In this insightful conversation, Kitty Zhao, Head of Marketing for Adhesive Technologies at Henkel ANZ, shares her proven strategies for putting Australia and New Zealand on the global marketing map. 

Working for a global organisation with headquarters far from the region, Kitty reveals how she's successfully gained executive visibility, built internal advocates, and implemented innovative marketing approaches that have been adopted across the Asia-Pacific region.

This episode is essential listening for any B2B marketer working in a regional market who wants to move beyond execution mode and become a strategic contributor whose voice is heard at the highest levels of their organisation.

Guest Introduction

Kitty Zhao is a seasoned B2B marketing leader with over 14 years of experience across the manufacturing, mining, automotive aftermarket, and scientific sectors. Kitty brings a strategic lens to every initiative, combining deep expertise in OEM and distribution models with a collaborative leadership style that empowers teams to deliver marketing programs that resonate with customers and drive meaningful business results.

Key Topics

• Why Australian and New Zealand markets risk being overlooked in global decision-making, and how raising your profile ensures local needs are considered proactively.
• Common mistakes regional marketers make and why you should treat new initiatives like a sales pitch with evidence-based proposals.
• Pioneering account-based marketing in the mining sector and how this Australian initiative became the pilot program for the entire APAC region.
• Building internal advocates across technical teams and sales forces, and developing co-branded campaigns with customers.
• Creating strategic alliances with global colleagues across marketing functions to ensure two-way communication.
• Leveraging the Australian Institute of Packaging partnership that led to speaking opportunities across Asia-Pacific conferences.
• How locally-developed initiatives expanded from Australia to Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, and Malaysia.
• Building trust, demonstrating small wins, and confidently proposing innovative approaches.

Resources & Links

People Mentioned:

• Mark Ritson- Marketing professor and founder of Mini MBA in Marketing
• Natalie Truong- Ex-CMO, Oceania at EY

Companies & Organisations:

• Henkel-Global adhesive technologies company
• Australian Institute of Packaging-Peak professional body for packaging education in Australasia

Courses:

• MiniMBA in Marketing-MBA-level marketing course

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Contact & Credits

Host: Shahin Hoda

Guest: Kitty Zhao

Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell

Edited by: Alexander Hipwell

Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder

APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth