Meet the… SVP, worldwide sales and marketing

Suzana Brady, SVP worldwide sales and marketing at Cobalt Digital tells TVBEurope how an interest in international affairs helped define her career path

Talk us through an average day in your role

At Cobalt Digital my days at the office are multi-faceted and intense. I try to plan most days so I can find a balance between marketing and sales activities. Some of the marketing initiatives on any given day include ad placement planning, interviews and articles, website posts and updates, newsletters, planning industry events, and industry association meetings. On the sales side, for example, we discuss projects’ requirements, requests for new features and products, pre and post sales customer discussions, forecast reviews, budget planning, travel, and whatever else comes up. My role involves constant communication with customers but also coordination with all internal teams in the company from weekly manufacturing meetings, engineering roadmap reviews, meetings to discuss event logistics and many sales calls. There is never a set routine, my days are often guided by sales priorities and marketing deadlines.

How did you get started in the media industry?

After earning a chemical engineering degree, I worked in the oil field interfacing with international firms and global projects. I quickly realised that I wanted to leverage my multi-cultural background and language skills to focus on international affairs. I moved to California to get a degree in Marketing and International Business and found myself in the core of Silicon Valley. While in Silicon Valley I got to work with software localisation, data networking, wireless, mobile and satellite technologies which eventually led to broadcasting. For over two decades I have been working for equipment manufacturers who cater to the broadcasting space. Cobalt Digital designs and manufactures 12G/3G/HD/SD conversion, compression, throwdown, and multiviewer technology for the production and broadcast television environments.

What training did you have before entering the industry?

My first job working for an equipment manufacturer in Silicon Valley required staff product technical training as well as technology training. There was a hands-on lab and periodic tests that helped new team members keep pace with the learning curve. Subsequently, I moved on to other equipment manufacturers that also provided the material and training required enabling new employees to get up to speed quickly. In addition to the training provided, there were always hundreds of books, sessions, articles and white papers available for continuing our education.

Why do you enjoy working in the industry?

I feel blessed to work in an industry that is constantly evolving and challenging the status quo. It is one of the most dynamic and innovative work cultures and I get to work with the best people. People with tremendous knowledge and experience, a very diverse background and people who are creative with boundless energy and fresh ideas. I also feel constantly challenged to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. At Cobalt I get to work with a brilliant team who listens to the customers and engineers the best technology that meet today’s demands but will adapt to tomorrow’s challenges.

What  piece of advice would you offer to someone looking to explore a role similar to yours?

I’d encourage them to choose a strong technical field that they enjoy as the core foundation and to keep looking for other ways to expand their core with other classes, hobbies and subjects that tie into their career goals. In my case I knew early on that I wanted to be in a technical field and also knew that I enjoyed languages, cultures and travel, so a career in high tech international sales and marketing was a perfect fit for me. Always think long term, maintain a strong work ethic, build long lasting relationships and always add to your diverse skill set along the way.