CMOS WILL DRIVE THE NEXUS BETWEEN CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, PRODUCT INNOVATION AND REVENUE GROWTH

KIMI GUGLANI
Marketing Director for India and SAARC, Trend Micro

“Marketing has moved beyond campaigns and sales support to become a driver of strategic leadership. With cybersecurity now a board-level conversation, customers now anticipate vendors to be business-outcome-aware and risk-aware partners. Marketing today is also advocating for the voice of the customer, driving innovation in spaces such as zero trust, threat intelligence, and AI-based security.

Use of AI, Automation, Analytics enhancing Marketing

Artificial intelligence, automation, and big data analytics are fundamentally transforming the operations of marketing. Our key goal is to use these technologies to drive personalization at scale, optimize resource deployment, and run intelligence-driven campaigns. Predictive analytics allows us to determine which accounts are most likely to engage, using intent data, industry threat patterns, and purchase signals, while AI-powered content engines allow us to personalize messages by industry vertical, be it BFSI, government, or manufacturing. Marketing automation platforms further automate lead nurturing, scoring, and campaign orchestration and ensure that prospects are provided with timely, context-sensitive information that walks them through their buying journey.

The CMO of Tomorrow

In the past, CMOs were demand and brand generators. CMOs in the future will be business growth architects, leaders who stand at the nexus of customer experience, product innovation, and revenue strategy. The next CMO will be three things to me. First, as customer champion, to make sure that field insights inform product design, go-to-market, and partner alignment. Second, as strategic advisor, to lead cross-functional collaboration across sales, R&D, and finance to prepare the company for long-term growth. And third, as storyteller, to tell a credible story communicating not just product value but also the company's contribution to defining the future of secure ecosystems.”