“Human-first marketing starts with the customer and the team- not with metrics or KPIs.”
That’s one of the truth bombs from Suruchi Bhargava (CMO at Ciente) in conversation with Kushagra Sharma (Head of Marketing for India & SAARC at Veeam) in this week’s episode of TechTalk by Ciente.
The episode decodes what it really takes to build marketing that connects in today’s fast-changing landscape. From putting people at the center of strategy to using AI as an amplifier, not a crutch- we break down why loyalty and renewals drive more stability than chasing one-off wins, and how transformation only sticks when it’s tied to purpose.
Kush shares a crucial perspective: “So we need to understand what the customer’s pain points essentially are, and not really jump the gun and go after positioning your solution right away.”
No smoke, no mirrors; just insights you can actually use, not just nod at. Let’s plug in and zone out 😉
About the Guest:
Kushagra Sharma is an accomplished marketing leader with nearly two decades of experience driving growth, innovation, and customer success in the technology sector. Since December 2022, he has served as the Head of Marketing for India and SAARC at Veeam Software — a global leader in modern data protection and cloud data management solutions. With a career spanning leadership role at renowned technology giants such as IBM, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Micro Focus, VMware, Citrix, and now Veeam, Kushagra has consistently demonstrated expertise in SaaS marketing, go-to-market strategy, digital transformation, and customer engagement. His work is defined by a strong belief in customer-centricity, data-driven decision-making, and agile innovation.
