Top 40 Marketing Maestro 2014 by Reseller Middle East

Top 40 technology marketing executives in the region

The fine art of marketing “Marketing is not just about being seen as better than the competition. It’s about being seen as the only solution to your audience’s problem.” John Morgan, Brand Against the Machine

arketing is an integral part of any organisation. The role involves serious responsibilities such as market research and analysis, identifying and being in the shoes of current customers, creating and instilling marketing ethos throughout the organisation, taking customer-focused decisions, maintaining and developing customer relationship, measuring and evaluating success, managing marketing mix and agencies and ensuring timely delivery. And all of this has to be done by acutely managing the allocated budgets. The job is certainly much easier said than done. Marketing managers play an invaluable role, one that often goes unappreciated. They need to be creative yet practical and grounded. They have to multi-task yet have a laser-sharp focus. They need to be relevant and understand customer needs. In short, they need to be maestros. Reseller Middle East features the Top 40 IT marketing managers within the region, who we term as ‘Marketing Maestros’. These 40 inspiring individuals talk to us about what makes their role an exciting one and what keeps them motivated and rooted to their profession, day after day. Get to know these marketers at a personal level – who do they look up to, how they entered the field, what do they do to upskill themselves, how they overcome challenges such as the intricacies of working alongside with sales and accounts, among other aspects. They are the ones who mirror their business’ commitments to end customers and work closely with partners to execute relevant initiatives and events. They go the extra mile when it comes to ensuring the organisation is well represented, and like a maestro, they strive for its smooth functioning by working harmoniously to achieve company goals.

CONTENTS

Alan Pourmirza

24 Manish Punjabi

34 Reham Damanhouri

FDCÂ International

EMC

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise

Alexandra Pisetskaya

Haidi Nossair

Red Hat

Manju Mathew

Reji Mathews

HelpAG

SmartWorld

StorIT Distribution

Oki ME

Barbara Kao

Hassan Hamadani

26 Nadia Hansia

36 Sabine Salloum

TP-LINK ME

Riverbed Technology

Lexmark International ME

Symantec

Basak Yolgecti

Hamza Achour

Hesham El Komy

Nadia Jawad

Samantha Keating

Veeam

Brocade Communications

EMW ME

CommVault Systems

Janet Noronha

28 Nancy Assaad

38 Sandra Skairjeh

FVC

Almasa Distribution

FireEye

Dia Hamdan

39 Sandrine Prat

Asbis ME

Justine Zhao CA Technologies and MDS ap Tech

29 Neha Mistry

R&M

Dina El Banna

Dharmendra Parmar

Fluke Networks

HP Software

20 Kamlesh Lal

30 Radwa Saleh

40 Sarah Bentley

Avaya

Dell ME

Kaspersky Lab ME

Elham Alizadeh

Lena Halbourian

Rahul Nanda

Svetlana Sorokina

ESET ME

Citrix Systems International

Redington Gulf

Aptec, An Ingram Micro Company

Faraz Khan

22 Maha Said

Raksha Jasoria

42 Tushar Chawla

BDL Gulf

Microsoft Gulf

Exclusive Networks ME

Firdaus Shariff

Manish Bhardwaj

Rania Al Khatib

43 Urvendrasinh Gohil

SAP MEA

Aruba Networks

Mindware

Arrow ECS

WestconGroup ME

Cyberoam

Alan Pourmirza Marketing & Infrastructure Manager, FDC international

lan Pourmirza’s IT career “All started form a floppy disk as curious young middle school boy,” he says. In 1989, he started his own company in networking and IT technical support, and moved to Dubai in 1998, where he continued with IT related jobs in marketing and technical sales.

“I had several successful marketing projects such as launching new products and brand in to GCC, events, roadshows and seminars, but I believe being part of FDC team success history is my biggest achievement. As marketing manager I have to work with several stakeholders such as product managers, sales, board of directors, logistics, vendors, contractors and hotels. I also have to demonstrate reliability, participation, listening, sharing, commitment, flexibility, respect and problem solving.” 4

In 2001, Pourmirza moved to Toronto to join IBM, before joining FDC as Marketing Manager in Dubai in 2009. Pourmirza fondly recalls some of the more successful endeavours in his career, “I had several successful marketing projects such as launching new products and brand in to GCC, events, roadshows and seminars, but I believe being part of FDC team success history is my biggest achievement,” he says. He believes his versatility in dealing with a variety of parties is one of his greatest strengths, “As marketing manager I have to work with several stakeholders such as product managers, sales, board of directors, logistics, vendors, contractors and hotels. I also have to demonstrate reliability, participation, listening, sharing, commitment, flexibility, respect and problem solving.

“I also believe I have strong technical knowledge, presentation and public speaking skills, and market vision from sales and technology point of view.” Pourmirza, who names Bill Gates and Steve Jobs as his role models, is currently an MBA student, and has undertaken a range of marketing courses and seminars, and obtained a ‘Marketing in business’ qualification from Pearson Education Services in June 2014, and an Entrepreneurial Marketing qualification in 2013. His greatest source of satisfaction is pleasing his customers. “I love it when I see happy customer that has chosen the right product based on our marketing activities,” he says. “I draw immense pride from seeing the result of innovative marketing projects which leads to growth of the sales.”

Alexandra Pisetskaya Marketing Manager, Help AG

fter beginning her career in advertising – working on a range of B2B and B2C vertical accounts – Alexandra Pisetskaya joined security distributor Computerlinks, later acquired by Arrow ECS, as a Marketing Manager for Middle East. A year later, she was promoted to the role of Director of Marketing for Middle East and Asia Pacific. Three years later, she joined Help AG, which “gave me an opportunity to single-handedly establish and drive its marketing from scratch and see quick, measurable results,” she says. Pisetskaya says her greatest asset is her independence and self-starting qualities, “My key strength is initiative – I don’t wait to be told, I find most creative and unique ways to bring the corporate message to my customers in record times and within any budgets,” she says. “I am not afraid to make mistakes

and I own all of my projects from start to finish.” Nonetheless, Pisetskaya acknowledges that this is something that came to her over time, “I guess like most people starting their careers I used to be scared of making mistakes, especially the ones that would cost money,” she says. “This makes you stick to a more traditional, conservative course of action, which isn’t always bad but it also curbs your proactivity and creativity necessary to be a leader in what you do and to make significant changes. Nobody can teach initiative, it’s something that’s within you. I think that over the years I’ve stopped being afraid of mistakes and took on a more independent and assertive approach to my work. Of course, my last two companies facilitated this transition because their management was openminded and progressive.” Pisetskaya says the forwardthinking working environment of her current employer allows her to perform at her best, “Help

AG is a fantastic place to work where mature people are given flexibility, control and ownership of their work,” she says. “Unlike many places, Help AG actually welcomes and favours initiative and innovation from its people; nobody’s ideas are shut down, nobody is micro-managed. This develops a sense of responsibility in everyone and makes sure only the industry’s best work here.” She also believes that her work at the company has been her best so far, “Help AG is my proudest achievement – taking this company’s success stories, its technical capabilities, its niche focus and superior skill set and transforming it into incremental business via aggressive, innovative marketing,” she says. “This means putting Help AG on the map on the local IT scene, making it a recognisable and respected industry name, making a significant contribution to our YOY 80 percent growth and growing our team from 30 to 70 people in the last three years.”

“Help AG welcomes and favours initiative and innovation from its people; nobody’s ideas are shut down, nobody is micromanaged. This develops a sense of responsibility in everyone and makes sure only the industry’s best work here.” 5

Barbara Kao Marketing Manager, TP-LINK Middle East

“No-one should ever stop dreaming - and dreaming big at that - because it is from that, one is able to achieve things. Don’t limit yourself, for whatever one puts their mind to, it can be done. It all seems impossible until it’s done.”

arbara Kao started her career in marketing 10 years ago when an opportunity presented itself while she was based in Taiwan. Since then, she has held several roles in sales and marketing in various industry segments, including the publishing industry, and joined TP-LINK 10 months ago. She says that acting as an ambassador and mouthpiece to the company is the key draw of her role. “What I like about my job is the fact that it requires one to have very good communication skills,” she says. “Being responsible for marketing also means that I am delivering the company’s philosophy to all our target audiences, so my job is also about connecting the company to the outside world.” Kao says that the

experience of working internationally - as well as ensuring marketing is well integrated with other divisions – have been some of her key achievements. “Being able to transition and grow in my role is in itself a career achievement,” she says. “I have been able to work for a multinational company and my current role at TP-LINK is so fulfilling as I work closely with the sales and product management teams to sync their roles in line with the overall marketing goals.” Kao does not hesitate to highlight the role models who have helped inspire her to achieve her current profession level. “I would have to say my parents for shaping me into what I am today,” she says. “As for the industry itself, I would say any woman CEO, or President of a multinational IT company is in a way a role

model and gives us women belief to aspire to something.” Her philosophy in work and life is one of ambition, “The sky is the limit,” she says. “No-one should ever stop dreaming - and dreaming big at that because it is from that, one is able to achieve things. Don’t limit yourself, for whatever one puts their mind to, it can be done. It all seems impossible until it’s done.” She also ensures that her own learning is a continuous process, “Firstly, I am an avid reader and I believe it’s vital for anyone in this role to have reading habits,” she says. “Reading broadly helps me to stay abreast about the industry and things in general. Being in charge of marketing means that I am delivering the company’s philosophy to all our target audiences. I am the link between TP-LINK and the outside world.”

Basak Yolgecti Marketing Manager , Middle East & SAARC, Veeam

s a management graduate, Basak Yolgecti never imagined she would be in the IT field. She moved to Dubai in 2007 and joined EMC as a sales coordinator and within a year, she moved to marketing as a marketing specialist. Celebrating her seventh anniversary in the IT industry, Yolgecti is currently the Marketing Manager for Veeam covering Middle East and SAARC regions. She says coming to a new country as a young graduate and working her way up to her current position is her biggest career achievement. “In addition to this, during my EMC years, I won the EMEA award for the best customer experience for the C-level event that we organise annually. I hope and believe there are many more to come with Veeam now.”

What makes Yolgecti a good manager is the fact that she “listens”. “In my role, in order to be in sync with sales, I need to listen and understand their targets and priorities so that I can set my goals aligned to theirs. Another trait of a good manager is to have good communication skills with team members and definitely a good attitude. Other than that, a good marketing manager must be able to multitask as we don’t have the luxury of focusing just on one project in our daily routine.” She says, being aware of the challenges that are a part of the job and our life is the first step to overcome it. “That’s also a proof that we are on the right track and out of our comfort zones to achieve better results. In order to overcome challenges, I always take a step back and have a look from the outside to gain a better

perspective. This helps me to be more objective and more critical on how to handle it in the best way.” At the end of the day, overcoming challenges make us stronger. “Challenges guide us to improve ourselves and that’s why they are welcomed in my role.” Looking up to Veeam’s regional director, Gregg Petersen as a mentor, she says, “We all see him as a big brother rather than a boss in the office. I feel lucky to work with someone that I can always consult or talk to.” Yolgecti urges the young professionals to not be afraid of asking questions, this is regardless of which field they are in. She says, “Be open and adaptable to changes. The transformation especially in the IT industry has a faster pace than others, so whoever is open to change will survive in this space and be successful.”

