In this interview, Angela Borseti, Senior Marketing Manager at OpenText, explains how modern marketing has become a strategic growth engine within integrated GTM models. She highlights global-regional alignment, the shift from lead volume to account-based value, revenue-focused metrics, AI-powered decision-making, and building collaborative, future-ready teams that accelerate sustainable enterprise growth across complex global organizations worldwide.

Welcome to the interview series, Angela. Could you share your journey to becoming a marketing leader?

My journey has been shaped by equal parts curiosity, resilience, and a deep belief in doing meaningful work. Early in my career, I focused on mastering execution, from learning the business and understanding customers to delivering consistently strong programs.

As I progressed, I began leaning into stretch opportunities, raising my hand for complex, cross-functional initiatives, and taking ownership of larger, more visible programs. Those moments pushed me beyond execution and into leadership, where success depended not just on my work but on how I enabled and aligned others.

Along the way, I learned that strong marketing isn’t all about flashy campaigns. It’s about listening, understanding customer pain points, and translating strategy into action at scale. That mindset helped me evolve from managing campaigns to building integrated, repeatable growth engines.

Today, my leadership approach is grounded in collaboration, accountability, and momentum. I’m focused on partnering closely with the business and creating environments where people feel empowered to do their best work. That progression, from practitioner to strategic leader, continues to shape my growth today.

In your experience, how can regional campaigns be effectively coordinated to support global GTM objectives while maintaining local relevance?

The key is clarity first, customization second. Strong regional execution starts with a clear global framework from shared messaging and positioning to success metrics. From there, regions should be empowered to localize based on market maturity, buyer behavior, and regulatory realities. I’ve found the most success when regions are treated as strategic partners, not downstream executors. Regular feedback loops, shared playbooks, and open communication ensure we’re moving in the same direction while still honoring what makes each market unique. It’s a balance of consistency and flexibility, and when done right, it becomes a growth multiplier.

How has your approach to lead generation evolved as you scaled programs across complex, enterprise environments?

My approach has shifted from volume-focused to value-driven. In complex enterprise environments, success isn’t about generating the most leads; it’s about generating the right engagement with the right accounts at the right time. Now more than ever, I focus heavily on account-based alignment, powered by tools that monitor intent and behavior signals. These insights help us understand where buyers are in their journey, what they care about, and when they’re most receptive, so we can prioritize outreach and tailor messaging with purpose. Rather than engaging a single contact in isolation, we design journeys that intentionally reach technical buyers, business leaders, influencers, and decision makers. This multithreading approach creates multiple entry points into the account, strengthens internal advocacy, and reduces reliance on any one individual to carry the buying conversation forward. Programs that are coordinated across email, digital, content, events, and sales touchpoints help every interaction feel connected and purposeful.

How do you design campaigns that connect strategy to execution, and which metrics or KPIs do you prioritize to measure impact?

For me, strategy only matters if it’s executable. I start by clearly defining the business objective, then reverse engineering the campaign architecture, including channels, assets, workflows, and measurement. Every initiative needs a “line of sight” from vision to delivery.

In terms of KPIs, focusing on metrics that reflect true business impact matters most. Pipeline influence and marketing-sourced revenue show how marketing contributes to deal progression and growth. Conversion across funnel stages helps us identify friction and ensure strategy and execution stay aligned. Engagement quality reveals real buying intent beyond surface-level activity, while program velocity measures how efficiently accounts move through the pipeline. While traditional metrics still matter, I’m most focused on indicators that reflect real business impact, not just activity, across the buying lifecycle.

“Strong marketing isn’t all about flashy campaigns. It’s about listening, understanding customer pain points, and translating strategy into action at scale.”

Where have you seen marketing’s role change the most within an integrated GTM setup?

Marketing has evolved from a support function to a strategic growth driver. In modern GTM environments, marketing sits at the intersection of revenue, data, customer experience, and brand. We’re no longer just building awareness; we’re shaping demand, influencing buying groups, enabling sales, and driving lifecycle engagement. The biggest shift has been toward shared ownership. Success now depends on deep alignment across Marketing, Sales, Product, and Operations. That level of integration requires marketers to think more like business leaders than frontline managers.

Tell us about your most memorable experience as a marketer.

One of my most memorable experiences was recently having the opportunity to take the stage at an industry event and share how we had transformed our go-to-market approach through an account-based experience driven by intelligent insights.

It represented years of evolving from traditional demand generation to a more intentional, account-centric model focused on alignment around the full buying group. We weren’t just talking about a campaign; we were demonstrating how data, technology, and human insight could come together to create more relevant, personalized experiences at scale.

