Ghadah Humadi, Senior Regional Marketing Manager for EMEA emerging markets, shares her unconventional journey from software engineering to marketing. She discusses key elements of successful multi-channel campaigns, balancing regional and global strategies, marketing’s role in a revenue-driven environment, and the impact of MarTech and AI.
Ghadah, thank you for joining us for this interview series. Could you please walk us through your journey as a marketer?
My journey into marketing was quite unconventional. I started my career as a software engineer and moved to Dubai after getting married. My first role in Dubai was in customer service, working on a project for a major hardware company. During this time, I had the opportunity to join a company that became a pivotal point in my career. It not only offered me a nurturing environment but also allowed me to work alongside inspiring leaders and colleagues.
One day, my manager identified a gap in marketing and encouraged me to take on the challenge. At the time, I had a choice: continue with my technical career or step into a completely unfamiliar field. I chose marketing because I’ve always been passionate about learning and trying new things. Even before moving to Dubai, I recognized that marketing was a skill I wanted to develop, though I didn’t expect it to become my career. Over time, I realized that marketing is not just a function—it’s about creativity, understanding people, and driving impactful business outcomes. This realization has driven me throughout my career.
From your experience, what are the key elements of a successful multi-channel marketing campaign?
A successful multi-channel marketing campaign requires a mix of strategic planning, adaptability, and continuous monitoring. The foundation starts with clearly understanding the goals—what you want to achieve and why. You then need to dive into the specifics of your region, audience, and timing because what works in one market might not resonate in another.
It’s critical to collaborate with stakeholders to align expectations and goals. Regular monitoring is essential to gauge the campaign’s performance across channels and adjust strategies as needed. Another key factor is resource allocation. It’s rare to have the luxury to use every channel optimally, so you must prioritize based on the most impactful platforms. Marketing isn’t about instant results; each channel has its rhythm, and patience is key.
Finally, be bold enough to pivot when something isn’t working. Trust your expertise and make data-driven decisions, even when it goes against popular opinion. Marketing leaders must have the confidence to say, “This isn’t working—let’s course correct.”
How do you balance regional marketing considerations to align with global marketing strategies?
Balancing regional and global strategies is less about compromise and more about integration. It’s about identifying common goals and creating a bridge between the two perspectives. To achieve this, you need to deeply understand the global business objectives while being fully immersed in the local business market dynamics.
The key lies in clear communication. Marketing leaders must be bilingual in the “languages” of global and regional stakeholders. This includes understanding cultural nuances, market trends, and local consumer behavior while aligning with global messaging and brand identity. When done effectively, this approach ensures consistency across markets without losing relevance locally.
In a revenue-driven go-to-market environment, how do you view marketing’s role in requiring more alignment and synergy with other functions?
Marketing is no longer a standalone function—it’s a business partner that plays a pivotal role in driving revenue. In a revenue-driven go-to-market environment, alignment with sales, product, and customer success teams is critical. Marketing’s role extends beyond generating leads. It’s about creating demand, nurturing prospects, and delivering a seamless experience throughout the customer journey. This requires shared goals and continuous collaboration with other departments. For example, product teams provide insights into the features customers value most, and sales teams offer feedback on what resonates during conversations with prospects. Marketing also plays a strategic role in building a strong brand, which is essential for long-term revenue growth. By aligning closely with other functions, marketing can ensure that every touchpoint contributes to the overarching business objectives.
“Marketing is no longer a standalone function—it’s a business partner that plays a pivotal role in driving revenue, nurturing prospects, and delivering a seamless experience throughout the customer journey.”
How do you approach the process of filtering multiple marketing campaign ideas?
Filtering campaign ideas starts with focusing on the core objectives. I ask myself: What is the end goal? Who is our targeted audience? What is the timeline? What resources do we have? Who are the stakeholders involved? These questions act as a litmus test to evaluate the viability of each idea.
Once the objectives are clear, I categorize the ideas based on their potential impact, feasibility, and alignment with business priorities. It’s also important to consider the customer perspective—what will resonate most with the target audience? Lastly, I ensure that the selected ideas align with our overall marketing strategy and resources.
Tell us about your most challenging yet memorable marketing campaign experience.
One of my most challenging experiences was managing the Analytics for All campaign with Alteryx. I had to execute a complete office re-launch campaign within just two months of joining the company. This involved navigating a fast-paced environment, understanding a new corporate culture, collaborating with a lot of stakeholders, and delivering results within tight deadlines.
What made it memorable was the level of collaboration required across teams. It was a testament to how much can be achieved with clear communication, proper planning, and teamwork. Despite the challenges, the campaign was a success and reinforced my belief that adaptability and focus are key to overcoming obstacles.
How do you incorporate feedback from voice-of-customer programs into your marketing strategies?
Voice-of-Customer (VoC) programs are indispensable for shaping marketing strategies. Customers are more than stakeholders—they’re partners in the business journey. Their feedback provides a clear view of what’s working, what’s missing, and what can be improved.
For example, success stories shared by customers often become the backbone of our campaigns, adding credibility and authenticity. In emerging markets, VoC is even more crucial because these markets often have unique needs that may not align with global assumptions. By acting as a bridge between local customers and corporate teams, I ensure that regional insights influence global strategies.
Moreover, understanding the language and tone that resonates with local audiences helps create campaigns that feel personalized and relevant.
How do you leverage MarTech and AI to enhance marketing performance, and what role do you envision for these technologies in future marketing strategies?
MarTech and AI are game-changers in modern marketing. MarTech allows us to analyze vast amounts of data, optimize campaigns, and create personalized customer experiences at a scale. AI takes this a step further by offering predictive insights and automating repetitive tasks, enabling marketers to focus on strategic initiatives.
In B2B marketing, where understanding customer journeys and buying behavior is critical, these technologies are invaluable. They help allocate resources efficiently, identify high-potential leads, and measure ROI more accurately.
Looking ahead, I see AI revolutionizing the way we approach marketing. It will enable hyper-personalization, predictive analytics, and real-time optimization, making campaigns more effective and impactful.
What advice would you give to aspiring marketers on dealing with setbacks?
Setbacks are inevitable, but they’re also opportunities for growth. Here’s how I approach them:
- Keep perspective. Marketing is a challenging field, and setbacks can feel amplified. Don’t let them define you. Step back, analyze the situation, and identify what you can learn.
- Revisit the goals. Marketing impact is often hard to measure in the short term. Zoom out and focus on the bigger picture to understand where things might have gone off track.
- Trust yourself. If you’ve done your research and planning, trust your instincts. Marketing often invites unsolicited advice, but it’s crucial to focus on your expertise and the data at hand.
- Collaborate. Don’t hesitate to seek help. Collaborate with colleagues, brainstorm ideas, and learn from others’ perspectives. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness.
- Move forward. As Ronaldo famously said, “If you ever lost in the game, learn that in the next day life continues; let’s go; the past is in the past and will never come again.” Marketing is a dynamic field—what didn’t work today might lead to your biggest success tomorrow.
About Ghadah Humadi
Ghadah is a seasoned marketing professional with over 15 years of experience in the tech industry. She excels at aligning global strategies with regional needs, creating impactful multi-channel campaigns that drive growth. Her expertise includes marketing strategy, market expansion, and leveraging MarTech and AI. She has led initiatives resulting in significant revenue growth, improved brand reputation, and higher ROI. Passionate about innovation, Ghadah thrives in fast-paced environments, driving cross-functional collaboration to achieve business success.
