Encouraging teams for continuous learning is the only way we can grow as professionals. Nada Khan has a team of marketers at Nutanix, with a goal to support sales. She leads with compassionate management and puts the team first, over function, role, and self. Nada always emphasizes the importance of fostering connections and cherishing the opportunities that arise from them. Her insights into AI adoption, automation, and ethical considerations in the marketing space reflect a forward-thinking perspective.
Nada’s journey reflects the resilience, adaptability, and commitment to growth, while her leadership at Nutanix underscores her dedication to shaping the future of marketing in the ever-evolving landscape. Here’s her story to witness:
Journey through Relationships, Learning, and Leadership
Nada Khan firmly believes that seizing the right opportunities involves a delicate balance of relationships, timing, and a touch of luck. Throughout her career, these three elements have remained pivotal. Speaking about the significance of relationships, Nada emphasizes the unpredictable nature of the doors that may open through connections, encouraging everyone to nurture all relationships. Her professional journey commenced at LinkedIn in Toronto, an opportunity facilitated by a valuable connection. Grateful for the growth experienced in those early years, Nada held various sales positions within LinkedIn before deciding to transition to her next venture which included a change in job function into marketing.
Nutanix witnessed Nada’s ascent to leadership, a progression attributed to a trusted relationship with her dear friend, Aaron White. Originating from a professional connection during her tenure at LinkedIn, their mutual respect and admiration blossomed into a fruitful relationship over the years. Nada stresses the importance of having a champion or mentor who can provide guidance, protection, and foster one’s professional growth—a rare but indispensable asset that requires cultivation.
Nada contends that embracing a continuous learning mindset is vital to overcoming career challenges. Her success, she asserts, is rooted in curiosity and an eagerness to learn, qualities that have only intensified over the years. Each role, including her current leadership position, presented a steep learning curve approached with enthusiasm. Transitioning into the cloud software industry at Nutanix required dedicated efforts to comprehend the domain, involving interactions with peers, educational courses, and hands-on experience.
Nada also embraces the inevitability of failure as a stepping stone to success, urging professionals to surround themselves with companies and managers who share this philosophy. In her leadership role today, she encourages her team to embrace learning and innovation, even if it entails navigating through failures—an indispensable aspect of professional growth.
While acknowledging the challenges posed by the unknown, Nada reflects on her journey, she did not confront any major challenges distinct from the macro challenges faced universally, such as economic recessions and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the difficulties encountered during this period, she expresses gratitude for being among the fortunate individuals working for a company that effectively managed challenges with minimal disruption.
Nada does mention one obstacle which is the issue of “professional culture familiarity,” which is when someone becomes too adjusted to a particular company’s cultural values and way of working. Nada shares her personal struggle when transitioning from one company’s culture to another. Having developed a profound connection with LinkedIn’s culture, adjusting to a different environment at Nutanix presented a significant mental shift. Nada recognizes the importance of managing expectations regarding culture replication in new organizations, acknowledging that each company’s culture, whether better or different, requires a unique adaptation process.
Redefining IT Landscapes and Pioneering Hybrid Cloud Solutions
Nutanix emerges as a pioneering force in the software industry, marked by its dynamic and disruptive approach. It is a young and energetic brand. The company’s commitment to challenging conventional norms and simplifying complex IT landscapes positions it as a catalyst for innovation. With a clear focus on hybrid cloud solutions, the company anticipates the future of infrastructure and endeavors to make clouds seamlessly integrated and virtually invisible. Through its mission, this organization not only addresses the current challenges faced by organizations but also propels them toward a digitally transformed and agile future.
Navigating Growth at Nutanix
As the Regional Marketing Director for Emerging Markets at Nutanix, Nada Khan oversees a diverse and dynamic landscape encompassing the Middle East, Turkey, and Sub-Saharan Africa, spanning over 27 countries with distinct cultures and languages. There is never a dull day in her role. Leading a team of four talented marketers, her role is integral to the EMEA Marketing Leadership structure, contributing to the broader vision reporting into Paris. Nada’s primary focus lies in revenue marketing, where data-driven demand generation takes center stage. Ensuring optimal coverage of Named Accounts and strategic touchpoints throughout the buyer journey, she navigates the complexities of B2B sales cycles, which often extend from 8 to 12 months.