“In my role, in order to be in sync with sales, I need to listen and understand their targets and priorities so that I can set my goals aligned to theirs. Another trait of a good manager is to have good communication skills with team members and definitely a good attitude.” 7

Dharmendra Parmar General Manager, Marketing, FVC

D “It is important to understand your solutions and their value proposition, and how these are relevant to the customer. At the same time, it is important to understand the various modern tools to reach out to the relevant audience.” 8

harmendra Parmar began his career in the IT industry 23 years ago as a support engineer. “My understanding of the IT solutions soon helped me move into sales, as I could design and propose the right solutions for customers,” he says. “As our company grew from an entrepreneurial startup, at a certain point it was clear that we needed a dedicated marketing department. I was privileged to be given this opportunity to start this department from scratch. Having understood our solutions and customers for many years gave me a good insight into what needed to succeed.” He believes that a thorough comprehension of his company’s offerings remains his greatest strength. “It is important to understand your solutions and their value

proposition, and how these are relevant to the customer,” he says. “At the same time, it is important to understand the various modern tools to reach out to the relevant audience. Combining both of these allows marketing to reach out to the right customer at the right time, with the appropriate message.” New marketers have many takeaways from Parmar’s experiences. He further believes that the advent of modern technologies and methodologies has moved the goalposts for aspiring marketers. “There are a lot of new marketing tools and approaches, including the extensive use of social media and other online platforms, which have changed marketing dynamics,” he says. “Those entering the marketing field should no doubt understand these tools very well, but remember that these need to be used in the right context of the core

marketing basics.” In any field, one must strive to stay relevant and work hard to be on top of the latest happenings. Parmar ensures that he continues to enhance his industry knowledge by reading relevant publications, and is motivated by, “Helping customers solve many business challenges. What motivates me is the fact that what I do is a driver in making that happen,” he says. He also relishes the challenge of fresh learning, “In my work, there are always new things to learn – new solutions, new markets, and new marketing tools and approaches. This makes it really interesting.” He is an advocate of a strong team ethic and transparency in a professional environment, “I believe the key elements for being a successful team player include open and effective communication, flexibility, and commitment to the team.”

Dia Hamdan Marketing Manager, Asbis ME

aving been in the industry for eight years, Dia Hamdan started his career in IT as event promotions and project manager for a variety of IT companies in Saudi Arabia, where he was responsible for creating out-of-the-box campaigns. He then moved to Prestigio in Dubai, to “carry the brand to the next level.” Hamdan says that seeing his own original ideas gives him the greatest buzz in his job. “I always look for the next step and never stop, and it’s always a big achievement when you see your creative ideas become true,” he says. “This is especially the case when it’s a unique, original idea that has never been deployed before. For example, I was the first one who entered ‘book a meeting’ through your Smart devices in regional industry events. I also created a new concept in marketing, which I call ‘Marketing Exchange’ where you don’t spend money on campaigns, and instead show the real usage of

your product in return getting the desired exposure.” He believes that the ability to think outside the box is a key asset that is required for his role, “As a marketing manager, you should be visionary, creative and have boundless imagination. With these three pillars, you can conquer the marketing industry where you can make everything happen.” Hamdan attributes his star sign as something that underpins his working abilities, “I am Pisces by horoscope and by nature,” he says. “Our job needs someone who can go with the waves. It’s not a stable market and you always need to adapt, which is a big challenge so you always need to be ready and be one step ahead of others. You need the know-how, which always is pushing you to read more and more, and that is something I love the most about my career.” He names God as his role model, and says that if he could have done anything differently in his career, he would have learned Chinese and would be living in China by now.

Hamdan also adds that he relishes a variety of challenges in his career, but has always felt he has had the tools to face them. “Challenges are always there: limited budgets, timeframes and competition,” he says. “By setting your strategic goals and by knowing where you are heading helps in overcoming it. You will know when to postpone things and when to execute them; what is basic and necessity and what is accessory.”

“As a marketing manager, you should be visionary, creative and have boundless imagination. With these three pillars, you can conquer the marketing industry where you can make everything happen. Challenges are always there: limited budgets, timeframes and competition. By setting your strategic goals and by knowing where are you heading helps in overcoming it.” 9

Dina El Banna Marketing Director, Global Growth Markets, Avaya

“Hiring young talent also keeps creativity and energy in the team. Marketers should be open and accept ideas no matter how weird they are. Focus is also key, it is easy to get sucked into details; managers should always focus on what is important.” 10

ina El Banna’s career in the IT industry began when she was at university; along with her degree in Business Administration-Marketing, she minored in Computer Science. “I enjoy working in IT, I believe the sky is the limit, and hence I worked in marketing at one of Egypt’s largest systems integrators, and have been working for Avaya ever since,” she says. Holding Masters in Business Administration from Manchester Business School, El Banna “continues to read on social media, HBRs and dailies” to remain up-to-date on marketing info. El Banna takes immense pride from working at Avaya, and the progress she has made since joining the company, “I am proud to be working at Avaya, I cannot single out

one big career achievement,” she says. “At Avaya I managed to grow fast, as I joined as a Marketing Executive for the Middle East, but I am now the Marketing Director for Global growth markets - ME, Africa, India, China and Russia.” Her rigorous work ethic and professional attitude to all tasks has ensured she remains focused in her role, “No job is too small, there may be a stressful, boring side of marketing, but there is also a creative fun side,” she says. “You should learn from every mistake, but don’t repeat it, and shadow great coaches, don’t be shy to ask a question, keep pushing yourself harder.” She also believes that people in all levels of a company should retain a down-to-earth attitude in the way they treat their peers. “I believe marketing managers -

in fact all managers - should be humble, and respect others no matter how big or small they are in the organisation,” she says. “Hiring young talent also keeps creativity and energy in the team. Marketing managers should be open and accept ideas no matter how weird they are. Focus is also key, it is easy to get sucked into details; managers should always focus on what is important.” El Banna believes that a strong team focus is the most efficient way to tackle imposing obstacles, “At any work you do there will always be challenges,” she says “I think the best way to overcome challenges is to share it with your team, several minds thinking together is better than one, even your partners and suppliers can help you solve a challenge, above all, every challenge is a new learning experience.”

Elham Alizadeh Channel Marketing Manager, ESET Middle East

lham Alizadeh began her marketing career in Iran 2007, where she was in charge of growing the market share of a small ISP. “Based on detailed analytical research, I managed to set in place various strategies to highlight the company’s USPs and to raise awareness of its products,” she says. “This helped the company achieve a significant increase in sales volume in a one year perioda pattern which followed consistently year-on-year.” She has no regrets in taking up a career in marketing, “Right from the onset of my career, I knew that I wanted to work in a sector wherein the potential for growth was tremendous,” she says. “I believe that I was right in my decision to select IT. In the region, this is alive and challenging and I am very excited to be a part of this. I love that the constantly changing nature of it- you face something new every day so you have to constantly

keep updating your knowledge and skills.” Alizadeh is currently pursuing an MBA with a major in Marketing from the University of Wollongong in Dubai. “I would highly recommend a part time MBA as it allows you to immediately apply the knowledge and insights gained from the course to your actual job scenario,” she says. “I aim to continuously gain more knowledge for my profession so I can better serve my organisation and its channel partners.” She believes that dynamism and flexibility are key in success as a marketer, “To be effective in the field of marketing, you need to be highly motivated, quick to respond, versatile and a quick learner,” she says. “It is taken for granted that strategic thinking especially the ability to grasp the ‘bigger picture’, communication skills and good interpersonal skills are a must.” In terms of the challenges she faces, she believes that finding a tangible link between

marketing activities and sales results is often tough, “One of the most difficult parts of marketing is to draw a direct correlation between the activities I have conducted and sales numbers,” she says. “This is something that is not always possible since the results of a successful campaign may not be immediately and easily quantifiable. To address this ‘intangible aspect’ I look at how I have helped shape the corporate image of the company. Here I also find it extremely useful to compare the present situation with the time at which I joined, as it is a very clear indication of the progress that I have been responsible for.” Above all else, Alizadeh believes that working for her current employers has allowed her to perform at her best. “I can honestly say that I love what I do,” she says. “Working with ESET has helped me strike a perfect work-life balance. It definitely helps to have a supportive family and an understanding manager.”

“In the region, IT is alive and challenging and I am very excited to be a part of this. I love the constantly changing nature of it- you face something new every day so you have to constantly keep updating your knowledge and skills.” 11

Faraz Ali Khan Marketing Manager, BDL Gulf

H “In my current role, I am responsible for driving the effectiveness of Quantum, specifically in the key markets of Gulf. I run and sustain the brand architecture and ensure its local activation, while providing technical support, guidance and best practice to all markets.” 12

aving spent 10 years working in IT, marketing wasn’t Faraz Khan’s initial choice of career. “At college I was thinking about joining Pakistan Air force as a pilot,” he says. “During my internships I got to work with the marketing team on new product development and packaging launches and found the consumer research and insights fascinating. It was also great to be involved in projects from start to finish and see results on your work on shelves and in advertising. I therefore leapt at the chance to transfer to a marketing role.” Khan holds Masters in Business Administration from Newports University, and started his career as a counselor and teacher. He represented Pakistan’s Animation Industry in South Korea in 2004, and over the last five years has worked in a number of different companies including IOP, ECL, ACS and was

Marketing Manager for Rest of Asia Pacific (ROAP) and South Asian Emerging Market (SAEM), countries including Nepal, Brunei, Magnolia, Maldives, King Solomon Island, Fiji Island, and Guam at Dell. He has also worked in Germany, Nepal, Singapore and Malaysia. Khan says that variety is not only the spice of life, but also a key source of pleasure in a marketing role. “As a career, what I enjoy most about marketing is the diverse nature of the job,” he says. “Working with many different stakeholders means you have contact with a number of different people at all levels. In my current role, I am responsible for driving the effectiveness of Quantum, specifically in the key markets of Gulf. I run and sustain the brand architecture and ensure its local activation, whilst providing technical support, guidance and best practice to all markets.” However, he also says the uncertain hours present a

challenge, “Marketing is notorious for its unpredictable hours, and when you’re working with a global company you are often required to stay late into the evening to have video conferences with people on the other side of the world,” he says. “Unfortunately that is just the nature of the profession; it’s a reactive industry, and that can often put a lot of pressure on the team. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll find that acts as a motivator.” Khan draws on philosophers to drive his own inspiration, “In life, if one can get satisfaction, then it is the biggest achievement, I remember the words of Emerson, ‘To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.’ Actually it varies from person to person. What for me is biggest, that may not be so for others - for me, not only a good career but also to lead a good social life is the biggest achievement.”

