Morning Brew for Marketing Executives

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Welcome to a podcast where senior B2B marketing leaders from globally recognized brands in complex industries share their stories and experiences of what it’s like to be a marketing leader. You’ll hear inspiring career journeys, leadership philosophies, and key learnings — so let’s dive into the world of marketing leadership! The podcast is produced by Mavenfirst.

Episodes

  1. 13 Behind the scenes | One year of podcasting: the stats, the strategy, and the learnings from 15 episodes

    12/22/2025

    13 Behind the scenes | One year of podcasting: the stats, the strategy, and the learnings from 15 episodes

    In this special solo episode, host Jani Hovila takes the mic alone to wrap up the first full year of the Mavenfirst podcast. It has been a journey of 15 recorded episodes, 12 published conversations, and lots of learning.  Why did we decide to launch a podcast in the first place? What was the business case and the goals? Jani shares more about the strategic reasoning and filling a "white space" in the market for Northern European B2B leadership content and building brand familiarity in key Nordic markets. You also get to hear behind-the-scenes details about the operation. Jani shares data on subscriber counts and listening hours. Is 1 000 listens enough when your total addressable market is only 600 companies? And why do we think the results are good?  In this episode, you’ll hear more about:  Why we committed to a podcast in the first place. A transparent look at our subscribers and total listening times, and key numbers. The reality of production time and other learnings. How to measure success when attribution software shows zero leads, but anecdotal feedback is strong. Whether you are thinking of starting your own B2B podcast or are just curious about what it takes to run one, take a look at what happens behind the scenes. Thank you to all our guests and listeners for a fantastic year! We’ll get back next year.

    27 min
  2. 12 Asbjørn Severin from Danelec | How I lead my marketing function towards commercial growth to unlock its full potential

    12/11/2025

    12 Asbjørn Severin from Danelec | How I lead my marketing function towards commercial growth to unlock its full potential

    Stop being the flyer factory: How do you transform a decades-old industrial B2B marketing team into a strategic, data-driven revenue engine? In this episode, you will hear more about leading marketing at traditional maritime technology company Danelec as it has shifted from hardware to software and data.  Our guest is Asbjørn Severin, SVP of Marketing and Communications at Danelec. Asbjørn joined Danelec in 2023 to help the company realize the full potential of its marketing and support ambitious growth goals. Asbjørn has significant experience in management consulting, branding, and communications. He has worked as a consultant and advisor, helping clients navigate organizational transformations, complex M&As, and develop strategic brands. In this episode, he highlights that getting stakeholder buy-in is super important to change the perception of marketing from a "PowerPoint bureau" to a modern marketing engine. The fastest way is to align marketing KPIs with the rest of the commercial organization to ensure the marketing function serves the commercial targets. He emphasizes that sales and marketing should operate as a single team with the same revenue goals. Listen now more about: What does it take to build a modern marketing team from the ground up in a decades-old industrial business?  How to successfully rebrand your marketing department internally by moving from a support role to a strategic commercial engine?  What is the marketing executive's perspective during an M&A process? And how do you execute a rapid, strategic rebranding to unite three companies under a single, customer-focused story, transforming the company's perception in the market? Why is cultural change harder and slower in-house than what you experience as an external advisor?  Get in touch with Asbjørn on LinkedIn.

    49 min
  3. 11 Delfin Vassallo from Georg Fischer | How I lead my marketing department: where planning is important, plans less so, and where B2B doesn't mean boring 2 boring

    12/02/2025

    11 Delfin Vassallo from Georg Fischer | How I lead my marketing department: where planning is important, plans less so, and where B2B doesn't mean boring 2 boring

    How do you navigate the shift when your lean marketing team of nine integrates with a corporation that has a global marketing headcount of 85 professionals? What can you learn when getting buy-in from top management that you should produce up to 343 videos in-house? And how do you communicate marketing's business value when direct attribution is "delusional”? From using videos and humor to leadership philosophies and business impact, these topics were covered in a discussion with Delfin Vassallo, Global Head of Marketing Communications for the Infrastructure Division at George Fisher. Delfin has had a career in marketing for over 25 years, so he definitely has valuable experience to share! In this episode, you’ll hear more about the challenges Delfin faced in acquiring buy-in from top management, the importance of using humor in marketing campaigns, and the need to adopt an experimental mindset that supports ongoing improvement.  Listen to more about:  The philosophy that "marketing is responsible for tomorrow's sale” Why direct attribution is viewed as "delusional" and how the focus is shifted to generating a massive sales pipeline (e.g., $71M+) as the core metric of success The agile methodology for a heavy B2B environment The strategy of creating hundreds of in-house videos featuring "solution experts" leading to direct inbound calls from new clients Scaling a small, agile team of 9 into a global marketing organization of 85+ following a major corporate acquisition Connect with Delfin on LinkedIn.  A couple of videos discussed in the episode:  Stormwise - Solutions for rainwater management - Singing in the drain https://youtu.be/Eky0ptFyn9A?si=h60e4JHG7M4JmviZ  And the follow up, a bit toned down, using a 'Mad Scientist' https://youtu.be/bgbfz9Kot14?si=64lRFzYctgc7qFu8  FastGuard cable protection pipes with installer https://youtu.be/yPCYsjKPnNA?si=r-nVupAgKurIA563  Cleanwise - wastewater treatment solutions - Poo emojis https://youtu.be/ZVd0b1XdL70?si=oOR3SvWAlFA9MZXY

