Zappi’s latest strategic maneuver reads like a plot twist in the high-stakes drama of market research, with Nataly Kelly stepping into the role of Chief Marketing Officer, a character arc befitting a protagonist in the world of international business and culture clash comedies. Kelly, with a Boston backdrop, swaps the HubSpot hustle, where she was a linchpin in global expansion theatrics, for the Zappi stage, aiming to sprinkle some of her international fairy dust across Zappi’s burgeoning global narrative.
This casting comes hot on the heels of Babita Earle’s ascension to International Managing Director, a move that’s less of a step up and more of a quantum leap across continents. The subplot thickens with Melissa Clucas entering stage left as Chief Financial Officer, rounding out a trio of appointments that could rival any corporate Avengers assembly. The departing Yvonne O’Brien, erstwhile CMO, exits stage right, her role complete, making room for Kelly’s spotlight.
Kelly, in a candid chat with Research Live, didn’t hold back, drawing parallels between Zappi’s script and her HubSpot days, reminiscing about a culture that flourished from a cozy ensemble cast to a veritable blockbuster production. It’s this rare air of camaraderie and global conquest that’s got Kelly hooked, not to mention Zappi’s B Corp and net-zero cred that adds a green sheen to its narrative arc.
Her mission, should she choose to accept it (and accept it she has), involves turbocharging Zappi’s revenue growth, a plotline involving close ties with other go-to-market teams, brand building, and injecting a dose of best practice into the marketing machinations. Kelly’s global gaze is set on alleviating the existential angst of global companies wrestling with market research and insights, aiming to shepherd them towards a narrative of continuous, connected insights and centralized strategies.
Steve Phillips, Zappi’s CEO and perhaps this story’s narrator, outlines a grand vision of digitizing insights for consumer businesses worldwide, with Kelly and Earle as his chosen champions. Their quest is laden with the promise of new tools for customers to wield influence and improve their roles within their corporate kingdoms, underpinned by the sorcery of artificial intelligence and novel research methodologies.
Phillips’ narrative acknowledges the dark clouds of privacy restrictions and economic uncertainty, casting market research as the guiding light through these turbulent times. His vision for Zappi is not just as a platform for testing but as a beacon for continuous learning and inspiration, aiming to shift the paradigm from a stoplight for advertising and product development to a continuous loop of improvement and innovation.
In this tale of strategic hires and ambitious visions, Zappi positions itself not just as a company but as a protagonist in the evolving story of market research, with Nataly Kelly ready to lead the charge into its next chapter. The drama unfolds, the plot thickens, and the industry watches with bated breath as Zappi writes its next act.
