO work](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/fractional-cmo-uk?hsLang=en-gb) ![ChatGPT Image Mar 26, 2026, 01\_27\_54 PM](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/ChatGPT%20Image%20Mar%2026%2c%202026%2c%2001_27_54%20PM.png?width=600&height=604&name=ChatGPT%20Image%20Mar%2026%2c%202026%2c%2001_27_54%20PM.png "ChatGPT Image Mar 26, 2026, 01_27_54 PM") ## Frequently asked questions ### What does Matthew Gaunt Associates do? Matthew Gaunt Associates is the board advisory practice of Matthew Gaunt, a former board-level leader at Majestic Wine, Wickes and Hamleys. It provides non-executive director and Chair services, board advice and fractional CMO leadership to UK consumer, retail and private-equity-backed businesses. ### What does a non-executive director do for a consumer business? A non-executive director gives a consumer business independent oversight and constructive challenge at board level: scrutinising strategy, protecting governance, and bringing outside commercial experience the executive team does not have. The right NED has delivered the results they are asked to judge. ### What is a fractional CMO? A fractional CMO is an experienced chief marketing officer who works inside your business part-time, typically one to three days a week. You get board-level commercial leadership - strategy, team, systems and governance - without the cost or commitment of a full-time executive hire. ### Who does Matthew Gaunt Associates work with? Ambitious UK consumer-facing businesses from £10m to £1bn turnover - retail, food, hospitality, leisure and consumer brands, from founder-led firms to private-equity-backed and listed groups. Matthew works with them in a range of ways: as NED, Chair or board advisor (the Advisor), as advisor alongside the CEO or CMO (the Co-Pilot), and as fractional CMO (the Builder). ### How does an engagement work? Non-executive roles come first. As Chair or NED, Matthew embeds to learn the business, then works strictly hands-off: independent challenge and support as a critical friend, as a NED should be. Fractional CMO and Co-Pilot engagements follow a four-phase method: Diagnose the commercial failure points, Co-Create the plan with your team, Embed by leading the execution hands-on, then Refine and hand over to permanent talent. Both start with a confidential 30-minute conversation. [Book an intro call](https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/matthew-gaunt) Happy Clients ## FORMER LEADER AT ![2-1](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/2-1.png?width=600&height=360&name=2-1.png) ![1-1](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/1-1.png?width=600&height=360&name=1-1.png) ![Untitled design(76)-1](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design(76)-1.png?width=600&height=360&name=Untitled%20design(76)-1.png) ![5-1](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/5-1.png?width=600&height=360&name=5-1.png) ![Untitled design(85)-1](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design(85)-1.png?width=600&height=360&name=Untitled%20design(85)-1.png) ![4-1](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/4-1.png?width=600&height=360&name=4-1.png) ![6-1](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/6-1.png?width=600&height=360&name=6-1.png) ![9-1](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/9-1.png?width=600&height=360&name=9-1.png) ![10-1](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/10-1.png?width=600&height=360&name=10-1.png) ## Where to next Board work first, hands-on work when it is needed. Start with whichever fits where your business is. [Non-executive director services →](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/non-executive-director-services?hsLang=en-gb) [Three ways to work with me →](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/work-with-me?hsLang=en-gb) [Fractional CMO for consumer businesses →](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/fractional-cmo-uk?hsLang=en-gb) [About Matthew - the numbers behind the claims →](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/about?hsLang=en-gb) [Client case studies →](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/case-studies?hsLang=en-gb) [![Logo\_Primary-1-remove-background.com](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo_Primary-1-remove-background.com.png?width=1001&height=338&name=Logo_Primary-1-remove-background.com.png "Logo_Primary-1-remove-background.com")](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk?hsLang=en-gb) ### Pages - [Home](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk) - [Contact](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/contact) - [About](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/about) - [Work with me](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/work-with-me) - [Blog](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/blog) - [Privacy Policy](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/privacy-policy) ### Contact me - [Get in Touch](https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/contact) - [Follow me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/matthew-gaunt-associates) - [Email Me](mailto:matthew@matthewgauntassociates.co.uk) ### Newsletter Sign-up --- ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "areaServed" : "GB", "description" : "Board advisory, non-executive director and fractional CMO practice for UK consumer, retail and private-equity-backed businesses.", "email" : "matthew@matthewgauntassociates.co.uk", "founder" : { "@id" : "https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/#matthewgaunt" }, "logo" : "https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo_Primary-1-remove-background.com.png", "name" : "Matthew Gaunt Associates", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/matthew-gaunt-associates" ], "telephone" : "+447813187728", "url" : "https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://matthewgauntassociates.co.uk/#matthewgaunt", "@type" : "Person", "alumniOf" : { "@type" : "CollegeOrUniversity", "name" : "University of Liverpool", "url" : "https://www.liverpool.ac.uk" }, "description" : "Board advisor, NED and fractional CMO for UK consumer, retail and PE-backed businesses. 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