Firdaus Shariff VP, Marketing, SAP, Middle East and Africa

tarting her career in IT close to 12 years ago, Firdaus Shariff’s formal education was in the IT domain; she has a degree in Engineering in the Computer Information Systems field. “I run marketing like a business – I define the business objectives my team and I need to reach and invest using predictive analysis on past performance as well as where the most dramatic areas of growth will be,” she says. “I also want to help buyers by offering them a phenomenal customer experience at every stage of their engagement with SAP.” Shariff says assembling formidable teams is a key motivation in her job, “I am extremely passionate about building high-performing teams, and I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to build teams that have grown together regardless of the differences in their personalities,” she says. “Having the ability to completely

transform an organisation is very unique in today’s business environment, and I am proud to have had that privilege regularly in my role.” She takes immense pride from her own contribution to SAP, “My biggest achievement is setting up multiple marketing organisations focused on diverse sets of priorities, as well as building and growing a marketing business that has contributed significantly to the business growth in the last four years,” she says. “I am particularly proud of winning the ‘Business Unit of the Year’ award for my team and my efforts in only my second year at SAP. I really enjoy what I do and earning the possibility to be in such a role is a massive achievement for me as well.” Reflecting on her own career, Shariff says that with hindsight, she would have taken more risks. “I think I would not have held myself back as much as I did early on in my career – I would perhaps have achieved further

heights had I been the person I am today ten years ago,” she says. In this vein, she believes ambition is key to success, “Dream, go after those dreams and always keep your ‘big picture’ in mind,” she says. “Work hard, there is nothing compared to hard work and it is the one thing that will guarantee you success in whatever you may choose to do.” Shariff says she draws inspiration from a number of strong female role models, “I have always taken inspiration from self-made women who have been able to build large business empires and are now giving opportunities to others around them,” she says. “An example is Diane von Furstenberg who built and re-built her fashion business and is a strong woman still aiming to achiever bigger heights in her career. I have also been lucky to have met and worked with some very resolute professionals in my career and this helped me build a very strong work ethic very early on in my career journey.”

“I have always taken inspiration from selfmade women who have been able to build large business empires and are now giving opportunities to others around them.” 13

Haidi Nossair Marketing director, Middle East, Emerging Africa and Turkey, EMC

“ “Having a vision, agility and adaptability to new market trends along with good sense of innovation are key for success. The success of any individual is highly dependent on their respective team or the teams they collaborate with.” 14

I entered the industry by coincidence, loved it and remained in it,” says Haidi Nossair, EMC’s Regional Marketing Manager for the META region. IT is an integral part of daily lives and is constantly evolving. She says, “I enjoy living this evolution.” In B2B marketing, it is important to have a clear understanding of what ‘business development’ means. While the sales deals are not closed by marketing managers, they play a major part in the sales cycle. Nossair says it is equally important to have the ability to lead the business as well as follow it. It starts with building the brand awareness required for sales to do their job, which is more than just recognising the company’s logo. “It is creating an understanding of what the brand stands for and what it can offer to businesses to advance their competitive edge or overcome their operations challenges. This is coupled with a good understanding of the market dynamics and its trends and also

the ability to analyse these insights and turn them into plans that can help the business achieve their sales objectives.” The strategies or the tactics to achieve this will have to change dynamically with the market changes and according to the company’s objectives. She adds, “Having a vision, agility and adaptability to new market trends along with good sense of innovation are key for success.” For Nossair, having the ability for active listening and the will to cooperate are key qualities to be a team player. “And also demonstrating flexibility to reach shared wins, looking for solutions rather than amplifying challenges will drive positive energy, showing commitment to the team and driving towards common agendas, ongoing and open constructive communication, and last but for sure not the least, having respect for each other and acting reliably are important. The success of any individual is highly dependent on their respective team or the teams they collaborate with.” Marketing has the ability to lead

a change in the organisation – and this is what she loves the most about her work. “Marketing in EMC has gone through exciting changes to enable us to make a bigger impact on the business and become closer to the customers. It is an on-going journey and this transformation is highly engaging. The dynamic nature of the IT industry and the future it holds, the opportunity to connect with amazing professionals and leaders within my network and beyond are other aspects that I enjoy about my job,” she says. She derives motivation from seeking new achievements. And having the chance to continuously learn and make a new or different impact. But most of all “the acknowledgement and success of my team” drives her. She urges aspiring marketers to understand who their customer is. She says, “Make your work customer centric. Love what you do and do it with passion or don’t do it. Be innovative and be agile enough to learn and evolve.”

Hamza Achour Marketing, Alliances & Sales Operations Manager, SmartWorld

“I

have always been fascinated by technology and how it makes a difference in peoples’ lives,” Hamza Achour says. “This was the main reason for me joining the IT industry, which has become arguably the most significant driver for the modern global economy.” A member of the American Marketing Association, Achour has now been in the IT industry for three years, and takes huge pride in his current role. “Working at Smartworld is like playing in the big league for me,” he says. “I am very proud to be part of this large group of people, who share the same goal of enabling digital economic growth in the region. 2020 will be a key year for Dubai and the UAE, meaning it is just as important for Smartworld. I draw motivation from the objectives and vision we set for our company, and achieving those goals provides me with great focus.” He goes on to say how as well

as being motivational, his current job is also fantastic for morale, “I am exactly where I want to be at this point of time, doing what I love in what is for me a perfect environment,” he says. “I am grateful to whatever forces guided me here, and I wouldn’t change anything neither in the present nor the past.” Achour also believes that spontaneity and networking are hugely rewarding aspects of his job. “Variety is the spice of life,” he says. “Every day is different and I get to interact with so many people. Technologies such as the Internet, mobile phones, social media, and CRM systems greatly affect the way companies communicate and do business nowadays. These communication tools are continuously changing, and with them the media landscape. As a marketer, I must always be up to date with the lasted trends and keep taking what I do to the next level. And all this is a continuous learning process.” He is also an advocate of a

group ethic, saying that success cannot be achieved singlehandedly, “Being a member of a team - and the leader of one - you must be able to rely on others,” he says. “Sometimes it takes time to gather a reliable team, with members who get work done and do more than their fair share, people who meet their commitments. Once you get these kind of consistent people, everything else necessary to success come along.”

“Being a member of a team - and the leader of one - you must be able to rely on others. Sometimes it takes time to gather a reliable team, with members who get work done and do more than their fair share, people who meet their commitments. Once you get these kind of consistent people, everything else necessary to success come along.”

Hassan Hamadani Senior Marketing Manager, Riverbed Technology, METNA

“I take pride in the fact that a large say in the decision making process for my organisation’s strategies in the Middle East lies with me. It has allowed me to innovate and obtain the maximum recognition for my company.” 16

assan Hamadani says his interest in IT began when as an undergraduate at Oklahoma State University. “At the time, Internet Relay Chat (IRC) was one of the main means of internet-based communication where I established, under the nickname ‘MadLeb’, and ran the biggest Arab and Lebanese channel,” he says. “Through its five years of operation, this channel saw peak usage of up to 9000 users on a regular basis.” After obtaining his Degree in Business Administration & Management Information Systems, he went on to become the co-founder of a portal, and has since been in the industry for over 14 years. He believes that right from the beginning of his working life, he has been a versatile and active team member, “From the onset of my career, I have demonstrated strong

leadership, good insight, and good communication skills,” he says. “I have proven to be a visionary, creative and innovative thinker. I am adaptable which has made it possible for me to excel both individually and in a team. When planning and executing any marketing strategy, I maintain focus not only on my organisation, but also on its partners and customers to ensure that all stakeholders are satisfied.” Not one to shy away from leadership opportunities, Hamadani relishes the opportunity of responsibility. “I take pride in the fact that a large say in the decision making process for my organisation’s strategies in the Middle East lies with me,” he says. “It has allowed me to innovate and obtain the maximum recognition for my company. My work has been recognised by my peers within the industry and I believe I have set a high standard for them to follow.” Hamadani believes

that relationship building is something that he is now reaping the benefits of fully. “Another aspect that I love is that, having reached this stage in my career, I have built the necessary contacts in the market and established the right relationships,” he says. “This goes a long way in ensuring that everything goes through smoothly. In fact, in most cases, my work involves having to interact with people I genuinely enjoy engaging with.” He is also certain that instilling an all-round winning culture is key to driving personal development. “I strongly believe that if you want to succeed, then you must surround yourself with successful people,” he says. “I have always found that I learn well from example and when inspired by the right leadership. I utilise the knowledge and expertise of those I trust and observe market trends, to constantly analyse what works and what does not.”

Hesham El Komy Regional marketing manager, meta, Brocade

esham El Komy has spent “around 15 years” in the IT industry, mainly focusing on enterprise software and enterprise open source solutions. “I fell into IT by accident when my landlord during my final year of university asked if I knew a student who could work in a business intelligence software firm during the summer break; what started as a temporary position led on to a career in IT,” he says. He has come to learn that having an arsenal of relevant skills is ideal in a marketing career, “There is merit in being a ‘jack of all trades’ within marketing,” he says. “Sticking to and learning only one element or function within marketing will never give you the ammunition to fully understand the organisation. Also, moving

around, trying your hand at sales, channels or operations can only give you competitive edge in the way you think.” This range of tasks is also his greatest takeaway from the job, “As they say variety is the spice of life,” he says. “I think marketing offers the most broad range of activity, that changes week in week out, which keeps marketing interesting. Having dabbled in channel and inside sales I seem to always return to marketing as it is the most enjoyable function.” El Komy believes that an ability to think outside the box has been crucial in his ability to succeed. “As with every marketing professional there needs to be a level of creativity,” he says. “That said, I would suggest my ability to use metrics as the foundations to new activity has always helped me along and create high ROI campaigns. Also, leading from the front in a ‘hands

on’ manner tends to create strong teams that enjoy their job and strive to succeed.” Mentioning Nelson Mandela as his role model, El Komy is highly competitive, and thrives on proving himself to his peers. “I love winning! I am very competitive so over-achieving and coming up trumps versus the rest of the worldwide teams is always great, especially when they replicate things you have done as best practice.” In order to remain ahead of competitors, El Komy values the continuation of his own professional education. “Learning from peers and well as general academia is important,” he says. “The role of the marketer is rapidly changing with the Internet and all things social, staying ahead of all this is the way forward and keeps you thinking about how to advance and continue to strive forward.”