    1h 25m
  4. 10 Matti Tiitinen from Valtra | How I lead my farmer-focused marketing and sales team at Valtra

    10/28/2025

    10 Matti Tiitinen from Valtra | How I lead my farmer-focused marketing and sales team at Valtra

    What is the role of marketing in an industrial brand that has one of the highest retention rates in Europe? And what is the leadership philosophy behind running the commercial engine with a strong focus on customer experience? In this episode, we sit down with Matti Tiitinen, VP for Sales and Marketing at Valtra, a key member of both the European and global Fendt/Valtra leadership teams.  Valtra is a legendary brand with a long history, part of the global AGCO Corporation. Valtra is the leading tractor brand in the Nordics, one of the best growing brands in the whole of Europe, and a household name in South America and globally sold in 75 countries. Matti shares his insights on leading the function that combines sales and marketing under one umbrella. You'll hear more about: The role of marketing: How Valtra’s marketing department "carves out the value" for their products, positioning the function as a true value-driver. Decentralized decision-making: Matti’s thoughts on decentralized decision-making using a strong culture and clear focus, empowering the right people in the right places. Leadership in action: Insights on goal-setting and team achievement, including why they prioritize team wins over individual targets. Customer experience: Concrete examples of how Valtra leverages the full customer journey and customer experience to create lasting value and sustain high retention rates. Connect with Matti on LinkedIn. AGCO Tech Day 2025:  https://investors.agcocorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/agco-tech-day-2025-spotlights-ai-autonomy-and-mixed-fleet https://investors.agcocorp.com/events/event-details/2025-tech-day  More about the podcast: https://www.mavenfirst.com/morning-brew-for-marketing-executives

    47 min
  5. 09 Viktor Wallström from Saab | Why you shouldn’t make your CEO the crisis manager

    09/25/2025

    09 Viktor Wallström from Saab | Why you shouldn’t make your CEO the crisis manager

    Today, we’re excited to welcome Viktor Wallström, the Senior Vice President and Head of Group Communication and Sustainability at Saab. With an impressive career, Viktor has established himself as a thought leader in crisis management and communication within the defense and security sector. In addition to his position at Saab, he serves as a Board Member of several organizations, including the Swedish Marketing Federation. In today’s episode, we jump into crisis management and communication – discussing how to prepare for the unexpected, effectively handle a crisis, and recover from it. When a crisis hits, many companies elevate crisis management to the highest levels, assuming that the management team should always take the lead. However, in this episode, Viktor shares why he does not recommend this approach and outlines what you should do instead. Additionally, you’ll hear more about two essential pillars for effective crisis communication: structure and practice. Find more about Viktor and connect with him on LinkedIn.  --- Mavenfirst: https://www.mavenfirst.com/morning-brew-for-marketing-executives LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mavenfirst-fi YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Mavenfirst

    50 min
  6. 08 Andrea Alter from Workday | How do you empower your team to embrace challenges and learn from mistakes? Discussion with Andrea

    08/12/2025

    08 Andrea Alter from Workday | How do you empower your team to embrace challenges and learn from mistakes? Discussion with Andrea

    How do you empower your team to embrace challenges and learn from mistakes? What does it take to create a truly safe space for your team to innovate and experiment without fear? And how do you strike that crucial balance between giving accountability and ensuring your marketing hits its targets? In this episode, we hop into these questions and more with Andrea Alter, a marketing executive at Workday with over twenty years of B2B experience, including time with the Big Four.  Andrea started with a degree in French literature and international economics, which she credits for developing her critical thinking and storytelling skills. Now at Workday, Andrea leads marketing across Europe and Africa, emphasizing the growth and learning involved.  You’ll hear her perspective on leading diverse, multicultural marketing teams across Europe and Africa, and learn how to empower your team to tackle challenges and grow from mistakes. Additionally, you’ll learn more about Andrea’s leadership philosophy, what’s on her desk right now, and how she would use the triple-time marketing budget.  Book recommendations mentioned in the episode:   Storytelling With Data by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic   Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone by Mark Goldstone

