John Williams
“I’ve built and grown brands that outperform by combining sharp commercial thinking with creative, data-led marketing – blending digital, brand, and AI-enabled sales strategies to drive real-world results”
John is a proven leader in driving growth for PE-backed businesses through digital marketing excellence, profitable marketplace operations, and a progressive, AI-enabled approach to sales and marketing.
Background
John has spent the last decade helping ambitious, high-growth businesses scale – from leading the executive team at The Instant Group as it grew from £30m to £350m, to working with fast-growth platforms like Arbolus, an AI-enabled research business, and Aalto Capital, a corporate finance and advisory business.
His experience spans brand creation, marketplace leadership, and commercial ownership, always with a focus on building revenue engines that perform. More than just a marketer, John has overseen digital trading, led international go-to-market strategies, and managed P&Ls across marketplace and SaaS businesses. His recent work with AI-driven platforms has given him a fresh perspective on how automation, segmentation, and intelligent targeting can transform sales and marketing – creating leaner, smarter, and more effective growth systems.
Expertise
Business Growth: With a proven track record of scaling fast-growth and PE-backed businesses, John has led commercial and marketing strategies that deliver real impact, including helping grow The Instant Group from £30m to £350m. He focuses on the entire growth engine: from channel development and pricing to sales optimisation and client retention.
Brand Strategy: He has built and repositioned brands that cut through, from launching OnTheMarket.com to redefining The Instant Group’s global identity and creating Worka.com. John’s approach blends storytelling with market insight to build brands that support sales, attract partners, and increase enterprise value.
Marketplace & Digital Commercial Leadership: John has run large-scale digital marketplaces, managing both user acquisition and monetisation. At InstantOffices.com, he led digital trading and customer conversion across 600,000 monthly sessions, improving profitability by reducing ad spend and increasing conversion through data-driven optimisation.
AI-Enabled Sales & Marketing: John’s recent work with AI-driven platforms like Arbolus and Aalto Capital has given him a leading edge in applying AI to real-world sales and marketing. From predictive lead scoring and personalised outreach to automated content and journey optimisation, he builds systems that scale smart.
Private Equity & Strategic Advisory: He has worked closely with PE investors through multiple exits, aligning growth strategy with commercial outcomes and preparing businesses for scale, sale, or acquisition. John understands what investors value: operational efficiency, clear value propositions, and strong market positioning.
Spotlight
Career Highlights
- Scaled The Instant Group from £30m to £350m revenue, delivering two exits and leading global strategy during rapid international growth.
- Improved annual profit of InstantOffices.com to £7.5m through reduced ad spend and improved conversion.
- Launched OnTheMarket.com, positioning it as a major UK challenger brand in the property marketplace, which was later acquired by CoStar.
- Relaunched several high-impact brands including The Instant Group, Worka.com, and the Wealth Report for Knight Frank, delivering both commercial returns and reputational growth.
- Currently driving AI-led transformation at Arbolus and Aalto Capital, using intelligent automation, segmentation, and data-driven content to increase marketing efficiency and targeting precision.
- Recognised as a thought leader in workspace, PropTech, and digital marketing, with experience speaking at global events.
- Multiple award-winner at the B2B marketing Awards.
Skillset
- Strategic Marketing Planning
- Growth Strategy & Execution
- Marketplace Management
- Brand Creation & Positioning
- AI-Enabled Sales & Marketing
- Private Equity Value Creation
- Team Leadership & Organisational Design
- Digital Trading & Performance Optimisation
- Go-to-Market Strategy
- Board & Stakeholder Communication