“I fell into IT by accident when my landlord during my final year of university asked if I knew a student who could work in a business intelligence software firm during the summer break; what started as a temporary position led on to a career in IT.” 17

Janet Noronha Senior Marketing Manager, ALmasa Distribution

eginning her career with multinational Middle East IT Distributor Techdata 18 years ago, Janet Noronha believes her “ongoing commitment, understanding of various IT products and relation with various vendors from components, PC and peripherals and networking have helped me move into Marcom.” Noronha says her greatest

“Being a distributor/partner for multiple brands, such as Intel, Avaya, Apple and Asus has been fantastic. We have ongoing campaigns, events, product launch, trainings and launching service centres, and handling this along with the marketing budgets single-handedly is a task. My determination and hard work have helped me achieve this with great ease, and I consider this as my biggest career achievement.” 18

achievement has been representing a number of top companies throughout her career. “Being a distributor/partner for multiple brands, such as Intel, Avaya, Apple and Asus has been fantastic,” she says. “We have ongoing campaigns, events, product launch, trainings and launching service centres, and handling this along with the marketing budgets singlehandedly is a task.” She attributes her own positive attitude as the biggest factor in completing these challenges, “My determination and hard work have helped me achieve this with great ease, and I consider this as my biggest career achievement,” she says. “I believe working as a team is essential for success of any business. Being open-minded and being able to consider your fellow colleagues’ opinions or suggestions is key as well as a commitment to teamwork.” Noronha goes on to say how her rigorous work ethic is evenly balanced with her more laid back side, “I spend at least 10 hours per day at work but I believe that a work/life balance is important,”

she says. “At my workplace we are always having team activities or an overall employee participation in activities like ethnic day where we all dress with our national costumes. We have Halloween day, month-end promotions, spiffs and incentives for highest sales achievers, where the entire company participates. This makes it really interesting and we look forward to this.” Noronha frequently attends training courses, and names company CEO and Chairman Mahdi K Amjad “who is so full of positive energy, is ambitious and never gives up,” as her role model, and says “the company’s growth, positive changes, and being a part of the change makes me extremely motivated. I believe we grow with the company’s success.” She links the main challenges in her job to working across a number of countries. “Being in the IT industry and dealing with various regions there are always challenges,” she says. “They can be internal or external challenges and being patient is the best remedy.”

Justine Zhao Group Head of Marketing, MENA, Turkey & CEE, CA Technologies and MDS ap Tech

ustine Zhao began her IT marketing career back in China working for CA Technologies (then Computer Associates) in their Beijing Office as a junior marketing coordinator. “I had very little idea what enterprise IT marketing really entailed,” she says. “Technology always interested me. Though not being a technologist myself, I love technology because I find it has great powers to enrich our lives and to empower individuals as well as organisations.” She believes that the recipe for IT marketing success is understanding the individual skills that project participants bring to the table. “There are many traits a marketing manager needs in order to survive and thrive in the IT sector,” she says. “IT marketing, especially Enterprise B2B Marketing where I am in, is extremely complex

and involves many different internal and external teams for each campaign going into the market. To be a good marketing manager, one really has to know what the criteria are for success at every level for everyone involved in that process and endeavour to design campaigns and processes that everyone (or at least most of them) will emerge to be winners from.” The importance of building robust working relationships in the region is not lost on Zhao. “Personally, I actually feel my biggest career achievement lies in the many number of friends I have made and built trust in, over the years,” she says. “I left the B2B Enterprise IT sector for two years and when I rejoined the sector I was overwhelmed with sincere welcomes and warm congratulations from all over my network both in the UAE and abroad.”

Productivity, and influencing those around her, are now Zhao’s main professional drives. “Now I am a bit older and feeling a bit more secure with myself, I am more and more driven by the notion that if I get out of bed and do something useful that day, I get to make some positive changes and that change could make someone else’s day better than if I stayed home doing nothing,” she says. Zhao is conscious of how the industry has changed over time, and of the need to stay abreast of transforming technologies. “I would encourage all new marketers to at least read about the theories and best practice on buyer’s journey, demand generation funnel; learn to work with at least one type of marketing automation system and for B2B marketers, to also build basic understanding on lead flow and nurturing process.”

“I am more and more driven by the notion that if I get out of bed and do something useful that day, I get to make some positive changes and that change could make someone else’s day better than if I stayed home doing nothing.” 19

Kamlesh Lal Distribution Marketing Manager, Dell Middle East

“If you have the passion for marketing and have the ability to think out of the box with innovative ways to achieve the unachievable then I would say marketing is a suitable field for you. A little personality also goes a long way in marketing.” 20

amlesh Lal’s tryst with IT began about 14 years ago, when he started off his career with Microsoft in 2001. Today as Dell’s Distribution Marketing Manager, he brings to the table, a whole set of positive traits. “Passion I believe is the most important ingredient. If you love what you do and possess an unrelenting attitude, then nothing can stop you from achieving your goals,” he says. “At the end of the day, it won’t be a great product or technology that makes a company succeed but rather great people that make it great. People can make or break a company, and once businesses reach this realisation, I am certain that they will attain their goals.” According to Lal, there is no challenge that cannot be overcome. Though the Middle East market is different and implementing central programmes can be tough, he says, “I have taken this positive approach for our Middle East audience and customers to ensure success.”

Carrying out your daily responsibilities is one thing but doing it with passion is another. Lal says, “For me, it’s the team I work with and the distributors I deal with on a daily basis that make it exciting to come back to work every day.” Dell is currently in a transformational phase from being an IT supplier to an endto-end solution provider. And taking this message to the market in a new, unique and innovative way and representing the world’s largest start-up is what Lal enjoys the most about his work. “People have certain perceptions and expectations from Dell, and to be able to deliver this and go above and beyond is what I love the most.” For Lal, new and unique challenges keep him on his toes. Obstacles are a part and parcel of life, but how it is approached and resolved makes all the difference. “I like to embrace obstacles with a smile as I believe them to be great opportunities for me to grow as a person and also in my career. Additionally, people also motivate me – people I work with

and meet every day, as I learn new things from them.” Over the years, Lal has been inspired by a number of people from his past stints, such as Tarun Nandi of Blue Bell Computers, Saied Marashi during his time at Microsoft, Mario Veljovic and Ilyas Moham when he was working at Aptec Distribution. “These days I have to say that Basil Ayass takes an active role when it comes to my career progression. He is extremely knowledgeable and each day in the office is a learning experience. He surely is a role model, not only for me but lots of other people in the company,” Lal says. To those who are entering the marketing world, Lal advises, “If you have the passion for marketing and have the ability to think out of the box with innovative ways to achieve the unachievable then I would say marketing is a suitable field for you. A little personality also goes a long way in marketing and you are expected to be presentable, confident, innovative and on top of your game.”

Lena Halbourian Regional Marketing director, MEA, Citrix Systems International

ena Halbourian kicked off her IT career in 2004 when she got an opportunity with HP in Dubai and found it to be her calling, having spent the last decade in this space. Currently the Regional Marketing Manager, MEA of Citrix, she believes possessing traits such as being flexible, creative, assertive and perfectionist have helped her to be an ideal marketing manager. In her opinion, a marketing manager not only has to carry out day-to-day responsibilities but it is also important to have a good attitude and a positive personality, which helps in being a team player. Even when she faces challenges at work, she overcomes it by consulting with other team members and drawing out a solution together.

“The daily interaction with the Citrix team as well as the new acquaintances I make due to the public aspect of my job is what I love the most about my job,” she says. Being a person who always sees things as glass half-full, Halbourian is motivated by anything that is directly or indirectly linked to her job as a marketer. Taking inspiration from every successful person, she says she will not change anything about her career as going through each stage and having all the experiences have helped shape the person she is today – a capable and positive manager. It is important to constantly upgrade and upskill yourself and this she does by attending trainings, seminars and webinars on a regular basis. “I also make it a

point to keep myself updated on the latest technologies and inventions.” For the younger generation coming into the marketing space, Halbourian’s advice is pretty straightforward - “Be yourself and work hard”, and that she believes is the secret recipe to success.

“The daily interaction with the Citrix team as well as the new acquaintances I make due to the public aspect of my job is what I love the most about my job. My advice to aspiring marketers is that they should be themselves and work hard.” 21

Maha Said SMB Marketing Manager, Microsoft Gulf

H “I wanted to move into a more strategic role like marketing where I could have a stronger influence in the decision-making of the company. I was so eager to make this move that I was willing to start from scratch with no marketing experience.” 22

ailing from a pure technical background, Maha Said comes with two decades of experience in the IT field. She began her career as an electronic engineer before she decided to move to marketing. “I wanted to move into a more strategic role where I could have a stronger influence in the decision-making of the company. I was so eager to make this move that I was willing to start from scratch with no marketing experience,” she says. But what worked in her favour was that she joined an IT company like Oracle, where she began as an e-marketing specialist. IT being her forte, she says, “My technical background helped bridge that gap in knowledge. I knew how to pitch the product effectively.” Thanks to her insight, she was able to move up the ladder to become a senior marketing

manager at Oracle. Currently, she is the SMB Channel Marketing Manager for Microsoft and in this role she has had many success stories. However, initially she discovered that marketing for SMB within the scale of the company’s partner ecosystem is different compared to the experience she has had before. But never the one to give up, she took up this challenge as an opportunity to learn something new. “SMB marketing requires a different strategy and a scalable programmatic engine. I invested some time to understand the market’s selling behaviour and what motivates the customers and partners in this sphere. I looked up best practices from other geographies till I came up with a loyalty programme that demonstrated Microsoft’s commitment to SMB partners.” And the rest is history. For the past year, she has been a part of the team leading the cloud transformation of the

company’s SMB customers. “We are doing this through our partners and simultaneously we are also running a set of programmes that enable them in building a more profitable business with cloud. This is a big assignment, which involves leading hundreds of partners through the journey and transforming thousands of partners along the way.” She adds, “I pour my heart into every project that I work on, to make sure that it delivers the right results.” Indeed, her passion and dedication for the job is admirable and worth emulating for those who are entering in this field. Looking up to her father as a role model, she says the young professionals who are at the beginning of their career should focus on learning rather than financial satisfaction. “Invest in learning and work hard. The priority should be learning and getting experience.”

Manish Bhardwaj Marketing Manager, MET, Aruba Networks

ith 13 years of experience in the marketing space, Manish Bhardwaj has been instrumental in driving sales through marketing. Considering this to be one of his biggest career achievements, he says, “I have been able to do this, be it through positioning solutions in the marketplace or enabling them to capture a share of the market. To cite an example, I had devised several customer relationship strategy that resulted in a 100 percent increase in customer support renewals yearon-year.” In addition to that, his other major achievements include winning accolades and recognitions for Aruba Networks in its field of expertise. Besides being organised and goal-oriented, “understanding what makes the customers tick” are traits that help him to be a good marketing manager. “Marketing, especially

when done in businesses of any size, needs to have order. I love analytics, numbers, and measurement. As I’ve worked closely with many business owners and marketers on content marketing over the last few years, I keep seeing a simple trend – those who pay attention to the numbers get way more results,” he says. Bhardwaj says having the freedom to experiment is what he looks forward to each day with his work. “If a company wants their employees to take risks, they should also give them permission to fail. Freedom and self-sufficiency can provide perfect working conditions, but in many cases, that accountability has to be earned.” Keeping up with industry trends and news is advantageous for a number of reasons such as building expertise and enabling in better decision-making. “It is essential to identify the best information hubs that you can use to keep up with news and developments in your industry. Peer-to-peer networking can

be one of the most rewarding ways to stay on top of industry news and movements,” he says. “Looking up online sources such as blogs, LinkedIn and other social networking sites is something I also do in my free time to be updated on the latest happenings.” Bhardwaj says, marketing isn’t about appealing photos. “Efficient marketing programmes focus on creating content that benefits your audience.” He advises those who are entering the field to not spend their marketing career by creating humorous flyers, colourful emails for the sake of bringing attention to the product. “You need to be prepared to think analytically and scrutinise the needs of your target audience. This includes understanding your customers’ pain, their need, and their buying preferences and so on. In short you must innovative and create a win-win situation for the customer and your business. Once you have a solution to these problems, your content will automatically be observed and become viral,” he says.

“You need to be prepared to think analytically and scrutinise the needs of your target audience. This includes understanding your customers’ pain, their need, and their buying preferences and so on. In short you must innovative and create a winwin situation.” 23

Manish Punjabi Channel Marketing Manager, MEA, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise

“My role covers five time zones, a distance of nearly 8,400 km between Islamabad and Dakkar and over 70 countries that make up Middle-East and Africa. The very nature of doing business in MEA makes my job most thrilling.” 24

anish Punjabi’s IT career began around 12 years ago and there has been no turning back ever since. He says, one of his biggest career achievements has been learning French and Russian in less than 12 months while working in France and Kazakhstan. “These experiences have since played an instrumental role in landing me in different opportunities in the UAE.” There are various aspects to being a good marketing manager. For Punjabi, it is about being on the constant look-out for improvement. “Whether it is to improve AMD’s brand in the market or to generate new leads for Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise partners,” he says. While it is hard to seek a return on marketing investment (RoMI), Punjabi nevertheless “tries to relentlessly pursue it for any investment.” And in addition to these aspects, he also embraces

technology tools. He adds, “There are a lot of technology tools in the market and one should not be afraid to try them. For example, we tried a new lead capture tool during GITEX and fueled by that success, it is now under review for an enterprise-wide rollout.” According to him, being a team player is an important factor. “For example, being conscious of the multinational nature of the work environment is important because in an dynamic environment like that of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, we tend to switch to our mother tongues for an internal dialogue in the presence of others. This can create issues due to lack of comprehension.” Flexibility is another element that helps in being a team player. He adds, “Because as a team we have to step in for each other from time to time to ensure there is no drop in service response for the customer or business partner.” Punjabi says the broad-ranged

nature of his responsibilities is what he enjoys the most about his work. “My role covers five time zones, a distance of nearly 8,400 km between Islamabad and Dakkar and over 70 countries that make up Middle-East and Africa. While I love and appreciate my line-manager’s support and guidance but the very nature of doing business in MEA makes my job most thrilling.” But is that enough to keep him motivated to come back to work, day after day? Yes, he says and also, “Solving issues for partners which makes customer acquisition a shade easier for them motivates me. In addition to that, I am motivated by knowing that my work and efforts are appreciated across the length and breadth of the company.” To those entering the field, he advises, “Don’t email someone when you can call him, don’t call someone when you can visit him – in our hi-tech world, business is still done between people so don’t hesitate to visit someone for a coffee if an opportunity exists.”

Manju Mathew Marketing Manager, StorIT Distribution

raduating from St. Josephs College of Engineering, India, with a degree in IT engineering, Manju Mathew joined KPMG as a member of IT support staff. “The three years with KPMG gave me an insight into what it was like to work for a multinational organisation,” she says. Her introduction to Channel Sales in the Middle East began when she joined StorIT Distribution in 2008 as a Product Specialist in the Networking and Connectivity division. “My biggest career high so far was when I achieved my revenue target in my first year of working as Product Specialist at StorIT,” Mathew says. “As you know, sales can be a challenging field and for someone doing it for the first time it can be quite daunting, but with the support

of the channels sales team and partners, I was able to succeed in this role.” Mathew believes that a Marketing Manager needs to have a variety of skills to succeed in the role, “Apart from having a strong vision on marketing campaigns for StorIT, I am also good at strategic thinking, analytical skills, multi-tasking and building interpersonal relationship with the vendor as well as the partners,” she says. “It is absolutely important to have good communication skills and excellent listening skills, which helps us to understand our clients’ requirements.” In order to stay ahead of the game, Mathew takes it upon herself to do additional reading and training courses. “Apart from reading and updating myself on a regular basis, I attend training programmes and workshops by vendor

partners to understand the latest and disruptive technologies,” she says. She is inspired by her father, who managed to achieve the ideal work/life balance. “My father is my role model,” she says. “He is one person who I have seen work with more than 100 percent dedication to his work all his life and yet somehow managed to give 100 percent time to our family as well. He is truly a remarkable man.” Mathew has a few words of wisdom for aspiring marketers, “Believe in yourself and change your life,” she says. “To anyone joining this field my advice would be to follow their dreams in both their personal and professional lives; to give their best and to never underestimate their capabilities. Opportunities are huge, especially in this region and through passion and sincerity, success will be theirs.”

CNME “My father tendsisto my work rolewith SMEs, model. and Hethat is one is where person out who talents I havelie. seen Thework most important with morething than is 100 to be sure percent to take dedication accountto ofhis what workthe all his business’ life andissues yet actually somehow are.managed CNME provides to give solutions 100 percent to the time issues to our at hand, familyrather as well. than Hesimply is truly a trying remarkable to sellman.” products. 25

Nadia Hansia Marketing and Communications Manager, Lexmark International Middle East

“I strongly feel that the best marketer is the one who is able to understand the subtle nuances of the target market and customise the campaign to address those needs. I feel I have done that very successfully not only in my current role but in previous ones as well.” 26

adia Hansia, in her current role as the Marketing and

Communications Manager for Lexmark is responsible for the integrated marketing and communication initiatives. Besides strategic business development efforts, she leads the media relations, branding, advertising and website development. She says, “With the IT industry being a fast-paced one, you have to keep up with the changing technology and trends. Now three years on, I look back and realise that my start in this industry was not when I moved to Lexmark, but when I was in school and realised that my marketing training is heavily reliant on tools that technology provides.” Hansia’s most noteworthy career achievement has been embracing the Middle Eastern region and matching the core marketing tools and tactics that

cater to this area. “I have seen many people and organisations who follow a set model and deploy marketing initiatives that are not suited for this geography. I strongly feel that the best marketer is the one who is able to understand the subtle nuances of the target market and customise the campaign to address those needs. I feel I have done that very successfully not only in my current role but in previous ones as well.” What makes Hansia a good marketing manager is her ability to juggle different business units and activities. “Also, as a peopleperson, I’m able to get along with people from all cultures and backgrounds. As our industry is fast-paced, I also make sure I’m keeping up with trends, by engaging with media and our customers and also by working closely with sales to understand real business challenges,” she says. “Most of all, I like to have fun when I’m working!” For Hansia, being able to

learn on the job on a daily basis is the best thing about her job. “I enjoy the diversity in the team and being able to interact with varied backgrounds and business departments.” Different people derive motivation from different things. The shift of seeing things changing and being able to be a part of that movement is what she finds extremely motivating. “IT especially is an ever changing platform. You have to be ahead of the game always, therefore knowledge and the constant upgrade in what you know is crucial,” she says. Living by her life-motto to learn something new, Hansia walks down a new path every year. It could be anything from leadership skills, marketing and communication strategies to learning a new sport. “This year, I learned how to water-ski and although it was excruciating, I had so much fun towards the end, when I finally got into the water,” she says.

Nadia Jawad Channel & Marketing Manager, EMW ME

ver the last eight years in Nadia Jawad’s career with EMW ME, her responsibilities have grown. In her current role as the Channel and Marketing Manager, she is hands-on with all of the company’s channel and marketing activities, including managing the internal and external agencies that it engages with. She believes excellent communication is essential for all marketing professionals. “We work with leading companies in the technology industry and some of these have a local presence but others rely on EMW ME to provide that and communication is essential in keeping these partners informed with the latest business developments.” According to her, having a positive attitude goes a long way in overcoming the challenges that she faces in her role. “Also, we have a great

CEO at EMW ME who follows an open-door policy. And any challenges that I face are better resolved when discussed to gain a better understanding about it.” One of the aspects she enjoys most about her work is the variety factor. “I love the fact that each day is different and by working with so many partners who are unique in their own right, creates new and different experiences for me. This keeps me engaged on a daily basis.” Jawad looks up to her father as her role model in both personal and professional life. “He has taught me the importance of doing things right — maybe even by being a bit of a perfectionist. He encouraged me throughout my life to challenge myself, and never stop learning. I have also learnt so much from our CEO, Serjios EL-Hage. Whether it is from a technical or business viewpoint, his support is always appreciated. I truly appreciate

the confidence, he has given and the faith he has shown in my work,” she says. She urges young marketing professionals to take their time in identifying the right company to kick-start their career. “The company needs to provide the correct level of support and regular challenges for an individual to overcome. Also, never worry about making mistakes but ensure you learn from them when they happen,” she says.

“My father has taught me the importance of doing things right — maybe even by being a bit of a perfectionist. He encouraged me throughout my life to challenge myself, and never stop learning. I have also learnt so much from our CEO, Serjios EL-Hage. Whether it is from a technical or business viewpoint, his support is always appreciated. I truly appreciate the confidence, he has given and the faith he has shown in my work.”

Nancy Assaad field marketing manager, meta, FireEye

O “I absolutely love that rush of adrenaline at every achievement completed and the thrill towards perfection, and of course winning. There is no better feeling in the world than that sense of triumph when you realise that your actions have resulted in a company win.” 28

riginally from a computer engineering background, Nancy Assaad was always keen on building her career in the field of technology. “Looking back, I realise that I was lucky getting my first break 10 years ago with a job inside a challenging environment, which had a lot to do with me learning the ropes about marketing in the IT business,” she says. In her current role, she is relishing the challenges and working environment of the job, “I have to say that I am having time of my life here at FireEye,” she says. “Incredible vision, rocking Middle East team, sensational vibe, that family environment, the innovation in the products. We are far ahead of the competition and the best is yet to come.” The positivity through Assaad’s team is clearly infectious, “The key element in any team is trust,” she says.

