{{Short description|Danish management consultant (born 1967)}} {{Resume-like|date=December 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Martin Roll | image = MartinRoll.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Copenhagen, Denmark<ref name="chinadaily-profile"/> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|3|2|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | alma_mater = {{Plainlist| * INSEAD (MBA)<ref name="insead-cv"/> * Copenhagen Business School<ref name="chinadaily-profile"/>}} | occupation = Business and brand strategist<ref name="insead-cv"/><br> Founder and CEO, Martin Roll Company<ref name="insead-cv"/> | website = {{URL|https://martinroll.com|Official website}} }} '''Martin Roll''' (born 2 March 1967<ref name="chinadailyhk">{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Karl |title=Brand new day |work=China Daily HK |url=https://www.chinadailyhk.com/articles/204/34/68/1530599721267.html |access-date=2018-08-19}}</ref>) is a Danish<ref name="chinadaily-profile">{{Cite news |last=胡雨濛 |title=Branding expert sees Chinese firms rising in confidence – Opinion – Chinadaily.com.cn |website=www.chinadaily.com.cn |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201808/04/WS5b64b1eda3100d951b8c88df.html |access-date=2018-08-20}}</ref> author, brand strategist<ref name="insead-cv"/> and management consultant.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Karker |first1=Andreas |title=Bestilte håndbajere til delegationen: Derfor kan Kronprins Frederik blive milliarder værd for Danmark |url=https://www.bt.dk/politik/bestilte-haandbajere-til-delegationen-derfor-kan-kronprins-frederik-blive |publisher=BT (tabloid) |date=25 May 2018 |language=da}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Asian Branding Guru Due In Sri Lanka |url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/02/06/asian-branding-guru-due-in-sri-lanka/ |publisher=The Sunday Leader |date=6 February 2011 |archive-date=3 January 2012 |access-date=30 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103143854/http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/02/06/asian-branding-guru-due-in-sri-lanka/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Roll appears regularly in global television and print media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-27599277/cadbury-tackles-malaysia-pork-problem|title=Cadbury tackles Malaysia pork debacle|website=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-08-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-11/samsung-brand-mystique-at-risk-after-death-of-note-7-smartphone|title=Note 7's Death Leaves Samsung's Brand at Risk|last=Lee|first=Yoolim|date=11 October 2016|work=Bloomberg|access-date=2018-08-20}}</ref><ref name=e27>{{Cite news|url=https://e27.co/cocoon-capital-appoints-martin-roll-as-senior-advisor-20171023/|title=Cocoon Capital appoints renowned branding consultant Martin Roll as senior advisor|work=e27|access-date=2018-08-19|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-42334593|title=The enduring power of the princes of K-pop|date=8 January 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-08-19|language=en-GB}}</ref> He holds an MBA from INSEAD where he is a Distinguished Fellow<ref name="insead-cv"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Martin Roll Appointed Distinguished Fellow at INSEAD Business School |url=https://www.facebook.com/INSEAD/posts/we-are-pleased-to-report-that-martin-roll-mba99d-has-been-appointed-as-distingui/1899319706793694/ |publisher=INSEAD via Facebook |date=27 August 2018}}</ref> and an Entrepreneur in Residence.<ref name="insead-cv">{{Cite web|url=https://centres.insead.edu/entrepreneurship/entrepreneurs-in-residence/documents/martin-roll_001.pdf|title=Martin Roll|website=INSEAD|access-date=2018-08-19}}</ref> Roll's first book, ''Asian Brand Strategy'', was named one of the "Best Business Books: Marketing" in 2006 by Strategy+Business magazine.<ref name="strategybusiness">{{Cite news|url=https://www.strategy-business.com/article/06407d|title=Best Business Books: Marketing|last=Wreden|first=Nick|work=strategy+business|access-date=2018-08-20}}</ref> He is the founder CEO of Martin Roll Company, an advisory firm based in Singapore.<ref name=manilastandardtoday/> He advises Fortune 500 companies,<ref name=chinadailyhk/> Asian firms, family-owned businesses<ref name=ft>{{cite news |title=Globally renowned Martin Roll and Sam Dias to share insights on brand strategy and brand valuation a |url=http://www.ft.lk/article/555871/Globally-renowned-Martin-Roll-and-Sam-Dias-to-share-insights-on-brand-strategy-and-brand-valuation-at-CA-Sri-Lanka-Strategy-Summit |publisher=Daily FT |date=20 July 2016}}</ref> and also served as a senior advisor to McKinsey & Company.<ref name="insead-cv"/><ref name=chinadailyhk/>
== Early life and education == Martin Roll received a bachelor's degree in business and marketing management from Copenhagen Business School in 1989. He attended Young Managers Program in 1998 and completed his MBA from INSEAD in 1999.<ref name=chinadailyhk/>
== Career == After completing his bachelor's degree in 1989, he worked in marketing and advertising firms including Bates and DDB Worldwide, handling global accounts like Ericsson and McDonald's.<ref name=chinadailyhk/>
In 2000, he took on the role as chief marketing officer (CMO) with a Danish tech company, whose regional headquarters was in Singapore. Martin Roll founded his own management consulting business in 2002 aimed at helping companies to build their global brands.<ref name=chinadailyhk/> He advises Fortune 500 companies,<ref name=chinadailyhk/> Asian firms and family-owned businesses<ref name=ft/> on strategy, leadership, branding and marketing.
