Marketers who rise to the executive suite share a specific trait: adaptability.

They work in different environments, engage with a myriad of audiences and tackle unexpected scenarios. To join their ranks, modern marketers must constantly evolve and commit to professional (and personal) growth.

Here, we would like to share the stories of two influential marketers who may inspire you on your journey to the top.

Fernando Vivanco, Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Medtronic, was faced with the challenge of rolling out a new branding strategy for his global organization.

Medtronic’s $50B (yes…that is billion) acquisition of Covidien was the impetus for a sweeping review of the company’s positioning and how it communicated with its stakeholders.  Flexibility and responsiveness to market feedback were paramount.

“While we had our brand strategy ready to launch internally prior to some changes in our business, we decided that it would be wiser to take a step back. We needed to test our message with our stakeholders and global markets to measure its impact,” said Vivanco.

Click here to learn more about Fernando’s journey.

Another top marketer, Richard Clements, CMO at Novetta, adapted when he made the move from IBM to a private equity backed, growth oriented company called Novetta.

“Customers would buy solutions from IBM simply because they were IBM…I don’t have that luxury. It’s a wonderful challenge we face with very talented people and capable technology, but the reality is we must demonstrate what makes us unique every day,” remarked Clements.

Click here to read more from Richard Clements.