“Without it no team will ever be successful. Considering the challenging market we work within these days and the economic situation most of the world is facing, teams need to be able to come as one and with trust, produce creative ideas that can help their business succeed. Good communication skills are also another important element together with having respect for each other and being able to listen. All team members should feel free to think creatively - to try new things and fail without the fear of consequences.” She also relishes the challenge of working in a largely male-dominated industry, “With the IT environment being mainly run and owned by the ‘male factor’, I have to say that the strength of will, perseverance, the thirst to take new challenges and the courage to take measurable risks are what keeps me standing and evolving, she says. “Passion for the brand and for the marketing attributes are the core elements I depend on. Adding

to this; taking calculated risks and diving into the market place are other elements that contributes to every success I gain.” Assaad believes that nothing matches the satisfaction of success, “I absolutely love that rush of adrenaline at every achievement completed and the thrill towards perfection,” she says. “And of course winning. There no better feeling in the world than that sense of triumph when you realise that your actions have resulted in a company win.” Her advice to aspiring marketers is to make bold, well considered moves, “In a world full of endless interruptions my first advise is ‘stay focused,’” she says. “Secondly, step out of the detracted crowd and dare to be different; so don’t be afraid to dream big or to take giant steps and calculated risks to realise them. The other important lesson is learn how to say no but with a smile; trust me it makes a lot of difference.”

Neha Mistry Regional Marketing Manager, Fluke Networks

aving started off her career as a graphic designer and a web architect, Neha Mistry brings that passion and creativity to her role as Fluke Network’s Marketing Manager. She believes her biggest achievement is being able to develop her own personal confidence to tackle business problems and propose solutions that deliver results. She says, “Using a methodical approach to marketing, I am confident in delivering end-toend campaigns from conception to execution.” The role of a marketing manager has evolved over the years. Mistry says today, it is essential to be updated with the latest in marketing techniques, changes in economic and political environments and also have the understanding of the fundamentals of the business and the ability to work closely in partnership with the sales

workforce. “A good marketer is a first-class communicator, strategic thinker, good team player, skilled project manager with excellent analytic and creative skills,” she explains. Mistry’s favourite part about her current role is the ability to work independently. This means having the trust from her employers and colleagues. “It’s great to work with people that care about their company and are doing a good job. It’s hard to find that environment today because so many people do not care about honesty, hard work and integrity,” she says. While many people derive motivation from their work, Mistry’s take is slightly different as her career does not dominate her life. She says, “Work is the most important thing in my life, but I have learned to work to live, not live to work. That thought alone keeps me motivated to keep loving what I do.” If given a chance, would she go back and change any aspect about

her career? She says, “There is no greater teacher than experience. And then again it’s the journey that matters not the destination; I believe I would have still taken the same exciting journey.” She advises the freshers entering the field to be prepared for the long hours and the hard work that might often go unappreciated. But, she adds, “What is important is to be passionate and to be yourself.”

“A good marketer is a first-class communicator, strategic thinker, good team player, skilled project manager with excellent analytic and creative skills. It’s great to work with people that care about their company and are doing a good job. It’s hard to find that environment today because so many people do not care about honesty, hard work and integrity.” 29

Radwa Saleh Regional Marketing Manager, ME, Kaspersky Lab ME

“I’ve always been a people person and over my years of experience I’ve learnt how to gauge and understand my customers – understand what they need, what their own capabilities are and how much time and effort I will need to spend to meet their expectations.” 30

adwa Saleh has had a distinguished career that is spread over 12 years in the technology marketing space. In her current role as the Regional Marketing Manager covering ME at Kaspersky Lab Middle East, she works closely with the various business units such as consumer and enterprise, in addition to field marketing partners to plan and execute the company’s relationship marketing programmes across the region. She says, “I’m proud to say I’ve come a long way. I’ve never given up and have always been eager to learn. I believe success is when passion and profession are the same. I wake up every morning looking forward to my job. I look forward to the challenge and opportunities that every day brings with it, the opportunity to meet new people and the challenge to keep them happy.”

Marketing being all about people and time management, Saleh says, “I’ve always been a people person and over my years of experience I’ve learnt how to gauge and understand my customers –understand what they need, what their own capabilities are and how much time and effort I will need to spend to meet their expectations.” And over the years, the people she has worked with, have played an important role in her ability to succeed. “I believe that we need to learn from our peers, you are never too senior or too old to learn.” To be a team player, you need to communicate constructively and be engaged with your team and function as an active participant. And besides this, Saleh says, “You need to be competent and trustworthy and be responsible while also being flexible and adapting to evolving situations.” What she loves most about

her job is that the field is one that involves creativity and strategic planning. “One also needs to be ambitious and have the ability to succeed. I believe to be a successful marketer, one must remain curious, take educated risk, and strive to do the right thing.” Saleh says she looks up to Elizabeth Holmes, a 30-yearold American billionaire, as her role model. Holmes had dropped out of Stanford to become the Founder & CEO of Theranos, a health tech and medical lab services company, worth USD 4.5 billion. “Believe in yourself, nobody else will,” she urges the younger lot entering the field. “Take risks and if you fail, get up, dust off and move on. Remember to learn – from your experiences and from the people around you and most importantly, have fun, smile, laugh and live. Don’t let a moment pass you by.”

Rahul Nanda Group Marketing Manager, Redington Gulf

aving been associated with the IT industry for over eight years, Rahul Nanda’s journey began in 2006, when he was offered an opportunity to work with a global software company to evangelise their technology platform in India. This has allowed him to comprehend a range of concepts in terms of marketing, “A good marketing manager must be able to keep the audience in mind and remove personal bias, focus on objective and outcome, and not get over obsessed with sales targets so that you stop thinking on the mid to long-term objectives of your company,” he says. “Everyone cannot be an expert in all fields of marketing, therefore it’s important to understand the strengths of each player within your team and seek their expertise when working

on a comprehensive plan. In addition, transparency and ownership help drive results.” Nanda’s clear-headed approach translates to his selection of projects, and his drive, “I love the opportunity to start something from scratch and build it to completion across multiple audiences (B2B and B2C),” he says. “I take up projects that I’m passionate about and that could be one thing that keeps me motivated,” he adds. “I would advise others to do their best to understand all facets of marketing, identify an area, which is of interest and finally take it up if they think they could do it for the next 20 years or so.” He retains a humble yet mature approach to his own accomplishments, “There is no achievement that I consider big or small, since each accomplishment or failure collectively is helping me improve,” he says.

Nanda undertakes a range of practices to stay ahead of the competition, “I subscribe to various news feeds, attend sessions with experts who specialise in various fields of marketing such as MARCOM, market research and digital marketing. In addition, I try to understand best practices within global organisations and implement them within our own organisation.”

“There is no achievement that I consider big or small, since each accomplishment or failure collectively is helping me improve. I love the opportunity to start something from scratch and build it to completion across multiple audiences (B2B and B2C).” 31

Raksha Jasoria Marketing Manager, Exclusive Networks ME

R “Not restricting myself to what is current but trying new things, researching on upcoming trends and monitoring what is happening in the market and keeping an eye out on competition helps me to develop my skills further.” 32

aksha Jasoria embarked on her marketing career after she moved from the banking industry and when she completed her Masters Marketing Management in Australia. Starting off as a marketing coordinator for a partner of Autodesk in Sydney, she gradually moved into the role of a marketing manager at the firm. She says, “I was with them for over five years, learning and experiencing the various aspects of marketing and being involved from strategising to planning marketing activities to launching the new releases every year.” And this was how her career path in IT evolved. After moving to Dubai, she has been working with the regional security distributor, Secureway, now Exclusive Networks, over the last three years. Although different achievements have governed her life at different stages of her career, she personally considers the biggest one to be in her second year with

Autodesk team, when they won the ‘National Marketing Award of Excellence for Business to Business Communication’ for Autodesk Solutions Day from Marketing Institute of Australia. “I consider it as one of my biggest achievements as it was in the early part of my career and therefore it was a great boost for me to continue to grow in this stream.” She attributes being a good manager to her passion for the job. “I enjoy being in marketing and one of the significant drivers is that nothing is ever the same. This constantly challenges me and I try to be proactive so that as a team we can achieve the impossible. Being a team player is a key asset and helps to ensure the other members of the marketing team are driven, so that together we can work towards achieving our goals.” Challenges and obstacles are rooted to one’s life. But what can help overcome it is having the right attitude. “Once you set your mind to ensuring you overcome the challenge whatever the outcome,

you will find the solution. And also we must stay positive, no matter how difficult the challenge is – do your best and the results will speak for itself,” Jasoria says. Being a go-getter, she adds, it’s the challenges that make her work even more interesting. “Getting to do what I enjoy most – marketing, and thereby having the opportunity to grow in that space and learning new experiences motivate me to a great extent.” She says venturing out to discover different aspects of marketing helps her to enhance her expertise in the field. “Not restricting myself to what is current but trying new things, researching on upcoming trends and monitoring what is happening in the market and keeping an eye out on competition helps me to develop my skills further.” Marketing is definitely hard work and often not appreciated, Jasoria says. “But if you like a challenge and enjoy thinking out of the box, then make the most of this journey.”

Rania Al Khatib Marketing Manager, Mindware

en years ago, Rania Al Khatib began her career in the IT industry with the regional systems integrator, MDS UAE. And the last three years she has been managing the marketing of the entire product portfolio for the regional distributor, Mindware. Besides establishing focused loyalty programmes, which cater specifically for the distributor’s partners across the region, Al Khatib says one of her recent achievements was the successful launch of Mindware’s new identity and new app at GITEX 2014. “This has been satisfying and rewarding.” Being a marketing manager has its own set of challenges, but in order to excel in this role, one must possess exceptional organisational skills, she says. “You also have to be creative and respond well to pressure, especially when handling large portfolio of different vendors with unique requirements.

Remaining proactive and staying ahead of new trends are also very important.” And carrying out a project within the allocated budgets is another aspect that comes with experience. Teamwork is essential for a marketing manager role. “Listening, being able to understand others contributions and then setting clear objectives on how to move forward is key,” she adds. While her role is demanding and challenging, Al Khatib says she is able to overcome it by being patient and assertive. “The pressure to deliver is high and ensuring everyone comes through can be challenging and at certain times, you need to be accommodating.” Even in this challenging work environment, what she loves most about her job is its diverse nature. “Working with many different vendors and partners mean you have to maintain a relationship with a number of different people

at all levels. One of the interesting aspects of working in marketing is that the success of a specific campaign is measurable, so that can be satisfying. Marketing is an enjoyable role especially since it is dynamic in nature. I love that I get the chance to be creative with no limits as long as I stay within the objective.” Her advice to those entering the field is simple, “Always trust your creativity.”

