The clarity to drive change. Fast.

As a first time C-Suite executive, expectation is sky high.
Runway is short. Your first 180 days will define everything.
You need external, objective, commercial clarity — delivered fast.

That's what we do.

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What is paceworks?

Paceworks delivers rapid, external business, brand and marketing assessment for newly promoted C-suite leaders navigating their critical first 180 days (and beyond).

We conduct short, sharp strategic consulting engagements that provide:

  • Clear direction on what matters most

  • Brand and customer insight that drives commercial decisions

  • Stakeholder mapping to build alliances that matter

  • Sequencing of early moves for maximum impact

External perspective. Zero politics. Commercially grounded.
Delivered in weeks, not months.

Not coaching. Not big-firm consulting. Just sharp, candid strategic firepower — exactly when you need it most.

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“Your inputs were decisive to trigger our last 6-month moves, not only rebranding to Aimigo, but also untying nodes on the way to getting our strategy right.”

— Benjamin Levy, Cofounder, Aimigo

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Who is it for?

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Paceworks is built specifically for newly promoted C-suite leaders — particularly first-time CEOs, CMOs and COOs stepping into their highest-stakes role yet. Whether you’re two months or two years in, we can help beat the odds.

Here’s what you’re facing:

  • Boards expect visible impact fast

  • You inherit complex stakeholder dynamics

  • Most leaders lack deep marketing/brand expertise

  • Everyone wants something from you

  • No one can give you an unbiased perspective

That's where we come in.

We give you what your organisation can't: external, objective, commercially-grounded strategic direction during the window that matters most.

Paceworks’ business, brand and marketing assessment gives you the power to:

  • Separate signal from noise — cut through politics and inherited assumptions to see what truly drives value

  • Avoid the "move fast, break trust" trap — sequence change so you build momentum without burning credibility

  • Make brand and growth decisions with confidence — even if marketing isn't your background, you'll know the right calls to make

Why now?

CEO tenures are shrinking. Board expectations are rising.
Market complexity is accelerating.

Yet most newly appointed leaders receive less structured support than they did at every previous career stage.

Research shows:

  • 88% of new CEOs are first-timers

  • Only 10% have marketing backgrounds

  • Early-tenure decisions shape multi-year trajectories

  • Most derailment isn't competence — it's clarity, alignment and sequencing

That gap? That's where Paceworks comes in.

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How does it work?

We deliver results in weeks, not quarters.

Our engagements combine:

  • Rapid assessment: Structured interviews with key stakeholders, board members and teams

  • External pattern recognition: We've seen this movie before, so we know where the ‘gotchas’ are

  • Commercial translation: Brand, customer and market insight turned into board-ready strategic recommendations

  • Sequencing and prioritisation: What should you tackle first, what to protect, what to kill

You get:

  • Clear strategic priorities

  • Hidden risk identification

  • Early-win opportunities mapped

  • Stakeholder navigation guidance

  • Board-ready recommendations

All delivered with speed, discretion and zero internal politics.

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“Their analysis and recommendations had game-changing effects for our company.”

“We were amazed by their speed in grasping all of our challenges – organizational, business, and strategic – as well as the relevance of their strategic analysis and concrete recommendations... that have sustainably and positively changed our strategy.”

Eloïse Ghertman, (former) CEO, Aimigo

This timely, independent impact review is delivered by an experienced team — Gabrielle Hase and Diane Perlman — who have a combined 50+ years in business, brand, marketing and digital strategy. 

We bring our collective network to every project we deliver, helping unlock opportunities through our connections.

Who's behind it?

Photo of Paceworks partners Diane Perlman and Gabrielle Hase

Our mission is simple:

To give newly appointed C-suite leaders the strategic clarity, external perspective, and commercial and marketing firepower they need to survive — and win — during their most dangerous 180 days.

Why?

  • Because boards under-support leaders at exactly the moment they're most vulnerable.

  • Because internal teams can't give you unbiased truth.

  • Because 'going it alone' at this level isn't brave — it's reckless.

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Diane Perlman,
Paceworks Partner

With 30+ years navigating brand, marketing and growth strategy across tech companies at every stage, Diane brings the commercial and customer fluency most new CEOs lack, but are immediately accountable for.

Diane is a highly entrepreneurial and strategic global marketing leader with extensive B2B and B2C experience across her marketing career. She brings a unique perspective, having worked with companies at different stages of maturity — from large corporates to startups, scaleups and agencies, as well as her own marketing consultancy, Branding Matters. She currently operates as a fractional CMO, working with scaling businesses and SMEs to help them understand what ‘good’ looks like and build their marketing strategy, team and budget.

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Gabrielle Hase,
Paceworks Partner

As an experienced portfolio Chair and NED, Gabrielle has seen first hand what separates successful C-suite transitions from career-derailing ones. She knows what boards are really thinking — and what newly appointed leaders desperately need, but rarely get.

Gabrielle sits at the intersection of consumer brands and retail technology, and helps companies navigate digital transformation and maximise eCommerce opportunities to create shareholder value. She is currently Chair of Cass Art and NED of Ultracommerce, and has served as board director and advisor for both PLC and private companies including K3 Business Technologies, Tate Galleries, Planks Clothing and Amplience. Gabrielle received her MBA from The Wharton School of Business.

Take bold,
confident
decisions.

Your first 180 days will define everything.

Whether you’re two months or two years into the role:

You don't need more advice.
You don't need cheerleading.
You need external, objective, commercial clarity — delivered fast.

That's what we do.

Book a confidential conversation