Welcome to #WiMMeets - a series of short interviews with marketing leaders from across Africa and around the world. The series will present a different side to senior professionals with the aim to share the things that matter to them and inspire others.
In this interview we sat down with Victoria Henry, Head of Group Marketing for Alphawave Group.
Victoria is a B2B technology marketing and communications leader with over 20 years’ experience. Currently Head of Group Marketing at Stellenbosch based technology investment company, Alphawave Group, responsible for group marketing and supporting the companies in the portfolio as Fractional CMO.
Prior to joining Alphawave Group, Victoria was CMO at DataProphet – recognised as a World Economic Forum (WEF) Technology Pioneer and selected for CB Insights 100 most innovative AI start-ups.
Victoria spent most of her career in London, both in-house and agency side, working with a range of start-ups and global tech firms including Symantec, VeriSign and Salesforce.
Victoria holds an MBA from Schiller International University (Dean’s List all semesters), and a BBA in International Business (Dean’s List all semesters).
WiM Africa: What gives you energy and drives you forward when you are not feeling at the top of your game?
VH: A walk or run outdoors. Getting out, taking a break and then getting stuck in again. It really helps to take a fresh approach. If that doesn’t work then there is always tomorrow. Some days you will just have more drive than others.
WiM Africa: Which advertising campaign, from any brand, has been the most memorable for you and why?
VH: The Christmas adverts from John Lewis – a department store in London. They are always brilliantly done – so magical, a lovely message and really touches on the emotions.
WiM Africa: What three pieces of advice would you give to a woman marketer aspiring to a senior position about getting to and staying at the top of their profession?
VH:
WiM Africa: Which one person, dead or alive, would you say inspires you the most and why?
VH: My dad. I wrote a short book for his 70th birthday about the 70 things my dad taught me. I have never met anyone that has done more than him, achieved as much as he has and loves his work so much that he’s still flying planes and training aerobatics after 80! All supported by my mom of course.
WiM Africa: If you were stuck on a desert island what three things, excluding electronics, could you not do without?
VH: My family. Wine. Sunblock.
Discover more #WiMMeets interviews here!