“Working with many different vendors and partners mean you have to maintain a relationship with a number of different people at all levels. One of the interesting aspects of working in marketing is that the success of a specific campaign is measurable, so that can be satisfying. Marketing is an enjoyable role especially since it is dynamic in nature. I love that I get the chance to be creative with no limits as long as I stay within the objective.” 33

Reham Damanhouri Marketing Manager, META, Red Hat

I “The most important skill for marketing is leadership skills, and you have to be energetic and flexible. You also require good time management skills and a very good eye for detail so that you can perfect your outcome.” 34

n the last five years of her career in the IT industry, Reham Damanhouri says the most noteworthy achievement has been self-development through achieving marketing goals and being a part of a small team that grew dramatically. She has also gotten into social media and gone on to manage big events. “Over the years, I have learned that you need various skills to be a marketing manager. The most important one is leadership skills, and you have to be energetic and flexible. You also require good time management skills and a very good eye for detail so that you can perfect your outcome. And as creativity is a bit limited in the IT industry, you have to be innovative in how to be creative effectively.” Understanding every single member’s role in the team is important to have a holistic idea of the work that needs to be done to meet the goals. “To be a team player,

you need to set a common goal for the entire team. And you need to be good at planning for performing the task, which includes the time, place and above all the budget,” Damanhouri says. “Communication plays a big role in being a good team player, otherwise the team will collapse. Therefore, regular meetings should be encouraged to make the team and the task as productive as possible.” One of the most effective ways to overcome a challenge is by avoiding stressing about it. She says, one needs to sit back and look at the challenge from a different view and think smartly of how to solve it as there is always a way to overcome any challenge. She loves the fact that her work is not a routine job. “I also love the company culture, working with my colleagues and of course the work I do, as it is very dynamic.” There are several factors that motivate Damanhouri – from

successfully achieving a goal to being appreciated for her hard work and efforts. “Also making customers and partners happy bring a deeper satisfaction. It then gets you excited about your goal and you remember why you are doing this.” Reading and sharing information helps her to stay tuned to the latest happenings in the industry. “I also try to find more ways to do things more efficiently or differently and also take courses to improve my skills and knowledge,” she says. Looking up to her aunt who is an entrepreneur, she inspires the younger generation to, “Jump on opportunities no matter how small they are as there is always a learning from it. The most important factor is to gain experience – you should take challenges and tasks without giving up easily, because this is what makes it exciting. As long as you enjoy what you are doing then you will achieve miracles.”

Reji Mathews Marketing Manager, Oki Middle East, India & Africa

eing customer centric, a good listener and being passionate about the brand are some of the traits, which Reji Mathews believes are necessary to be a good marketing manager. With experience that spans over two decades, he says, “You need to listen to people inside and outside of the company. And also try to understand what makes customers tick.” His current role as the Marketing Manager of Oki Middle East, India and Africa, allows him to learn something new each day. “What I love about my work is that it is not monotonous and there is always something to learn. It’s true that there is always a fear of the unknown, but that is also challenging and keeps you on your toes,” he says. When you are in a position of a manager, it is also necessary to be a team player. And Mathews believes

being courteous and having compassion for others are some necessary qualities. He adds, “Be firm in your thoughts yet be open to what others have to offer, be flexible. You also need to be an active participant and work hard and meet commitments. There is no room for free-riders in our business.” Not having the advantage of hailing from a technical background, he has worked hard over the years to understand the company’s products and growth strategy to overcome this challenge. He says, “I tried to learn about the technology, how it works so as to equip myself with the basic working knowledge.” And it’s not enough to rest on your laurels, he adds, especially in this highly dynamic space. “It’s an exciting and transformative time in the marketing world currently, so keep your eyes and ears open and be aware of what is

happening around you.” There are quite a few learnings from Mathews’ experiences, which industry novices can take note of. However, one of the most important aspects is to be passionate and always have the willingness to learn and adapt. “I’m learning more and connecting more, and I know this makes me a better marketer,” he concludes.

“What I love about my work is that it is not monotonous and there is always something to learn. It’s true that there is always a fear of the unknown, but that is also challenging and keeps you on your toes. A marketer should be firm in thoughts yet be open to what others have to offer, be flexible. You also need to be an active participant and work hard and meet commitments. There is no room for free-riders in our business.” 35

Sabine Salloum Channel Marketing Manager, MENA, Symantec

“It goes without saying that the Middle East culture is based on relationships; I would say that the strong business relationships I have built over the years with my internal stakeholders and within the channel community, are an achievement.” 36

abine Salloum’s illustrious IT marketing career began after graduating from university - where she had majored in Advertising and Marketing. “I visited Dubai eight years ago for - what I thought at the time - to be simply a relaxing vacation to experience the local culture,” she says. “While I was here, one of my friends informed me about a marketing vacancy that happened to be at Computer Associates (CA) in Dubai. You can say I was in the right place at the right time and my trip to Dubai was one of the most rewarding.” Salloum feels that she has since acclimatised herself well with the region, making a wealth of valuable business contacts, “It goes without saying that the Middle East culture is based on relationships; I would say that the strong business relationships I have built over the years with my internal stakeholders and within the channel community,

are an achievement,” she says. “Through those relationships, my alignment to the business and my focus on results, I have managed to bridge the gap between sales and marketing and change the perception of marketing from being a support role to becoming a valued business partner.” She also takes pride in attempting to stay true to her own values, “I love challenging the status quo, having the courage to do things differently, while taking calculated risks in order to achieve better results that can benefit the wider business,” she says. “I have been awarded the EMEA Marketing Award twice in the past two years for taking a different and more innovative approach in driving one of our biggest projects, with significantly less investment than previous years, while still achieving business objectives and delivering a stronger ROI.” As well as being a strong networker, Salloum derives

pleasure from taking on tough obstacles on a daily basis, “I love the fact that my job is challenging,” she says. “Being challenged gives you the opportunity to learn and try new things, to test and prove yourself over and over again and - most importantly - it constantly adds a different flavour to your daily dish.” She believes that her own personal drive allows her to overcome these difficulties, “Above all, I am passionate. Every day, I come to work with a winning mentality and a ‘can do’ attitude. One of my personal mantras is ‘when I commit, I deliver’.” When it comes to advising younger, less experienced peers, Salloum believes work ethic and tenacity are a recipe for success. “It’s all about hard work, having the courage to prove yourself and not being afraid to make mistakes, it’s the only way to learn and grow. All of it leads to growing your selfconfidence and success.”

Samantha Keating Regional Marketing Manager, MEA, Commvault Systems

ver 10 years ago, Samantha Keating undertook a varied and challenging role as an operations manager at Dubaibased WiSP Gulf, an infrastructure solutions reseller in the areas of wireless, security, storage and convergence, catering to small and medium enterprises in the region. And from then on, there was no looking back. Keating joined CommVault in 2010, when the vendor was relatively new across the MEA region. She says, “Although we had a world-class solution, we were lagging behind in terms of regional brand recognition.” Having launched several marketing initiatives and campaigns designed to position the vendor as a thought leader and trusted advisor, she adds, “Now I can truly say that we have managed

to increase our brand exposure considerably and simultaneously helped build a measurable sales pipeline that translates into revenue opportunities for the company.” The key to being a good marketing manager is possessing forward-planning and organisational skills. Keating says, “As my job involves a high degree of interaction with executives at all levels, either internally or with partners and suppliers, good inter-personal skills are also a must. It’s also important to have market intelligence as well as keep up with latest marketing techniques. And I’d say creativity and imagination are required for planning marketing strategies.” In a marketing role, “no two days are the same.” Being able to meet new people, visit new countries, see new processes implemented and observe the growing brand recognition of CommVault are some aspects,

which Keating enjoys the most about her work. She adds, “Most importantly, seeing the sales numbers increasing as a direct result of marketing effort, whether from the field team or from a partner is highly motivating.” As an ambitious and goaldriven person, she says, “I would like to see my marketing team expand across the region. It’s also an exciting time to be working in marketing as the traditional strategies are overtaken by real time in the digital world.” Keating believes that every mistake is a learning opportunity and there is nothing that she would change in her career if given the chance. “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, doing exactly what I’m supposed to do,” she says. The best piece of advice she can give any aspiring marketer is “to be passionate about what you do - if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

“I would like to see my marketing team expand across the region. It’s also an exciting time to be working in marketing as the traditional strategies are overtaken by real time in the digital world.” 37

Sandra Skairjeh Marketing Manager, ME, HP Software

S “Marketers need to be constant students. It’s important to research and stay abreast on the latest happenings in the industry, check out the creative awards, network with your industry peers, attend marketing events and get new certifications.” 38

andra Skairjeh has been a marketer for the last 15 years and has witnessed the evolution of the industry as it took place. She says, “I have been in the industry a long time. For me, my achievement doesn’t come from the ranks I have achieved, or the size of my paycheck, it comes from the respect I have earned from my managers, past and present, my colleagues and my peers within the industry.” Having an open mind is crucial to be a good marketing manager. According to Skairjeh, “Great marketers are strategic as the business requires it, but they can also switch hats and be tactical when the business demands it.” Often marketers feel limited by the lack of budgets, which is a challenge in today’s environment. But Skairjeh says this can be looked at as an opportunity to be more efficient and creative. While a good marketer will have qualities such as being a good listener and

respecting others opinions, Skairjeh adds, “No good marketing manager will ever state that anything they do can’t be measured. We are driven by the measurable and everything can be measured. I have learned to accept that and use it to my best advantage.” Sometimes even after establishing the budget and laying out the metrics and strategy for a great idea, it fails. This, she says, is because there is no clear consensus between sales and marketing. “I could have the best idea, but if it does not support the objectives of my field and channel sales teams, and I don’t run its validity with them, get their input and support, then no matter how awesome my idea is, it will never land. The handshake between sales and marketing is key to the launch of any successful go-tomarket campaign. If you overcome this, you overcome most challenges in the field,” she says. For Skairjeh, feeling that she is making a difference and

having an impact is a big factor to motivating her. Additionally, having a challenge, solving a problem and experimenting with a new tactic or strategy are key to driving her. A few years ago, social media marketing, blogging, gamification and other imagecentric marketing techniques were practically unheard of. “Marketers need to be constant students. It’s important to research and stay abreast on the latest happenings in the industry, check out the creative awards, network with your industry peers, attend marketing events and get new certifications,” she adds. According to Skairjeh, marketing is one line of business where one needs to be an allrounder. She advises aspiring marketers to “Hone up your communication, writing and presentation skills. Take a course or read up on customer buying behavior, negotiation and leadership skills. Keep an openmind, show humility and treat every experience as a learning.”