Roll was appointed as Senior Adviser to the global public relations firm, Burson-Marsteller in December 2011.<ref name=dailymirror>{{cite news |title=Martin Roll, Hoh Kim join Burson-marsteller |url=https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20111210/282381216377618 |publisher=The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) |date=10 December 2011}}</ref>
In October 2017, he was appointed as Senior Advisor at Singapore based venture capital firm, Cocoon Capital.<ref name=e27/> He is an Associate fellow with the Institute on Asian Consumer Insight (ACI).<ref>{{cite web |title=An exclusive seminar by Martin Roll |url=http://web.nbs.ntu.edu.sg/aci/edm/edm_1/martinroll.html |website=web.nbs.ntu.edu.sg |publisher=Nanyang Business School |access-date=20 October 2018}}</ref> Martin Roll was appointed Senior Advisor to freelance-based agency Superson in March 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bantoey |first1=Nilobon |title=Finnish Superson launched its first office in Singapore |url=https://scandasia.com/finnish-superson-launched-its-first-office-in-singapore/ |publisher=Scandasia |date=15 May 2019}}</ref>
Roll has served as Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company.<ref name=chinadailyhk/>
== Publications == In 2005, Martin authored his first book ''Asian Brand Strategy: How Asia Builds Strong Brands'', published by Palgrave Macmillan. ''Asian Brand Strategy'' is regarded as one of the best books written on Asian branding strategy<ref>{{cite news |title=Brand Papers –Asia: Brand strategies for Asia|url=|publisher=Brand Strategy |date=8 March 2006}}</ref><ref name=chinadailyhk/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ørholst|first1=Henrik |title=Branding i Asien |publisher=Dagbladet Børsen |date=7 October 2015 |page=13 |language=da}}</ref> and was rated a top global marketing book of 2006 by Strategy+Business.<ref name=strategybusiness/>
Professor John Quelch at Harvard Business School called it, "An important handbook for Asian executives aspiring to build strong brands. It provides a solid foundation for future success in the global marketplace."<ref name=chinadailyhk/>
The Daily Telegraph in its book review wrote, "In Asian Brand Strategy, he [Martin] sets out 10 ways to create an Asian brand in a marketplace that in the past has often dismissed image as unimportant."<ref>{{cite news |title=Brand new ways to get into China |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/migrationtemp/2931746/City-Sandwich.html |publisher=The Daily Telegraph |date=8 February 2006}}</ref>
In a review of the book, Dominic Barton from McKinsey & Company said, "Martin Roll provides a compelling and practical roadmap on how to do this based on his extensive experience advising Asian corporations."<ref name=chinadailyhk/>
Martin Roll co-authored the book, ''The Future of Branding'' in 2016 together with a team of global business and marketing academics including Kevin Lane Keller, Don E. Schultz and Rajendra K. Srivastava.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Future of Branding |date = 17 December 2015|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-lYlDAAAQBAJ |publisher=Sage Publishers |isbn = 9789351503194|access-date=19 October 2018}}</ref>
Martin Roll is a business columnist with Harvard Business Review<ref>{{cite news |title=How Chinese Companies Can Develop Global Brands |url=https://hbr.org/2013/11/how-chinese-companies-can-develop-global-brands |publisher=Harvard Business Review |date=20 November 2013}}</ref> and INSEAD Knowledge.<ref name="knowledge">{{Cite news |date=8 July 2015 |title=Five Best Practices of Global Brand Management |language=en |work=INSEAD Knowledge |url=https://knowledge.insead.edu/blog/insead-blog/five-best-practices-of-global-brand-management-4136 |access-date=2018-08-19}}</ref>
== Public speaking == Martin Roll is a frequent keynote speaker and EMCEE at international conferences on business and brand strategy with a focus on Asian brands, global strategy and leadership.