Laura, you’ve navigated multiple waves of tech marketing. What fundamentals have held steady for you, and how are they showing up in your approach at OneAdvanced today?

Across every stage of my career, the fundamentals that have mattered most are clarity of story, a deep understanding of customer truth, and strong alignment across teams. Technologies evolve and channels shift, but those principles remain constant. What has become even more important over time is the ability to take something inherently complex – whether it’s a multi-product portfolio or a nuanced customer challenge – and distil it into something simple, human, and actionable.

At OneAdvanced, that shows up in the way we build insight‑led narratives, such as our Trends Report, which takes deep market signals and turns them into a story people can relate to and use to shape their strategy. It shows up in how we orchestrate cross‑functional collaboration, because simplicity of output only happens when teams are aligned behind a shared vision. And it shows up in our commitment to consistency in a crowded market: a clear and steady message is one of the most powerful ways to build trust. Like all brands, it’s a work in progress; maintaining that clarity requires discipline, constant iteration, and a willingness to refine the story as we grow.

OneAdvanced touches critical, everyday systems – from emergency response to education. How does that reality shape the way you think about brand responsibility and messaging?

When your software underpins essential services, from health to education and public sector operations, brand responsibility becomes more than a marketing consideration; it becomes a duty. That reality shapes our messaging profoundly. We lead with outcomes because customers working in high-stakes environments need confidence. We emphasise partnership, recognising that our customers aren’t simply buying tools but choosing long-term partners. And we communicate with care, ensuring that whether we’re discussing AI, digital transformation, or ESG, our narrative reflects the seriousness and societal impact of the work our customers do every day. In these environments, simplicity isn’t about dumbing things down; it’s about respecting the weight of the work and making sure our message is clear and accessible.

When software becomes deeply embedded in workflows, switching costs rise. How does that influence how you approach trust and long-term brand building?

High switching costs don’t create complacency; they heighten the responsibility to earn trust continuously. When your software becomes deeply embedded in workflows, trust effectively becomes the brand. For me, that means showing up predictably and consistently. And it means prioritising proof over promise, using customer-generated reviews, data, case studies, and real-world outcomes to demonstrate that staying with us is the lowest-risk, highest-value choice. But trust is also built through clarity. Complex organisations often struggle to articulate their own needs, so part of our role is to simplify the path forward, to make the decision to trust us feel not just logical but easy.

When your product becomes mission-critical to operations, what does “brand differentiation” really hinge on beyond product capability?

When your product is mission-critical, differentiation moves far beyond capability. It hinges on the experience you deliver, how easy you make it for customers to adopt, integrate, and scale. It hinges on the quality of your partnership, from support to sector expertise. It hinges on your vision, because customers want to know you’re not only solving today’s challenges but preparing them for tomorrow’s. And ultimately, it hinges on confidence. A brand that feels stable, modern, and forward-looking signals that the company behind the technology is one they can rely on for the long term. In these environments, simplicity becomes a differentiator, the ability to take something complex and present it in a way that feels intuitive, manageable, and aligned to the customer’s reality.

Where are you seeing the strongest customer response to AI within your portfolio, and how does that shape your campaign focus or storytelling?

The strongest customer response to AI across our portfolio is in areas where it’s embedded into the flow of work, removing friction and amplifying human capability. We’re seeing in the market real momentum in automating repetitive workflows, enabling teams to focus on higher-value work. Predictive insights are also gaining traction, particularly in sectors like health, government, and professional services, where anticipating demand or risk can be transformative. And there’s growing interest in AI that supports faster, more confident decision-making. These trends shape our storytelling by grounding AI in practicality and responsibility, focusing on real-world outcomes rather than abstract promises. And again, simplicity matters: customers don’t want AI explained to them; they want to understand what it will do for them. Our job in brand is to make that story clear.

Where do you see the biggest gap today between what enterprise buyers say they want and how marketing teams are responding?

The biggest gap I see is that enterprise buyers consistently ask for simplicity, clarity, and guidance, yet marketing teams often respond with complexity, jargon, and feature-heavy messaging. Buyers want a clear point of view, a vision they can trust, and a partner who understands their sector deeply. They want reassurance that transformation won’t disrupt their organisation. Too often, marketing delivers noise instead of narrative. The opportunity is to be the brand that cuts through with focus, empathy, and a genuine understanding of the pressures enterprise leaders face. In complex organisations, simplicity isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a strategic advantage.