What made the moment especially meaningful was seeing how ABX changed the way our teams worked. It helped us move from isolated activities to coordinated engagement, from lead volume to account value, and from reactive execution to proactive growth. It reinforced for me that the most impactful marketing happens when experience, strategy, and execution are all in harmony.

Where are you seeing AI deliver the most meaningful impact across marketing strategy today?

AI is creating the most value where it helps teams move faster and operate more strategically. I’m seeing a strong impact in predictive analytics and intent modeling, which allow us to prioritize the right accounts and engage buyers at the right moment. Personalization and content optimization are also key, helping us deliver more relevant, role-based experiences and continuously refine what resonates.

It’s also driving meaningful gains in workflow efficiency, streamlining reporting, segmentation, and campaign operations so teams can spend more time on strategy, creativity, and customer insight. Used thoughtfully, AI helps marketers move faster and work more strategically. The key is, as with anything, it’s all about balance. It should strengthen human judgment and leadership versus replacing it.

What would be your advice for marketers aiming to build the right skill sets for the next phase of their careers?

My biggest advice is to stay curious and stay adaptable. Marketing continues to evolve, and the strongest professionals are the ones who are willing to keep learning and adjusting. Tomorrow’s marketers need to blend creativity with analytics, strategy with execution, and empathy with business acumen. Technical skills matter, but so do communication, leadership, and critical thinking. And there are great tools available today that make this easier, helping you build confidence with data, ask better questions, and turn metrics into meaningful stories as part of your everyday work.

Mentorship is another powerful accelerator for growth. I’m grateful for my mentors, as the right ones can challenge your thinking, offer perspective, and help you navigate the “tough stuff” with greater confidence. At the same time, becoming a mentor yourself sharpens your leadership skills and reinforces what you’ve learned. Growth compounds when knowledge, experience, and trust are shared.

About Angela Borseti

Angela Borseti is a strategic marketing leader who operates at the intersection of analytics and execution, helping global enterprise teams translate complex priorities into integrated programs with measurable revenue impact. She has led global campaigns across casualty insurance, content management, and supply chain industries, aligning ABX, SEO, lifecycle, digital engagement, and sales activation. Known for turning ambiguity into a clear strategy, she builds precision-led demand engines focused on outcomes, alignment, and scalable growth.

The post Driving Momentum: Angela Borseti on Collaboration, Accountability, and Scalable Impact appeared first on iTechSeries.

Elizabeth Shen, Marketing Manager for SEA & AEC at Kaspersky, shares her journey from sales to regional marketing leadership across Asia, bringing a strong commercial perspective to her work. In this interview, she explores how to build sales-aligned marketing, prioritise focus across diverse markets, align teams around clear objectives, and use AI thoughtfully to drive long-term impact beyond leads and conversions.

Welcome to the interview series, Elizabeth. Could you tell us more about your journey as a marketer?

My journey into marketing wasn’t a straight line. I actually started out as a sales representative, which shaped a lot of how I think about marketing today. Being on the front line taught me what really matters to customers and sales teams: clarity, relevance, and timing.

Over time, I transitioned into marketing and worked across different regions, including SEA, Greater China, India, and Japan. That shift gave me a broader perspective; I don’t see marketing as just campaigns or content, but as a commercial function that supports revenue growth. Having been on both sides has helped me anticipate needs better, communicate more clearly, and design marketing programs that sales teams actually want to use.

What does a successful marketing strategy look like for you beyond leads and conversions?

Leads and conversions are important, but to me, a successful marketing strategy goes beyond numbers. It’s about clarity of objectives, quality of engagement, and long-term impact.

I look at whether marketing is helping sales open doors, shorten conversations, and build credibility with customers. Success also means strong alignment with sales, consistent messaging across touchpoints, and programs that educate the market, not just generate demand. If marketing can influence pipeline quality, partner readiness, and brand trust, that’s when it’s truly working.

How do you prioritise markets and segments when budgets and resources are limited across regions?

When resources are limited, focus becomes critical. I prioritise based on business objectives, market maturity, and revenue potential, rather than spreading efforts too thin.

I strongly believe in moving away from broad-based approaches and instead focusing on clearly defined segments and named accounts. Understanding where sales are investing their time, which accounts have traction, and where partners are strong helps guide smarter decisions. Being clear and concise, both in strategy and execution, ensures that every dollar spent has a purpose.

What are the key factors that keep marketing aligned with sales and commercial goals as the business scales?

Alignment starts with listening. Regular conversations with sales teams, understanding their challenges, and being transparent about what marketing can (and cannot) do are essential.

Clear objectives, shared KPIs, and early involvement in planning cycles help keep both teams moving in the same direction. My sales background also helps; I always ask myself whether a campaign or activity would actually help a sales conversation. Anticipating needs and staying commercially grounded keeps marketing relevant as the business scales.

