BNI, the world's largest business networking organization, has announced a key addition to its executive leadership team with the appointment of Heather McLeod as Chief Marketing Officer. Effective immediately, McLeod will report directly to BNI CEO Mary Kennedy Thompson and will be responsible for leading the company's global marketing strategy. This move signals a strengthened focus on building brand awareness, driving franchise development, and enhancing support for franchise owners and members worldwide.
BNI appoints marketing and franchise growth expert Heather McLeod as its new Chief Marketing Officer.
McLeod will lead global marketing strategy, brand development, and franchise support initiatives.
She previously held leadership roles at Trive Capital, Authority Brands, and Neighborly.
Her appointment is part of a broader strengthening of BNI's executive team throughout 2025.
The company also recently named Andrew Bender as CFO and Dave Collins as COO.
This leadership expansion aims to position BNI for its next chapter of global growth and innovation.
McLeod's appointment brings a seasoned leader with deep expertise in franchise growth and brand development to BNI's executive team. Her background is seen as instrumental in advancing the organization's global marketing objectives. Her prior experience includes serving as an Operating Partner at Trive Capital, where she focused on revenue growth, and as Chief Growth Officer at Authority Brands, where she led marketing and sales for a large portfolio of franchise brands.
"We are thrilled to welcome Heather as BNI's Chief Marketing Officer," said Mary Kennedy Thompson, CEO of BNI. "Her expertise in marketing and franchise growth will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our brand and support our Members around the globe. I've worked with Heather before, and her skill set is exactly what we need in this role."
McLeod's career has been centered on helping businesses grow through strategic marketing and meaningful connections, making the philosophy of BNI a natural fit. She expressed enthusiasm for joining the organization and contributing to its mission-driven culture.
"I'm thrilled to join BNI as Chief Marketing Officer and to support an organization built on the philosophy of Givers Gain®," said McLeod. "My passion has always been helping businesses grow through meaningful connections, and I look forward to working with our franchise owners and Members to strengthen the BNI brand and drive success across the globe."
McLeod's hiring is part of a concerted effort by BNI to build a robust executive leadership team capable of steering the organization through its next phase of expansion. This follows other key appointments in 2025, including Andrew Bender as Chief Financial Officer and Dave Collins as Chief Operating Officer. Together, this team brings a combined expertise in finance, operations, and marketing designed to create a solid foundation for sustained global growth and innovation.
"Building a world-class executive team has been a top priority," added Thompson. "With Heather, Andrew, and Dave, we're well positioned to lead BNI into its next chapter of growth and innovation."
This strategic consolidation of leadership underscores BNI's commitment to strengthening its operational backbone and market presence to better serve its vast network of members and franchise owners.
BNI® (Business Network International) is the world's largest and most successful business networking organization. Today, BNI has over 345,000 Member-businesses participating in over 11,400 BNI Chapters that meet in-person, online, or in a hybrid format each week in 76 countries around the globe. Since its inception in 1985, BNI has proudly helped over 2.3 million businesses generate a collective $235 billion USD in revenue*.
The information is based on BNI Member self-reported data as of September 25, 2025, and represents the collective results from BNI Members worldwide since its inception January 8, 1985. Errors in the self-reporting data or in subsequent analysis are possible. Therefore, the information herein should only be viewed as of a representative nature.
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