Meet the Mentor: Matt Thompson

Finito World

With a background spanning marketing, automotive, and leadership, Matt Thompson brings clarity, warmth, and hard-won insight to his work at Finito. Here, he reflects on the role of passion, the pitfalls of modern recruitment, and the quiet power of mentoring with purpose.

What is your educational background and early career history?

Growing up, we had to count every penny. I was fortunate to gain an Assisted Place at Loughborough Grammar School, where I made lifelong friends—an opportunity that later led me to study Modern History at UCL. University was free back then, which made a huge difference. My education gave me an early understanding that success is rarely achieved alone; it takes hard work, smart choices, a good team, and sometimes, a little luck.

Was there a clue early on that you’d end up in the sector you’re in?

My other lifelong passion, even as a child, was cars and trucks. I had a sizeable Matchbox collection and could identify almost every vehicle on the road—something I can, rather embarrassingly, still do. That early interest stayed with me and later became the foundation of a career in the automotive industry.

Tell us a bit about your career and what’s shaped you.

Professionally, I’ve worked across multiple businesses in marketing roles—covering cars, tyres, and trucks—both in the UK and abroad. My early years with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) gave me structure and professional confidence. Looking back, I’d say the qualities that shaped my career were simple: curiosity, ambition, a willingness to listen, and the courage to make bold choices—even if they didn’t always work out.

What role has passion played in your success?

One constant through all of this was passion. My love for the automotive world provided a thread of continuity across six different organisations and helped me through challenging periods. Passion doesn’t just sustain you—it often powers your best ideas and unlocks the most successful moments.

How do you approach mentoring at Finito?

That’s something I try to pass on in my mentoring at Finito. I encourage candidates to identify what really excites them. Passion makes people memorable in interviews. It fuels preparation. And more importantly, it tends to lead to a more fulfilling career. Helping young people find that internal compass is central to what we do.

Did you have mentors in your own career?

I’ve had mentors throughout my life—some formal, many informal. In truth, the most valuable mentors weren’t always the ones assigned to me. They were directors, colleagues, even friends, who gave their time generously and offered real-world insight. Mentorship, to me, is about engagement. It’s not about having all the answers—it’s about listening, asking the right questions, and tailoring advice to the person in front of you.

How do you define mentoring success?

That’s especially important at Finito, where no two candidates are the same. Everyone arrives with their own background, ambitions, and challenges. A one-size-fits-all model doesn’t work. The key is patience, and above all, good listening.

What do you think about the state of marketing today?

My work in strategic marketing has also shaped how I guide candidates. I believe today’s marketing landscape suffers from an obsession with digital tactics—clicks, impressions, ROAS—often at the expense of the bigger picture. We’ve lost sight of foundational elements like brand development, customer insight, and long-term value creation. “Digital” should be an important part of the story—not the whole story.

What advice do you give to young people interested in marketing?

I try to help candidates think about marketing in three parts: first, diagnose the problem strategically; second, build a tailored strategy; and only then, third, execute tactically. Most people jump to tactics, skipping the crucial first two steps. The best marketers strike a balance between analytical thinking and creativity—and that balance is more important now than ever.

What challenges do you see in the field today?

One growing concern is the number of people in marketing without formal training. In the U.S., less than 30% of people working in the field have studied marketing. That shows up in the over-reliance on tools and metrics, and the under-emphasis on customer empathy, long-term thinking, and strategic creativity. For candidates who do understand those things, it’s a real opportunity to stand out.

What common mistakes do you see from young job seekers?

One of the most common mistakes I see in early career paths is over-reliance on “easy apply” platforms like LinkedIn or Glassdoor. Clicking a button is not a strategy. If a job really matters, the application process should reflect care and thought. You need to research the company, understand their values, and clearly articulate how you can contribute. It’s amazing how rare that is.

What do you think about the current state of recruitment?

Recruiters, too, need to improve. Too often, candidates hear nothing back. That’s not just rude—it damages a company’s reputation. We wouldn’t treat potential customers this way. Why do we treat job applicants differently?

How can tech help—not hinder—the recruitment process?

I believe technology, including AI, should help humanise the recruitment process—not replace it. Simple things like acknowledgment emails, realistic timelines, or even basic feedback can make all the difference. Respect goes a long way.

If you could go back and advise your younger self, what would you say?

If I could go back and offer one piece of advice to my younger self, it would be this: don’t try to map your entire career in advance. Life doesn’t work that way. Careers evolve, sometimes unexpectedly, and that’s a good thing. I wish I’d travelled more. I wish I’d been more strategic in balancing spontaneity with long-term thinking. But mostly, I’d remind myself: it’s not about knowing every step—it’s about staying curious, staying open, and following what energises you.

That’s still how I try to live—and how I try to mentor, too.