“Leads and conversions are important, but successful marketing goes beyond numbers to clarity of objectives, quality engagement, and long-term impact.”

Could you tell us about your most memorable moment or experience as a marketer?

Some of my most memorable moments come from working across emerging markets in Asia, where no two countries are the same. Currently working across Asia Emerging Countries has been especially challenging, but also incredibly rewarding.

What stands out most are the moments spent with partners: long discussions, problem-solving together, and learning how each market operates differently. Those experiences remind me that marketing isn’t just about execution; it’s about relationships, trust, and understanding people on the ground.

What cultural or market-specific nuances have been most critical when localising campaigns across regions?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that what works in one country may not work in another, even within the same region. Cultural context, decision-making styles, and market maturity all play a role.

In some markets, education and trust-building are key; in others, speed and efficiency matter more. Language, tone, and even channel preferences can differ significantly. Keeping an open mind, listening carefully to local teams and partners, and avoiding assumptions have been critical to successful localisation.

How can marketers leverage the power of AI in their marketing programs without becoming overly reliant on it?

AI is a powerful tool, especially for improving efficiency, insights, and content ideation. However, it should support human thinking, not replace it.

Marketers still need to define clear objectives, apply judgment, and understand their audience deeply. AI can help scale efforts, but strategy, creativity, and cultural sensitivity must remain human-led. Used thoughtfully, AI frees up time so marketers can focus on higher-value work, build stronger connections, and make more informed, strategic decisions.

What would be your advice to marketers starting their careers on building a strong foundation?

Start by understanding the business and the customer, not just the tools. Learn how sales works, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to get close to the commercial side of the organisation.

Always keep an open mind, listen more than you speak, and be clear and concise in how you communicate. Most importantly, have clear objectives. If you know why you’re doing something, the how becomes much easier to figure out, especially as complexity grows and priorities shift over time.

About Elizabeth Shen

Elizabeth Shen is a marketing expert passionate about building strategies that drive growth and resilience in the digital world. Beginning her career in sales, she brings a strong commercial mindset to marketing, shaped by frontline experience. Having worked across SEA, Greater China, India, and Japan, she focuses on turning complex ideas into clear, impactful programs that align closely with sales, support revenue growth, and deliver meaningful business outcomes through collaboration and purpose.

The post Marketing Beyond Leads: Elizabeth Shen on Revenue, Relationships, and Regional Growth appeared first on iTechSeries.

Davina Moore, head of digital marketing at NXP Semiconductors, shares her journey from product marketing to leading global campaigns. She combines data-driven strategy with creativity, empowering teams worldwide while balancing AI and human insight. In this interview, she reveals her principles for collaboration, measurable impact, and building high-performing marketing organizations.

Welcome to the interview series, Davina. Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as a marketer?

Hello, and thank you for inviting me! Right now, I lead digital marketing for NXP Semiconductors—where my natural thirst to learn and test new processes, tools, and ways of working is right at home.

Our digital marketing team connects our compelling storytelling to a digital experience that drives customer engagement. My journey started in product marketing and evolved through events, press relations, and speech writing before coming back to marketing communications.

At that point, I was drawn to the digital space and spent evenings and weekends working on a doctoral thesis, investigating the correlation between web components and assets and customer conversions to help develop an effective integrated marketing communications model for the B2B space.

Since then, I have continued with that mindset to build scalable processes so our teams can continue to inspire and convert our customers.

I am energized by the great teams I work with and incredibly talented individuals who, like me, are always eager to test things out!

How do you build a unified global digital strategy while still preserving local relevance across regions?

I see this a little like writing a cookery book. I have some great recipes to share, but they become even better when you add your own touch.

For example, when we launched a global campaign last year for one of our products, we provided a core set of digital assets and messaging guidelines to all the regions. Our team in Greater China does a fantastic job of adapting the content to resonate with local audiences and supplements it with region-specific use cases. This not only increased engagement in the market but also inspired other teams to experiment with similar techniques.

What is important is being respectful of the process and finding the right proportions of each ingredient. That can be defined up front; the fun piece is putting it together with flair and learning from each region’s unique approach. A unified strategy thrives when local teams are empowered to adapt and innovate, turning global vision into locally relevant success stories.

How do you strike the right balance between AI-driven automation and human creativity in global digital marketing campaigns?

This is a great topic! AI-driven automation can accelerate so much, whether it is content variants, efficiency in processes, or information mining. Human creativity is the spark that makes our content unique. Being able to play with the two together is an immensely powerful resource.

