Aisling Purcell, Senior Marketing Manager, EMEA at Autodesk, shares how she leads integrated B2B marketing in complex, global markets. In this conversation, she explores aligning brand and demand, driving pipeline through collaboration, balancing creativity with analytics, and using customer advocacy to build trust and long-term growth across the construction technology landscape.
Welcome to the interview series, Aisling. Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as a marketer?
Of course! I started in communications, working across messaging, content, and stakeholder engagement. That gave me a solid foundation in translating complex ideas into something clear and actionable. From there, I moved into B2B marketing and have spent the past few years specialising in the architecture, engineering, and construction space.
My career has shifted from hands-on execution to leading teams and integrated programmes. Now I lead EMEA marketing for Autodesk’s construction products, where I’m responsible for demand generation, account-based marketing (ABM), content, events, and regional strategy across multiple markets. The role means working closely with sales and global teams to make sure marketing is driving both pipeline and long-term growth.
What does strong cross-functional collaboration look like when marketing works closely with leadership, sales, and operations?
It starts with everyone agreeing on what we’re trying to achieve, so there’s a shared goal we’re all working towards. Marketing can’t work in a bubble, so spending time upfront making sure leadership, sales, and business development teams are all aligned on what success means is key.
At Autodesk, that means working closely with sales on ABM programs, partnering with customer success on customer stories and advocacy, and sitting down with business development to understand how leads move through the funnel to create opportunities. Regular check-ins and shared dashboards help, but ensuring teams feel like partners creates real momentum.
How do you strike the right balance between creativity and analytics when shaping content and growth strategies?
I don’t see them as opposites—they feed each other. Creativity means we’re showing up in the market with content that gets attention and makes people care. Data tells you if it’s actually working.
For example, we might take a customer insight or story that feels compelling, then track how it performs: engagement, time on page, and conversions. If it resonates, we do more of it. If it doesn’t, we figure out why and adjust. The goal is always to create content that feels human and delivers results, not just create content for the sake of it.
Which metrics matter most to you when evaluating whether a content or integrated marketing campaign is truly resonating?
Firstly, I’ll say the metrics that matter most will differ depending on what you’re trying to achieve. I tend to focus on both early signals and results. Early on, I’m watching engagement: click-through rates, downloads, and webinar sign-ups. Later in the journey, it’s about MQL to SQL conversion, marketing-influenced pipeline, and ultimately closed-won deals.
For brand campaigns, I try to track share of voice and whether our messages are sticking. But really, I ask myself: did this build confidence with buyers and customers? Did it help us increase visibility in the market? And ultimately, did it move the business forward?
“Marketing can’t work in a bubble, so spending time upfront making sure leadership, sales, and business development teams are all aligned on what success means is key.”
As a marketer, how do you balance long-term brand building with the pressure to deliver near-term pipeline and revenue impact?
I think brand and demand aren’t necessarily at odds with each other. In B2B marketing, when you have especially complex sales cycles, trust speeds everything up.
We run integrated campaigns where thought leadership builds credibility early on, and targeted activity with customer proof points drives pipeline in key accounts. When you map everything properly to the buyer journey, I believe you can build both brand affiliation and hit your numbers at the same time.
What role does customer advocacy play in building trust in the often complex world of technology?
Customer advocacy helps you to build trust and influence in your market. And I’d say when it comes to B2B marketing, and especially in the tech space, prospects trust their peers way more than they trust us. I also find this particularly true in construction, where decisions have real risk attached.
We focus on showing how actual customers are using our tools to solve everyday challenges. Those stories provide proof, not just promises, and they show the art of the possible. Customer advocacy also keeps us honest internally. It reminds the whole team—strategy, brand, product—what actually matters to the people using what we build.
What advice would you give to marketers who aspire to move into strategic or global leadership roles?
Stay curious and stay close to the business. Understanding how your work impacts the bottom line, where the market is headed, and what the company is trying to achieve is essential for any leadership role.
But don’t underestimate soft skills either. Leading with empathy, communicating clearly, and building trust across teams will take you further than most technical skills. In complex, global environments, those qualities often matter more than anything else.
About Aisling Purcell
Aisling is a contech enthusiast with over 10 years of experience in the AECO industry. With a background in communications and content, she uses storytelling and data-driven insights to drive awareness, demand, and growth. Currently at Autodesk, she leads the EMEA marketing team for Autodesk Construction Cloud, overseeing account-based marketing, content, demand generation, and events, with a strong focus on meaningful digital transformation.
