PRESS RELEASE
London – 1st July 2025
Skarbek, the international strategy execution consultancy, announces that its founder and CEO, Paul Heugh, will hand over day-to-day leadership. Subsequently, Skarbek is proud to appoint Toni Marshall and Tanguy Pellen as Managing Partners to lead the Company’s next chapter of growth. Both Marshall and Pellen join the board of Directors, following a year long planned transition.
Founded in 2012, Skarbek has built an outstanding reputation for excellence in Strategy Execution, partnering with global clients to turn bold strategies into tangible outcomes enabling the Company to grow sustainably.
As Skarbek marks this new chapter, the transition reflects an evolution in its journey – from founder-led to partner-led – designed to strengthen and scale its impact while staying true to the values that have defined it from the beginning.
Marshall joined Skarbek from Reckitt, where she held senior global strategic and operational roles across Consumer Health and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). She is recognised for driving growth, orchestrating transformation, and developing high performance teams. Marshall began her career as a Chartered accountant in M&A at EY.
Pellen has been with Skarbek for over five years following an over 20-year career at Procter & Gamble and Coty as a senior R&D leader. He brings deep knowledge of the FMCG sector, industry-leading expertise in Beauty Care, and innovation leadership experience in developed and developing markets, including 10 years in Asia with 7 years in China. He has experience leading and advising companies across industries through strengthening and implementation of strategy, driving innovation and large-scale operational integrations and transformations.
Ian Pontefract, Chairman of Skarbek, commented:
“Paul has led the business since its founding and built a formidable reputation in strategy execution, working with world-leading companies. Toni and Tanguy compliment one another’s experience and skillsets and are incredibly committed and excited by the next phase of Skarbek’s journey. Having worked with Toni, Tanguy, and Paul during the transition preparation, I look forward to implementing our plans to grow the Company further.”
Paul Heugh, Founder and Former CEO of Skarbek, commented:
“I am delighted to hand over the baton of leadership at Skarbek to two incredibly talented, committed, and proven business leaders who exemplify the ethos of Skarbek. Since founding the business 13 years ago it has been my enormous privilege to work with our terrific team delivering services to our clients and seeing Skarbek grow into an international brand with global reach and impact.”
Toni Marshall, Managing Partner and CEO of Skarbek, commented:
“I’m honoured to be stepping into the role of Managing Partner and CEO to help lead the next chapter of the Skarbek journey. Paul has built a truly exceptional and remarkable business, with real purpose and strong values. As we look to the future, I’m excited to continue that legacy – working closely with our talented team and partners to grow our impact in the sectors we focus on, challenge ourselves, and deliver exceptional results for our global clients.”
Tanguy Pellen, Managing Partner of Skarbek, commented:
“I am very excited to be leading the next chapter of growth in partnership with Toni Marshall, and the exceptional leaders of Skarbek, and am honoured by the opportunity and trust from Skarbek Founder Paul Heugh. Skarbek is a gem that stands out in the consulting industry, with its “Make it happen” mantra, enabled by its unique expertise-centric model, bringing the best of consulting methodologies to clients together with unmatched industry and functional expertise fundamental to driving meaningful and lasting impact. I can’t wait for the continued partnership with our clients, unlocking enablers for growth and leading Skarbek to new heights.”
Heugh will remain on the Board of Directors, chaired by Ian Pontefract, and continue supporting the business and leadership team, both as an ambassador and subject matter expert and activist on strategy execution.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Founded in 2012, Skarbek is a specialist consultancy, renowned for delivering strategy execution for leading organisations worldwide.
Skarbek is guided by the values of Courage, Commitment, and Humility, inspired by the legacy of Krystyna Skarbek, Britain’s longest-serving special operations agent. A Polish woman who proved that courage, ingenuity, and action can change the arc of events on a global stage.
Sectors
Skarbek provides services spanning many sectors. Much of its work is with leading organisations across FMCG, Consumer Health, Pharma, Beauty & Luxury sectors. The team brings deep industry expertise and a proven ability to navigate the complexities of highly competitive, fast-evolving markets.
