Catapult appoints chief client officer to support growth

US-based label converter Catapult has appointed Suzanne Bowden to the role of chief client officer (CCO) as the company gears up to supercharge its growth in 2025. 

The newly created role will draw on Bowden's 25 years of experience in the packaging industry, and her expertise in tailored customer solutions to support development and delivery of bespoke strategies for every customer. 

Bowden’s appointment as CCO is designed to help the company continue to focus on anticipating and delivering to each customer’s specific requirements as Catapult continues to scale, by understanding the cadence and objectives of every customer. 

A clear focus on delivering industry leading quality, lead times and pricing has enabled Catapult to achieve month-on-month growth throughout its six years of trading, and the company has onboarded more than 80 customers over the past 12 months, achieving a 40 percent increase in turnover, in a market than contracted by 20 percent. Significant investment in new machinery and systems has fueled Catapult’s strategy for growth, creating capacity to ensure that service levels and lead times remain consistently competitive as its scaling ambitions are realized. Bowden’s appointment aligns with that strategy, supporting a consistently positive customer-centric experience. 

Co-founder and chairman of Catapult, Mark Cook explained: ‘We have successfully achieved managed growth at a rapid rate thanks to our laser focus on giving the customer what they want: lower costs, faster lead times, and reliable quality. We have invested in technology and people to keep pace with demand and the time is now right to bring in a professional with a proven track record of championing the customer and creating tailored blueprints for customer service. 

‘I have worked with Suzanne in previous roles and she has been handpicked to lead Catapult’s Client Service team based on both her skillset and cultural fit. I am certain her approach will align with Catapult’s ambition, innovative thinking, and dedication to delivering value for customers.’ 

Bowden began her career as a packaging technologist, before moving into a print and design buyer role for a major fashion and homewares brand. She then worked in client services for a global packaging design company, before leading her own brand consultancy, which specialized in disruptor brands and building market share. With a proven track record of enabling businesses to achieve optimized outcomes for customers in a growth business environment, her expertise includes strategy development and performance optimization. 

Bowden added: ‘My background means that I understand the print and packaging sector from every angle, and I also know that every customer is different, so there should never be a one-size-fits-all approach to managing customer relationships. 

‘My first step will be to carry out a health check for every customer and understand their unique cadence so that we can work with them in a way that’s perfect for their priorities. 

‘It is a very exciting moment to be joining such a dynamic business. Catapult has already pioneered a game changing approach to the print sector that has enabled the company to achieve a 98 percent customer retention rate over the past year, and I’m looking forward to helping the business build on those foundations and deliver an exceptional service for our customers.’