Suggestions
Smita Gupta
Woman in Fintech - CMO - Start up Advisor - Platform & Marketplaces builder - SaaS/ Cloud
Smita Gupta is a prominent figure in the fintech and technology industry with over 25 years of experience. She has held several leadership positions, including Global Head of Marketing for Platform Ecosystem, Applications & Marketplaces at Finastra from June 2020 to August 2021.2 Currently, she is a Managing Director and Growth Advisor at Smita Gupta Advisory, where she works with high-growth scale-ups and PE-backed firms in fintech, crypto, SaaS, and high-tech spaces.2
Throughout her career, Smita has been recognized for her contributions to the industry:
- Bronze Winner for Best Female Entrepreneur in Business Services at the Stevie Awards in 20231
- Marketing Businesswoman of the Year & Business Consultant at the Women in Business Award by Business Awards UK in 20231
- Named among the Top 30 Global Fintech Marketing Influencers by The Fintech Marketing Hub in 20221
Smita is known for her expertise in:
- Go-to-market and growth strategies
- Brand development and positioning
- Platform and ecosystem development
- Building Marketing Centers of Excellence
- Digital transformation
She is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the technology industry and has been a keynote speaker at events such as the Women's Forum for the Economy & Society and the Asian Women in Leadership Summit.2
Prior to her current roles, Smita held positions at companies like Tradeshift, where she served as CMO3, and various leadership roles at Finastra, including Chief Marketing Officer for Asia Pacific.2
Highlights
The relationship between Marketing and the board can be improved from both sides, and understanding what the board is looking for from Marketing in particular, can support better collaboration and direction.
1 ➜ How is Marketing contributing to revenue growth? CMOs should be able to outline clearly to the board how Marketing has contributed to growth and what the forecast is. This likely requires alignment with Sales and a solid tracking process throughout the user journey, but is an important step in improving how the board views and understands Marketing. Use business language, as opposed to marketing terminology, and explain marketing processes even if you think they are widely understood.
2 ➜ How is Marketing protecting the brand and reputation? For most businesses, Marketing is the main point of contact with customers and the wider public. The board is focused on the longevity and value of the brand and want to know that Marketing has considered the potential ramifications from its activity.
3 ➜ How is Marketing supporting the business strategy? Aside from revenue growth, there will be core business objectives where marketing can demonstrate its value. The board wants to see how Marketing is adding value to the business and brand. Focusing on the business objectives also helps streamline the data you use to report to the board - they don't need to know about every detail, just the metrics that matter.
Boards have a responsibility to hold different business functions accountable for their contributions, including Marketing. Overall, they want to see how Marketing is adding value to the business and brand, both in the short- and long-term.
#Marketing #Board #Value

