Shelly Crabtree Linkerhof, Head of Marketing Communications, Americas, Clariant,

Marketing in a technical, global industry is not about pushing content. It is about understanding complexity and turning it into clarity.In this episode of Above the Clouds: Stories from the Boardroom, Richard Byrd sits down with Shelly Linkerhof, Head of Marketing Communications, Americas at Clariant, to break down what it takes to lead marketing across multiple industries, regions, and stakeholders.Shelly shares how her team navigates long sales cycles, highly technical products, and global dynamics, all while staying focused on what matters most: the customer.They unpack:How to translate complex science into clear, compelling marketingWhy curiosity is the most important skill in technical marketingHow to influence stakeholders without formal authorityThe shift from brochures to data-driven, multi-channel strategyHow AI is changing the way marketing teams workWhy customer understanding should always come before channel selection