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/