Services:
Skarbek specialises in strategy implementation – turning strategy into action. Skarbek’s core services include Operating Effectiveness, Innovation Fitness, Transformation and Change Management, Project and Portfolio Excellence and People and Capability Building. Its bespoke, hands-on and collaborative approach ensures that every client’s strategic ambitions are implemented with precision, agility and measurable impact.
LEADERSHIP BIOGRAPHIES:
Paul Heugh
Founder and Director
Paul founded Skarbek with Simon Pulsford in 2012 and has developed the business into a very successful boutique consultancy called upon by some of the leading companies in the world. Paul is a highly respected leader in strategic transformation, with over 35 years of global experience. Throughout his distinguished career, Paul has successfully led the execution of complex programmes, ranging from the launch of new product pipelines to major business turnarounds and seamless post-acquisition integrations. He has held senior executive roles at GSK, where he demonstrated a proven ability to steer organisations through periods of rapid growth, restructuring, and international expansion.
Paul’s expertise centres on strategy execution, project and portfolio transformational change, and operational effectiveness. He is adept at aligning diverse teams around critical initiatives, ensuring delivery at both pace and scale. His leadership has driven global programmes in market entry, business integration, and capability building, helping organisations achieve ambitious objectives in dynamic environments.
For over a decade, Paul has also designed and delivered leadership and project management programmes, training thousands of professionals worldwide and equipping them with the skills to excel in complex business settings. Paul’s visionary approach and hands-on leadership will continue to shape Skarbek’s culture and reputation, making him a trusted advisor to clients seeking to translate strategy into sustained success.
Toni Marshall
Managing Partner and CEO
Toni Marshall has served as a Senior Partner at Skarbek since 2024, building on over 15 years of leadership experience at global organisations including Reckitt and EY. Renowned for her commercial acumen and operational excellence, Toni excels in driving transformational change, delivering sustainable growth, and inspiring high-performance teams. Her expertise spans organisation design, operating model development, and the implementation of strategic integrated business planning across complex, globally matrixed organisations.
Toni is particularly adept at advising senior leaders and teams across diverse sectors and functions, with a strong track record in the FMCG sector and eCommerce. As CEO and managing partner, Toni is committed to advancing Skarbek’s mission to deliver the implementation of clients’ strategic objectives, while empowering teams to achieve their full potential. Her international experience, strategic insight, and results-oriented approach have made her a trusted advisor to clients navigating change and growth. Toni’s leadership continues to shape Skarbek’s reputation as a partner of choice for organisations seeking to translate vision into action and achieve lasting results.
Tanguy Pellen
Managing Partner
Tanguy Pellen, has served as a Senior Partner at Skarbek since 2024. He brings over 20 years of innovation and operational leadership experience from senior roles at Procter & Gamble and Coty. Since joining Skarbek five years ago, Tanguy has played a pivotal role in driving the firm’s expansion and elevating client outcomes. He is a recognised expert in crafting and executing strategies for innovation, transformation, and capability building, with a particular focus on the FMCG and Beauty Care sectors. Tanguy’s deep industry knowledge spans both developed and emerging markets, where he has led high-value product development portfolios, large-scale implementations, and operational integrations. His expertise extends to strengthening organisational and operational capabilities, advising companies across industries on navigating complex business challenges.
Tanguy’s leadership is defined by his ability to translate strategic vision into practical execution, foster collaborative teams, and deliver measurable results for clients. His commitment to excellence and continuous improvement has strengthened Skarbek’s position as a trusted partner for organisations facing transformation and growth. Tanguy’s innovative mindset and hands-on approach ensure that Skarbek remains at the forefront of delivering impactful solutions in an ever-evolving business landscape.
Media Contact
Mark Antelme – Celicourt
Email: mantelme@celicourt.uk
Contact number: +44 (0) 20 7770 6424
Skarbek
Email: enquiries@skarbek.com, admin@skarbek.com
Contact number: +44 1932 366 585