I do believe that moving through the initial hype phase of being able to generate content through AI, the challenge is going to be to identify key roles where AI is able to supercharge the content being created. Our audiences still want authentic content, so the balance is here: creating unique content and then scaling it. For example, starting with content that brings in human expertise, i.e., with a filmed interview, and then building out supporting content such as a blog piece, a shorter LinkedIn article, etc.

How do you collaborate with content, sales, and regional teams to ensure digital marketing efforts translate into real business outcomes?

There must be trust for this back-and-forth to work. This takes time to build, to prove, and to get to the place where the outcomes are meaningful. For instance, when we piloted a new lead-creation process, we started with one team to test the process out. By sharing the results with a broader community, we gained trust and acceptance of the method to encourage broader adoption.

Listening to what stakeholders are really driving for and what keeps them awake, and seeing how something we do in digital marketing can help towards that goal, is the crux. The key is to build trust through small wins and open communication. Start small, share results transparently, and celebrate quick wins to foster trust and drive meaningful collaboration across teams.

“A unified strategy thrives when local teams are empowered to adapt and innovate, turning global vision into locally relevant success stories.”

What core principles guide how you build and lead high-performing, globally distributed marketing teams?

Well, I am going to come back to trust. This is fundamental to me. As I said before with the cookery book, I can provide some guidelines, but trusting that others can deliver a result without having to drive a program exactly as I would is the basis.

What is important is engaging our customers. Also, there is always something to learn from others—whether it is a student just starting or a seasoned professional—fresh perspectives may lead to surprising results! Last year, our team in Japan took a new approach to developing blog content. Their use case demonstrated a clear impact in AI-visibility and led to it being used as a best-practice example across other teams.

Can you tell us about your most memorable moment as a marketer?

There are many moments that flash through my mind when I am thinking about this!

From the sense of achievement when an event all comes together and seeing the energy on a show floor, or seeing a student succeed in their role and become a full-time employee in another communications role, or the moment when explaining what digital marketing is to a colleague and the bewilderment that we can do everything that we do and make all those connections is so real.

Recently, we have worked on some amazing projects around customer experience on our website, and seeing them come to life is extremely fulfilling!

You have spoken about KPIs as insights rather than just metrics. How do you select KPIs that genuinely drive better marketing decisions?

Indeed, KPIs are more than metrics—we can get simple data downloads on just about anything. What is key is being able to understand what the tipping point is and when it occurs. This is different for every customer and every journey.

However, having robust insights means we can predict more accurately which type of content will trigger an engagement. This means that our conversations with stakeholders are different; we can advise and guide on activities that will drive specific outcomes.

When thinking through what needs to be achieved and how to measure it, the accessibility of the data and the reliability of the source are also important. If it is not real-time and difficult to integrate into a workflow, it may not be the best choice of a KPI.

What would be your advice for up-and-coming marketers looking to make a mark in the industry?

I think that staying curious is still the way to go. The marketing space is incredibly dynamic, and while marketers do not have to leap onto every new trend (that would be exhausting), they must have a certain adaptability and openness to change to stay relevant and in touch with their audience. Continuously learning from both successes and failures, seeking mentorship, and observing industry leaders can provide invaluable insights. Building a strong network and experimenting thoughtfully with new ideas will also help emerging marketers make a meaningful impact.

About Davina Moore

Davina Moore is a marketing leader who guides a global team in delivering consistent, creative, and impactful digital experiences for engineers, decision-makers, and innovators. Combining data, strategy, and human insight, she designs unified marketing programs that drive measurable results. Focused on collaboration, experimentation, and cross-cultural leadership, Davina empowers her team to simplify complexity, innovate boldly, and translate strategy into tangible outcomes.

The post Curiosity, Creativity, and Conversion: Davina Moore on Global Digital Marketing appeared first on iTechSeries.

Tune into an insightful conversation with Andreea Mandeal, a seasoned marketer, as she reflects on her journey from the early days at an AI startup to leading marketing efforts at Finnish unicorns and privacy tech firms. She shares invaluable insights on how storytelling can elevate brand presence, the importance of building trust with sales teams, and the power of thought leadership in B2B marketing.

Tune in to explore:

• The art of storytelling in marketing and its power in sales enablement.
• The significance of thought leadership and how to cultivate it effectively.
• Strategies for building successful event marketing initiatives and fostering community.
• Navigating the challenges and opportunities of AI in marketing, emphasizing critical thinking.
• The importance of setting realistic KPIs and fostering team ownership.
• Andreea’s perspective on leadership and empowering marketing teams.

Don’t miss this engaging discussion packed with real-world experiences for marketers to take home!

The post Marketing, Storytelling & Sales Synergy: Lessons from Andreea Mandeal appeared first on iTechSeries.