    57 min
  7. 07 Helena Kappen from Microsoft | CMO’s perspective on AI

    06/24/2025

    07 Helena Kappen from Microsoft | CMO’s perspective on AI

    Let’s step into the world of AI with Helena Kappen, Chief Marketing Officer for Microsoft Sweden! How is AI truly transforming B2B marketing? How can AI be more than just a tool, but a 'transformational engine' for your marketing? What strategies can B2B marketing executives implement to leverage AI effectively? And how can you, as a marketing leader, ensure you’re not just keeping up, but staying ahead? Where to start?  In this episode, you’ll hear directly from a top CMO at Microsoft about navigating this AI transformation. Helena shares a practical way to think about how AI can transform your organization on three different levels and how you can contribute to these levels.  You’ll hear concrete examples of how you can utilize AI as a marketing leader and what types of AI Agents you can build to enhance your productivity as a leader. Additionally, Helena tells more about the newly released Chief Marketing Manager Agent for Copilot and how to take advantage of it. Helena has worked at Microsoft for almost 10 years, holding five different roles, including positions in Western Europe and industry marketing management. In this episode, you’ll hear more about her background and her way of thinking about leadership. Get in touch with Helena.  Learn more about the Chief Marketing Manager Agent in Copilot.

    46 min
  8. 06 Pia Posio from Glaston Corporation | A Marketing Director's perspective on change

    06/04/2025

    06 Pia Posio from Glaston Corporation | A Marketing Director's perspective on change

    Today, we have the pleasure of hearing from Pia Posio, an experienced leader and the current VP of Communications, Marketing & IR at Glaston Corporation. Pia has navigated significant organizational changes and has deep expertise in leading through transformation. With a long career, she has previously worked, e.g., at Wärtsilä and spent over 15 years at IBM in sales and marketing. In this episode, we're diving into the critical topic of change management and communications. Pia will share practical tips and strategies on how to effectively drive change, manage stakeholders, and maintain momentum in the face of constant evolution.  You will learn about the changes from the marketing director's perspective, what to consider before the actual change happens, how to convert change impulse into a meaningful narrative for different stakeholders, thinking “What’s in it for them”. Pia shares practical strategies for handling change, emphasizing that it's not always a matter of choice but rather a necessity, whether planned, forced, or evolutionary. Additionally, you will hear more of Pia’s thoughts about the differences between change and continuous development, the wheel of Influence in dealing with changes, and how important it is to address emotions and potential reactions during the change journey. Connect with Pia on LinkedIn.  Learn more: https://www.prosci.com/blog/change-management-communicationhttps://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-be-a-good-storytellerhttps://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-communicate-organizational-changehttps://www.bitesizelearning.co.uk/resources/change-curve-management-modelhttps://positivepsychology.com/circles-of-influence/

    1h 1m
  9. 04 Bita Popovic from Trimble | The Engineering Mindset: Revolutionizing Customer Experience in B2B

    04/10/2025

    04 Bita Popovic from Trimble | The Engineering Mindset: Revolutionizing Customer Experience in B2B

    Who should own the customer experience within a company in a B2B complex industry? How do you measure its impact? How do you translate strategic vision into actionable, data-driven initiatives that drive real results? Why is marketing uniquely positioned to lead customer experience initiatives and drive organizational alignment? And where to start if you work in an industry where customer experience has not traditionally been a priority? Today, we discuss customer experience and retention with Bita Popovic from Trimble. As the Global Head of Customer Retention Marketing, Bita has a diverse background in customer success leadership, marketing, sales, and engineering. She shares her insights on the importance of breaking down traditional silos so that customer experience (CX) becomes a shared responsibility across the entire organization. In this episode, you’ll hear more about the evolution of customer experience: From buyer experience to the full customer journey, how to balance short-term and long-term goals, what is the cost of inaction, and what the future of customer retention looks like. Bita shares practical advice for marketing executives to implement immediately to improve their customer experience efforts.  Connect with Bita on LinkedIn.