Implementing sophisticated marketing tools, Nada has successfully adopted an attribution model, emphasizing ROI metrics and measuring pipeline generated as a precursor to deal closure. Beyond revenue, brand amplification emerges as a crucial facet of her responsibilities, manifested through PR and Events. At the core of brand amplification is one objective: the “accounts that need to know who Nutanix is, will know who we are.” By strategically disseminating announcements at a local level and showcasing customer stories, Nada aims to establish and fortify Nutanix’s presence in the market.
Event management, including participation in prominent technology trade shows and hosting proprietary events like .NEXT, further underscores her commitment to fostering brand awareness and engagement. Nada’s multifaceted role reflects a strategic blend of analytics, brand-building, and event orchestration, contributing significantly to Nutanix’s prominence in emerging markets.
Navigating the Technological Landscape
In essence, the integration of cloud technologies, exemplified by CRM platforms and collaborations with industry leaders, has become indispensable for marketing leaders. The scalability, cost efficiency, and multifaceted value offered by these cloud-based tools underscore their pervasive role in shaping the contemporary marketing landscape. As technology evolves, marketing leadership will inevitably remain deeply entwined with the dynamic advancements in cloud-based innovations.
Navigating the Crossroads of AI and Human Connection
In the realm of contemporary marketing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as the defining element of the year, representing not just the next big thing but the current frontier. The nuanced challenge lies in harnessing AI’s capabilities effectively while preserving the essence of human connection. Although AI streamlines various marketing processes—from content creation to social media management and data analytics—it raises concerns about diminishing the role of human talent. Balancing disruptive technologies with the irreplaceable human touch becomes pivotal in crafting an authentic marketing strategy.
At Nutanix, we are actively exploring AI’s potential, primarily focusing on data-driven decision-making. Utilizing AI for predictive analytics enhances our understanding of the audience, a fundamental aspect of marketing. In the intricate landscape of B2B, where decision-making involves multiple stakeholders, AI aids in identifying key players and understanding their priorities. The evolving landscape of AI in automation not only streamlines routine tasks but liberates marketers to channel their efforts into innovation and face-to-face interactions.
However, ethical considerations and privacy concerns need to be addresses firmly so that companies can adopt AI responsibly. Striking a balance between leveraging generative AI data and safeguarding customer interests requires a commitment to transparency, customer-centric practices, and stringent adherence to privacy guidelines and compliance standards. As AI continues to shape the future of marketing, ethical considerations need to remain at the forefront.
Navigating Opportunities and Shaping the Future
Nutanix’s commitment to a decentralized operational model offers unique advantages in workforce mobility and local customization, setting it apart in the tech industry. The fluidity of opportunities across functions and geographies demonstrates a belief in the value of diverse talent. Looking forward, the dynamic nature of global markets is likely to bring forth new and evolving roles in the field of marketing across organizations.
Upholding Cultural Excellence
Nutanix exemplifies a robust organizational culture built on four key principles. Firstly, an unwavering commitment to customer success, reflected in the continuous achievement of a remarkable 90+ NPS score for the past 7 years, demonstrates a dedication to solving problems with energy, empathy, integrity, and tenacity.
Secondly, the emphasis on teamwork fosters a collaborative environment where individuals prioritize the collective success of Team Nutanix over individual roles or functions. This inclusive culture values diversity, ensuring that every voice is heard and all employees feel a sense of belonging.
Thirdly, the culture is characterized by ownership and integrity, operating within a high-performance framework that demands accountability, clear expectations, and swift execution.
Lastly, Nutanix adopts a long-term perspective, aspiring to build a company that thrives over time. This involves a commitment to creating a positive workplace, delivering quality products, supporting communities, and reducing environmental impact. The company’s dedication to continuous improvement and a growth mindset underscores its commitment to building a sustainable and successful future.
Nada highlights the importance of culture within organizations, it need not be simply a check box in a corporate OKR but rather a philosophy and guidebook for all employees. A healthy culture helps people be the best version of themselves and acts as a magnet for top talent in the future.
Crucial Alignment of Marketing and Sales Leadership
In her years of leadership, Nada Khan has gleaned a crucial insight: the success of a marketing leader in executing company objectives hinges on alignment with other key stakeholders. For marketing to thrive, collaboration with functions like sales is paramount. In the B2B landscape, where the norm is for companies to lead with sales, it becomes imperative for marketing to follow suit.
Recognizing the symbiotic relationship between marketing and sales, Nada advocates for early involvement of marketing in strategic conversations, positioning them not as passengers but as drivers of the overall strategy. This strategic alignment, she emphasizes, is a foundational element for success and growth in any organization, and leaders should actively seek and cultivate this synergy within their teams.