Enabling strong ecosystems and partnerships

Priyanka Kumar who leads regional marketing initiatives across the Middle East, India, and ANZ for Barco, has worked closely with global technology alliances, distributors, and enterprise customers to drive adoption of modern workplace solutions. She believes that collaboration, adaptability, and strong industry partnerships are key to shaping the future of work.

What initially drew you to a career in the technology industry? Has that early motivation sustained over the years?

What initially drew me to technology was the pace of change and the impact it has on how people work and collaborate. Early in my career, I was fascinated by how the right technology could simplify communication and connect teams across locations.

Technology is one of the few industries where innovation constantly reshapes how we work. Being part of that transformation has always been incredibly motivating for me.

That motivation has stayed with me. Whether it’s through customer engagements, industry events, or partner initiatives, seeing organizations adopt modern collaboration solutions and transform how their teams work continues to be incredibly rewarding.

Looking back, what defining moments shaped your leadership approach in sales and marketing?

One of the biggest realizations early in my career was that marketing only becomes truly impactful when it is closely aligned with sales and the broader partner ecosystem.

The most impactful marketing doesn’t happen in isolation — it happens when marketing, sales, partners, and customers are all aligned around the same outcome.

Many of the most successful initiatives I’ve been involved in — from regional roadshows to collaborative partner events — worked well because different teams and partners came together around a shared objective of delivering value to customers.

As the industry has shifted from legacy systems to cloud and AI-driven models, how have you evolved your own role to stay ahead?

The industry has moved from product-led conversations to outcome-driven ones. Customers today want solutions that integrate seamlessly into their collaboration platforms and workplace ecosystems.

In today’s technology landscape, innovation rarely happens alone. The most meaningful progress comes from strong ecosystems and partnerships.

This has made ecosystem collaboration even more important. Working closely with technology partners, distributors, and industry stakeholders allows us to demonstrate how different technologies come together to create better workplace experiences.

What has been the biggest professional leap of faith you’ve taken, and what did it teach you about resilience?

Taking on regional marketing responsibilities across markets like the MEA, India, and ANZ was a defining step in my career. Each region has its own pace of technology adoption and unique market dynamics.

Managing initiatives across these diverse markets taught me the importance of adaptability and trusting local teams and partners who understand their customers best.

Beyond the obvious challenges, do subtle structural barriers still exist for women in commercial technology roles?

The industry has certainly made progress, but subtle barriers still exist, particularly when it comes to representation in senior commercial roles.

Representation matters. When women see other women leading commercial and technology roles, it quietly changes what feels possible.

Creating visible role models and providing access to leadership opportunities can help ensure that more women see a clear path to senior positions in the industry.

What strengths do you believe are particularly important for women to succeed in technology sales and marketing leadership?

Strong relationship-building skills and collaboration are incredibly valuable in technology leadership roles, especially in an industry driven by partnerships and alliances.

Women often bring a collaborative and relationship-driven leadership style, which is incredibly powerful in an industry built on partnerships.

Combined with confidence, strategic thinking, and adaptability, these strengths can help to navigate the fast-changing technology landscape effectively.

In high-value enterprise engagements, how critical is emotional intelligence alongside technical expertise?

Enterprise technology decisions involve multiple stakeholders — from IT leaders to business executives — each with different priorities.

Technical expertise may open the door, but emotional intelligence is what builds long-term trust with customers.

Understanding those perspectives and building trust is essential in developing long-term partnerships, particularly in enterprise environments.

Strong relationship-building skills and collaboration are incredibly valuable in technology leadership roles, especially in an industry driven by partnerships and alliances.