    1h 7m
  10. 03 Sirpa Ikola from Schneider Electric | Sales and marketing as a spectrum of one – insights from an experienced former VP of Marketing and current business leader

    04/02/2025

    03 Sirpa Ikola from Schneider Electric | Sales and marketing as a spectrum of one – insights from an experienced former VP of Marketing and current business leader

    In this episode, we welcome Sirpa Ikola, a seasoned business leader with a global career in the telecom, consumer electronics, and energy industries. Currently, she is Vice President for Strategy and Development, and the Country Sales Director for Home and Distribution & Power Products at Schneider Electric Finland. With nearly 20 years in telecom at Ericsson, Nokia, and HTC, she has led international marketing and sales teams across Europe and Asia before transitioning to B2B marketing and leadership in the energy sector. In this episode, she shares her thoughts and learnings on how to succeed at the executive level and work with and in management teams. One key factor for success is adopting the mindset that sales and marketing are connected aspects of a single spectrum. Both functions need to work together to realize their synergy in both the short and long term. In this episode, you will also hear about Sirpa’s leadership philosophy and her perspective on the differences between leadership in B2C and B2B environments. Are there significant differences, or is leading simply leading? And what is good leadership? Additionally, Sirpa offers insights on how marketing leaders can navigate management teams, the challenges and opportunities they face at the executive level, and how to create a cohesive story that aligns with business value. Reach out Sirpa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sirpaikola/

    1h 14m
  11. 02 Patrícia Namba from Atlas Copco | How do you succeed in decentralized marketing? Lessons from Patrícia

    03/03/2025

    02 Patrícia Namba from Atlas Copco | How do you succeed in decentralized marketing? Lessons from Patrícia

    This episode highlights a conversation with Patrícia Namba, Senior Global Marketing Communications Manager from Atlas Copco. With over 15 years of global experience in marketing, communications, and sustainability, she shares her thoughts on working in a decentralized company. Patrícia has an interesting and somewhat unconventional background for someone in marketing. She studied law before switching to communications and marketing. As she puts it, "That's the beauty of academics: We learn how to learn." This background has equipped her with strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, allowing her to analyze various perspectives and understand the bigger picture before making decisions. In this episode, Patrícia shares her insights on working in companies that operate in a decentralized manner. If someone were to start a new role in a decentralized company, what tips would she offer? Working in a decentralized company is all about collaboration – joining forces to drive better outcomes. But how can you ensure that global and local teams work together effectively rather than operate in silos? How can you take successful local marketing initiatives and scale them for global impact? You’ll hear more about the power of co-creation, collaboration, and scaling in decentralized marketing. Patrícia emphasizes the importance of working closely with customer-facing teams to achieve better outcomes.  You’ll also hear how to balance structure and flexibility in decentralized marketing, and how to make global campaigns work across regions with vastly different team sizes and resources, why co-creation with local teams is essential, and what key lessons new marketing leaders in decentralized organizations should keep in mind. Connect with Patrícia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-namba/  The links and resources mentioned in the episode: Gartner: https://www.gartner.com/en  Forrester: https://www.forrester.com/bold/  B2B Insiders: https://open.spotify.com/show/5f59iqzShvJc7Hb7dMaiRP?si=7665188f7037416b

    36 min
  12. 01 Sandra Anderstedt from Sandvik | How do you make a 60-member ambassador program thrive in marketing?

    03/03/2025

    01 Sandra Anderstedt from Sandvik | How do you make a 60-member ambassador program thrive in marketing?

    In this episode, we’re joined by a seasoned marketing and communication leader with nearly 20 years of experience in Sandvik, a global, stock-listed engineering company. As Vice President and Head of Marketing and Communications, and member of the business area segment management team at Sandvik Manufacturing Solutions, Sandra Anderstedt leads a global team with 8 employees.   In this conversation, she shares insights on one of her favorite topics: setting and following up on goals and targets, as well as empowering team members by providing them with clear responsibilities and expectations.   You will also learn about the organization's innovative ambassador program, which engages experts from across the company to contribute valuable insights into marketing. We discuss the strategy behind this program, including its structure, the factors that encouraged voluntary participation, and how it continues to provide value.   Additionally, you'll discover more about Sandra's interesting background and her successful approach to leading the marketing and communication team. What is Sandra's leadership philosophy? What has motivated her to remain with the same organization for nearly 20 years? How does she handle ad hoc requests while guiding her team in managing their workload? Get in touch with Sandra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-anderstedt/  The links and resources mentioned in the episode: The Eisenhower Matrix: https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/

    1h 9m
  • 12 Episodes

About

Welcome to a podcast where senior B2B marketing leaders from globally recognized brands in complex industries share their stories and experiences of what it’s like to be a marketing leader. You’ll hear inspiring career journeys, leadership philosophies, and key learnings — so let’s dive into the world of marketing leadership! The podcast is produced by Mavenfirst.

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