Exclusive Interview with New Digizuite CMO, Anna Lergaard
According to a study by Markets and Markets, the overall digital asset management market is expected to grow USD $5.66 Billion by 2022. The cost to achieve and maintain brand loyalty is significant, and companies today are dealing with an increasing abundance of customers, data, touchpoints, and assets. Administering these unprecedented amounts of documentation, imagery, product descriptions, videos, podcasts, and everything in between, digital asset management (DAM) systems have become a top priority for many 
businesses.
As a major player in the global DAM market, Digizuite provides robust digital asset management solutions to businesses and organizations. Recently, the Denmark based company has brought in a new CMO, Anna Lergaard, to help them expand in the U.S., and to accelerate their growth in the North American market.
“As we continue to grow and invest strategically in the US market, we couldn't think of a better fit than a Scandinavian with a background in marketing for and to Fortune 500 companies in the US. With a heavy focus on data-driven decision making and deep knowledge in the MarTech stack, we are happy Anna is on board to help us be at the forefront of both DAM and MarTech”, says Kim Wolters, CEO, Digizuite.
I had the opportunity to connect with Anna and learn more about the perspective she brings to her new role. Anna provided her insights into the changing world of marketing and how CMOs can position themselves and their customers for success.
Exclusive Interview with Anna Lergaard
Let’s start with you telling us a bit about your background in the marketing and digital space prior to becoming the CMO at Digizuite?
“I just left Microsoft after five-plus years and was fortunate enough to be part of their marketing digital transformation and the evolution of the MarTech stack. My focus the last couple of years have been on marketing to the largest enterprise customers in South Central and Southeast US.
It is my belief that to be a great marketer, you have to really understand the product, ecosystem, and stakeholders. I hold a master’s [degree] in Information Systems, which has helped me tremendously in my marketing practice, and I spend a lot of time reading, listening to customers, and engaging in the marketing community to stay up to date.”
What inspired you to join Digizuite?
“Originally from Sweden, but having lived in the US many years, joining a Scandinavian company with a global strategy is a perfect match. There are so many things Americans and Scandinavians respectively do well from a business perspective, and cherry picking the best values and traits from each culture allows us to scale faster on a global market.
Digizuite is one of the leading players in the digital asset management space and has already achieved great results in both Europe and the US. The company’s focus, customer centricity, and willingness to learn and grow really excites me.
Lastly, the people are top notch. They focus a lot of time finding fantastic talent all over Europe and the US.”
Where do you think strategic growth opportunities for Digizuite are, as you see them?
“DAM is a vehicle for digital transformation—not just an asset management tool. If we can help companies re-think their business models using our technology and be part of their digital transformation journey, then we’ve really succeeded!
From a market perspective, there is huge potential in North America, and we have fantastic traction in many industries. We’re now implementing an account-based marketing approach to make sure we reach the right segment, with the right message, at the right time.”
What challenges do marketers currently face and what are some trends that will significantly impact the way marketers can execute on an effective digital experience?
“Marketers are facing bigger challenges and higher pressure than ever before. A key challenge is making the shift from being asked, ‘Can I have some stickers’, to, ‘What do you think our company’s long-term strategy should be’? Becoming a strategic partner in the business and having marketers in the center of the company with close integration to sales, customers, customer success, and R&D is going to be crucial for our success. I see marketers as change agents that drive the business forward, and I’d like to see us take the lead more often.
“Marketers are change agents in companies and should be in the center of the organization.”
Another piece of the puzzle we need to solve is how to actually make use of the full MarTech Stack and having a strong strategy around how all the pieces fit together. You must be able to find that elegant balance between being agile and innovative, while not being pulled in too many directions when new trends emerge. I think that’s where digital asset management systems play a key role as the foundation for all other MarTech systems. It’s not a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have!”
Ending Notes
Anna wasn’t the only new face to join the Digizuite executive team. Earlier this year, they also introduced Thomas Schnoor as their new Chief Operating Officer. “Thomas is an accomplished and seasoned senior executive who has delivered exceptional business achievements. With a background in both technology, retail, and media, he has a strong toolbox to help elevate our business to the next level. We look forward to our collaboration”, says Kim Wolters, CEO, Digizuite. In early 2019, Digizuite also announced a new major version release of their digital asset management software. Digizuite™ Media Manager version 5 boasts an entirely revamped UI, a host of new features, and improved overall management of digital assets.
Digizuite’s DAM Software helps companies optimize their digital workflows through automated and intelligent processes. It increases the quality of collaboration amongst all departments when archiving, searching, and sharing digital assets which ensure streamlined branding while helping deliver relevant content across multiple channels, ultimately creating compelling customer experiences.
If you would like to explore this or other DAM software options, please feel free to reach out to one of our senior analyst’s here at CMSCMedia.
Natalie Evans
Natalie Evans has over 16-years in the tech industry and currently works as the event coordinator and tech reporter for CMS-Connected, keeping up-to-date on what's happening in and around the Content Management industry.