<ref>{{cite news |title=Martin Roll seminars: Panel of eminent Lankan CEOs discuss brands, strategy |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110313/BusinessTimes/bt10.html |publisher=The Sunday Times |date=13 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Country branding vital to lure investments – Martin Roll |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/country-branding-vital-to-lure-investments-martin-roll--20913.html |publisher=The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) |date=7 August 2012}}</ref> He has spoken at business events like Thinkers50,<ref>{{cite web |title=The world's most successful visionary business thinkers |url=https://thinkers50europe.com/martin-roll/ |website=Thinkers50europe |access-date=22 April 2019 |archive-date=22 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422152113/https://thinkers50europe.com/martin-roll/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Women's Forum for the Economy and Society, Arab Luxury World,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Munyal |first1=Panna |title=Luxury leanings: 5 lessons we learnt at the Arab Luxury World conference |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/luxury-leanings-5-lessons-we-learnt-at-the-arab-luxury-world-conference-1.48463 |publisher=The National (Abu Dhabi) |date=24 May 2017}}</ref> TEDx,<ref>{{cite web |title=TEDxNUS |url=https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/877 |publisher=TED (conference)}}</ref> World Knowledge Forum,<ref>{{cite news |title=Asian branding guru Martin Roll due in Sri Lanka |url=http://www.ft.lk/sectors/asian-branding-guru-martin-roll-due-in-sri-lanka/20-19722 |publisher=Daily FT |date=23 February 2011}}</ref> The Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zaman |first1=Maisha |title=SPEAKING INTERNATIONAL: HPAIR 2015 AT MANILA |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/shout/event/speaking-international-hpair-2015-manila-177862 |publisher=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |date=26 November 2015}}</ref> Strategy Summit<ref name=ft/> and Global Leaders Summit,<ref>{{cite news |title=Voldsom aktivitet på talentkrigens østfront |publisher=Mandag Morgen |date=25 September 2006 |pages=78 |language=da}}</ref> PowerBrands Glam Las Vegas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vegasdesi.com/powerbrand-glams-2013-honors-up-and-coming-indian-brands/|title=PowerBrand Glams 2013 Honors Up and Coming Indian Brands|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-11}}</ref>
== Academic == Roll teaches MBA, EMBA and Executive Education programmes at Nanyang Business School.<ref name=e27/> He also lectures at INSEAD,<ref name=thepeak>{{cite journal |title=Asia's Global Identity Challenge |journal=The Peak Magazine |issue=January 2011 |page=16}}</ref> CEIBS and ESSEC.<ref name=dailymirror/>
== Bibliography == * {{cite book|url=https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9781403992796|title=Asian Brand Strategy: How Asia Builds Strong Brands|author1=Roll|first=Martin|date=2006|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|isbn=978-1-4039-9279-6|location=United Kingdom}} * {{cite book|url=https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/asian-brand-strategy-revised-and-updated/7467766|title=Asian Brand Strategy (Revised and Updated): Building and Sustaining Strong Global Brands in Asia|author=Roll|first=Martin|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|year=2015|isbn=978-1-349-67574-6|location=United Kingdom}} * {{cite book|url=https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/afr/the-future-of-branding/book247996#contents|title=The Future of Branding|chapter=Branding and Emerging Markets|author=Roll|first=Martin|publisher=SAGE Publishing|year=2016|isbn=978-9-3515-0316-3|location=United Kingdom}}
== Personal life == He is a Danish citizen<ref name=chinadailyhk/> and a Permanent resident of Singapore. He currently splits his time between Copenhagen and Singapore.<ref name=manilastandardtoday>{{cite news |last1=Dela Cruz |first1=Roderick T. |title=Strategist challenges Filipino CEOs to build global brands |url=http://manilastandardtoday.com/mobile/article/196968 |publisher=Manila Standard |date=16 January 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> In an interview with China Daily, Roll said he spent about 250 days a year travelling globally on client engagements and keynote speeches.<ref name=chinadailyhk/>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{portal|Biography}} {{commons}} * [https://martinroll.com/about/#business-brand-strategist Biography from Martin Roll Company] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCG72sE6goo Martin Roll] at TED (conference) * [http://www.womens-forum.com/news/An-Interview-Martin-Roll An Interview with Martin Roll] at Women's Forum for the Economy and Society * [https://asiasociety.org/northern-california/riding-wave-asian-brands-go-global Riding the Wave: Asian Brands Go Global] at Asia Society {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roll, Martin}} Category:Living people Category:INSEAD alumni Category:Businesspeople from Copenhagen Category:Business speakers Category:Business writers Category:Marketing theorists Category:Business educators Category:Danish marketing people Category:McKinsey & Company people Category:21st-century Danish businesspeople Category:1967 births