Sandrine Prat Marketing & Communication Manager, META, R&M

andrine Prat’s first involvement with the IT industry was a two-year stint as a marketing assistant for Cisco Systems in France which began in 1996, and she joined R&M MEA and Turkey in 2011 as Marketing and Communications Manager. She has had a diverse international career, working in Egypt, Morocco, Qatar, France, the USA and the UAE where she honed her skills while learning to adapt to different cultures and work ethics. Looking back at her early work life in the UAE, Prat believes that she coped well with the unique challenges that the region presented. “When I was first settling into my role, I had to establish and position myself quickly,” she says. “This was very important as the regional IT scene is a strongly male dominated field.” Reflecting on her success, she says, “I am focused, proactive and always try to operate outside

of my comfort zone so that I never get complacent. I am not scared to take on new challenges and have confidence in my abilities to persevere and find a solution however difficult the problem. Learning the art of time management and being highly organised has helped me to keep stress at bay and never miss opportunities.” Prat is a fitness enthusiast and believes that establishing a harmony between one’s mind and body is essential to creating a balance. “Involving myself in sports and physical activity keeps me fresh, calm and ready to face any challenge in my professional life.” Working in R&M, a company that has “strong family values”, which she identifies with, has motivated her to excel in her job. “I like the discipline, the challenges we have every day, the respect we have for each other, the proactive behaviour and the winning mentality,” she says. She also believes that in an organisation, teamwork is critical to success and

it is the team’s result rather than the individual’s result that is important. “To be effective in a team, you must first be approachable and ready to respect and listen to the opinions of others. Whenever I am a team leader for a dedicated project, I make sure that everybody is aware of the final objective and that all individual opinions are taking into account.” Away from work, Prat’s all-round philosophy is one of positivity and drive, “My attitude in life is the same as at work: dedication, discipline, organisation, proactiveness, positivity, willingness to support people, and always giving my maximum to make good things happen.” Finally, to aspiring marketers she says, “Marketing is a very interesting career choice. It requires you to interact with a lot of people and build long-lasting relationships which can go a long way in keeping everything on track. As a new entrant, you must be highly adaptable and constantly hungry to learn.”

“My attitude in life is the same as at work: dedication, discipline, organisation, proactiveness, positivity, willingness to support people, and always giving my maximum to make good things happen.” 39

Sarah Bentley head OF marketing mea & APAC, Arrow eCS

W “There are many notable people that I consider role models: Madonna for her business acumen and talent, and young Malaya Yousafzai for her bravery and fight for what she believes in. Strong women are everywhere and there is something in each of them that I aspire to.” 40

ith 15 years of industry

experience under her belt, Sarah Bentley’s first job was working for a networking manufacturer as an Assistant in the Logistics department. She is currently an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, “I stay close to them to ensure my marketing theory is up to speed,” she says. “I also read a lot and I network as much as possible with people in the industry.” Bentley relishes the challenge of making a difference to her company, and is never short of ambition, “I’m a naturally motivated person and I love what I do,” she says. “If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t be able to stay motivated and I’d move onto something else. I love making a real difference to

the bottom line by creating marketing campaigns that drive significant ROI. I also appreciate the general diversity of my role. There are constant challenges in every job. It’s how you deal with them and for me making something positive is always possible in any negative situation.” In a largely maledominated industry, Bentley draws inspiration from several female role models, “There are many notable people that I consider role models: Madonna for her business acumen and talent, and young Malaya Yousafzai for her bravery and fight for what she believes in. Strong women are everywhere and there is something in each of them that I aspire to.” Bentley is conscious of what it takes to stay on top of her game, “A strong understanding of what is happening in the marketplace and what influences people’s

buying decisions,” she says. “A willingness and desire to change and evolve with international trends to stay on top of the game. I am obsessed with analytics and ROI. What’s the point in doing something if you can’t measure its success?” By the same token, she is very conscious of keeping ahead of evolving trends, “Make sure you stay current,” she says. “The world changes so quickly and marketing strategies change all the time. You need to be ready to change with them. Or even better, be the person who thinks out of the box and changes them yourself.” Looking back, Bentley draws huge satisfaction from having no regrets in her career. “Any mistakes I’ve made have helped me grow into who I am today,” she says. “I don’t think I would do anything differently. I’m happy with the way things have worked out for me.”

Svetlana Sorokina Regional Marketing Manager, META, Aptec-an Ingram Micro company

vetlana Sorokina has been working with Aptec-an Ingram Micro company for the last 15 years. She joined as the Product Manager of Nokia and Ericsson and later moved to IT distribution in 2009 with the same company. She says her biggest career achievement is yet to come, although she has had quite a few milestones, which she is proud of. Two years ago, when Aptec Distribution was acquired by Ingram Micro, a global IT distributor, she found herself challenged with a new role of Regional Marketing Manager. Integrating Aptec’s multiple offices in the META region under one umbrella, introducing a regional marketing strategy and implementing it in all countries were no small tasks. But she was able to successfully build a strong brand for the company in the region, together with the whole team. “I am proud that today Aptec,

an Ingram Micro company, is strongly positioned in the market as one of the leading valueadded distributors in the region.” She finds herself fortunate to have had a sales background as she understands well how to marry both sales and marketing together. “I learned from my previous experience that the most important aspect is the customer, so understanding what the customer needs makes your best marketing plan. I begin from customer needs analysis always when building my marketing campaigns or projects,” she says. Being an expert in business analytics is essential to be a good marketing manager, she says. One will always find it difficult to achieve the ROI without it. “And of course, creativity is required in everything you do,” she adds. Sorokina believes that having the ability to share expertise and know-how with others openly is a great trait, which brings people closer to each other. “I will never

stop learning and I am always grateful to people who can openly share their experience with me, that is very important when you work in a team,” she says. She follows this mantra even when she has to overcome a challenge, by having an open discussion with her team members to reach the solutions together. The IT industry forces one to challenge his or her creativity – and this is precisely what she loves about her job the most. She says, “Each day’s challenges are motivation for me. There are certain personal or professional goals, which I put in front of me and I thrive to achieve them. They can be small or big, but there is never a day when some of them are not achieved. So when driving back home after work I always try to remember something that I accomplished during the day, whether it is a word of appreciation from my boss, or a completed project, or a simple ‘thank you’ from a partner or even a smile from a colleague.”

“Each day’s challenges are motivation for me. There are certain personal or professional goals, which I put in front of me and I thrive to achieve them. They can be small or big, but there is never a day when some of them are not achieved.” 41

Tushar Chawla Channel Marketing Manager, Comstor, WestconGroup ME

T “Aligning marketing to strategic business plans helps drive results, which can be measured and adds so much more meaning to what we are doing. My strategic planning and analytical skills help me greatly on this front. I try to add a lot of creativity to whatever I do.” 42

ushar Chawla’s journey into the IT industry began seven years ago when he was placed with an IT distributor, straight out of college in Dubai. The marketing MBA graduate considers Comstor’s Marketing-as-aService (MaaS) model as his key achievement, which is first of its kind in the region. “It has received great feedback both locally as well as at the EMEA level and I feel really happy to be helping my other colleagues in the region in implementing this amazing model of revenue marketing,” he says. He believes what makes him a good marketing manager is the fact that he aligns marketing to strategic business plans of

the company. “This helps drive results, which can be measured and adds so much more meaning to what we are doing. My strategic planning and analytical skills help me greatly on this front. I try to add a lot of creativity to whatever I do.” According to Chawla, one of the biggest and yet the most interesting challenges faced by any marketer today is to make others understand the true power of marketing. He says, it is a lot more than doing activities on an ad-hoc basis and rather having a holistic approach towards marketing that relates to business goals. “Although increasing number of people are understanding the power of social media and internet marketing, there is much more that marketing can drive.”

He draws motivation by reading inspirational books. But more than that, what really drives him is having to look at the bigger picture rather than just the execution. “Coming up with new ideas and seeing things shape up well when begun from scratch is definitely a constant source of motivation for me,” he says. Chawla enhances his skills by keeping himself wellinformed on the latest trends not only in marketing but in IT as well. “I believe in the power of best practice sharing and I try to do that internally in the organisation as well as outside.” As the market is dynamic and constantly evolving, it is important to continuously enhance one’s skill set, but simultaneously, “take things easy and enjoy the journey in the field of marketing,” Chawla advises.

Urvendrasinh Gohil Marketing Manager, MEA, Cyberoam

rvendrasinh Gohil says his career decision was an obvious one, considering that IT was booming back in 2008. And over the last six years, he has had several noteworthy achievements, out of which, managing the marketing for Cyberoam in Middle East and Africa has been a major milestone in his career till date. To be a good marketer, one has to be a people person, and this is a quality, Gohil possess. “It’s something no B-School can teach you. Understanding customers’ psychology comes naturally to me and during the course of my career, I have developed expertise in channel marketing. These are the basic things you look for in a good marketing manager.” Understanding one’s role

and responsibilities, trust and respect for others in the team are necessary to be a good team player. “Also being a good listener and having the willingness to take-up additional responsibility at times helps,” he says. According to Gohil, there is no single strategy to overcome a challenge. “But being persistent always helps. Also, timely and regular communication with channel and customers helps in resolving most issues.” Having the opportunity to travel to different destinations and meet people from different walks of life are some aspects he loves about his work. He says, “It is always a big motivation to help people resolve their issues. Being able to effectively communicate solutions to our customers and partners, helps a lot in keeping

the motivation levels high.” Deriving inspiration from Steve Jobs, Gohil says, “He is someone who completely revolutionised the approach of selling technology to people.” If he could do anything differently about his career, he says he would have taken the organisation and his professional achievements a “notch higher”. “But there is no way by which I would have known this earlier as there is no substitute for first-hand experience,” he adds. Gohil is an avid reader and this helps him be on top of all the latest and current trends. He also ensures he attends industry seminars and subscribes for news on online portals. His advice to those starting off their career in this field is, “Be good and enjoy your space.”

“Understanding customers’ psychology comes naturally to me and during the course of my career, I have developed expertise in channel marketing. These are the basic things you look for in a good marketing manager.” 43

THE VOICE OF THE CHANNEL Reseller Middle East has been published by CPI, the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading IT publisher, for more than two decades. While the IT industry has metamorphosed itself completely over the last decade, the publication continues to play its dominant role of voice of the channel. It has been the ambition of the publication to keep the channel community updated on vendor technology and product developments and vendors updated on the best interests of channel partners over the years. Today, the IT community faces some of the most dramatic transformations taking place around Cloud, storage, wireless, smartphones, touch screens and data. Channel partners are having to adapt their business dramatically and radically to these changes. Many of the golden rules of engagement are being rewritten today based on the corporate user environment, technology dynamics, shrinking market opportunities and increased competition. Reseller Middle East is facing this turmoil head on and continues to engage in dialogue with all sides to bring to its community of readers, both in print and online, valuable feedback, suggestions, opinions and advice on the optimal and best way forward. The Reseller team is proud to be part of the regional channel community and play the role of an unbiased spokesperson and trusted advisor. The publication continues to spin off brand extensions in the form of its annual awards, annual survey, top ten rankings, regional supplements, round table forums, buyer sessions, e-newsletters and monthly supplements. We sincerely believe that 2015 will be a win-win period for both of us!