Marketing Strategist &
Fractional Executive
Turning chaos into clarity
Hi, I'm Heather Third. I help leaders move from stuck to scaling, fast.
Corporate-calibre strategy, mindful execution, and no-nonsense delivery.
If you need someone who can walk into chaos and walk out with a clear plan, that’s my happy place.
I blend deep corporate experience with agile,
real-world delivery to help organisations unlock momentum quickly.
My approach brings:
Strategic intelligence
shaped by board-level leadership at Microsoft
Operational firepower
that gets teams aligned and moving
Adaptive leadership
that brings calm, structure, and flow into complex environments
Over the rainbow: From the boardroom to the real world
After a rich career at Microsoft, rising from PR to Chief Operations Officer for South Africa and Director of Strategy for Africa, I stepped into consulting to focus on what I love most: helping leaders make sharp decisions and deliver meaningful results.
Today, I work across industries including tech, telco, healthcare, arts, retail, and hospitality. Whether it’s strategy, marketing, or transformation, I bring structure to ideas, flow to teams, and clarity to execution.
No fluff. No full-time overhead. Just grounded expertise that moves your business forward.
Certifications & strengths:
Certified Professional Scrum Master (PSM1)
Certified LinkedIn Marketing Professional
Fellow of the Africa Leadership Institute & Aspen Global Leadership Network National Diploma in Public Relations & broad international executive education
How I help teams find their pot of gold
Fractional executive leadership
Interim or part-time executive support across strategy, operations, marketing, or transformation.
Steady leadership, fast alignment, and clarity in motion.
Marketing strategy &
Go-to-Market execution
Positioning, messaging, competitive strategy, launch plans, funnel design, and customer storytelling that drives adoption.
Programme & transformation leadership
Complex initiatives delivered with discipline and calm. Governance, timelines, cross-functional alignment, and real outcomes.
Brands I've worked with
