How Are APAC Marketing Leaders Cutting Through Digital Noise? — Kathryn Benjamin, Riskonnect

For Kathryn Benjamin, marketing has always been about the psychology of the decision. As the International Marketing Director at Riskonnect, she leads the charge for a global leader in integrated risk management software. In a marketplace where FTSE 100 companies are transitioning from manual spreadsheets to sophisticated strategic tools, Benjamin’s focus is on being “front of mind” before a buyer even realises they are ready to purchase. In this interview, she explores why staying agile and fostering meaningful peer and in-person connections. These are the same approaches she credits with Riskonnect’s global impact and that help marketing leaders navigate a B2B environment.

What sparked a fifteen-year career in the psychology of B2B marketing?

Kathryn Benjamin explains how an early fascination with consumer behavior in retail stores evolved into a career leading international marketing efforts.

“For me, what sparked my interest in marketing was actually when I was in school, and we were learning about the psychology of making people buy things in shops. From there, I was fascinated by how you can make people buy the things that you want them to buy using psychology, and it just sort of grew from there.

I went to university and studied it, and then I’ve been in B2B marketing for 15 years now. Riskonnect is an integrated risk management software solution provider. We work with big FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies across the globe to mitigate their risks, moving them from spreadsheets into something a bit more advanced so that they can see all of their risks clearly and make more strategic decisions.”

How do you maintain a “front of mind” presence in a crowded market?

By focusing on the entire customer journey, Benjamin ensures that Riskonnect is the first name that comes to mind when a company is ready to transition away from legacy risk systems.

“We focus heavily on lead generation, building pipelines, and working with our sales team to target our ideal customer profiles. We also want to build brand awareness and position ourselves as thought leaders in the risk management space.

We look at the whole customer journey and how we can enrich their experience with our brand. Long-term, the strategy is to be front of mind when it comes to buying. We want to be there before they’re even thinking about buying so that when they do come to make that decision, they’ve engaged with our content, they’ve been to our webinars, and they’ve been to our events.”

Why are research-backed partnerships the most successful marketing campaigns?

Moving away from guessing customer pain points, Benjamin highlights the success of aligning with industry experts and authoritative research publications.

“Our most successful campaigns are where we partner with experts in the industry, well-known individuals, or authoritative companies in the risk management space to create new content research. We can go out and not just sell software; we’re telling them about key trends and challenges.

We do lots of surveys with both our prospective and current customers to find out the trends and see what’s actually going on in the market. I think those are the most successful campaigns because you’re coming from a place of knowledge. A lot of the time, you tell people what you think their problem is; with research, you find out what it actually is, and then you can build content around that.”

How does an agile team adapt to the unknown of AI?

Reflecting on the evolution from fax machines to digital, Benjamin emphasises that the biggest challenge and opportunity is harnessing AI without losing the human touch.

“It’s a very busy, loud space in B2B marketing. Everyone is trying to tell you something. The challenge is to learn how to harness what we do know about ChatGPT, for example, and how we can use that to be more successful or to automate things.

You have to evolve. When I first started in marketing, our biggest revenue generator was from direct mail; we even used fax machine campaigns. Nobody has a fax anymore. You have to adapt. Our marketing team is global, and we do a lot of testing and learning. We’re not afraid to try new things, like AI, because you can’t always do the same thing and expect to succeed.”

Why will in-person networking always hold a place in a digital-first future?

While digital channels offer efficiency, Benjamin argues that the power of physical connection is making a massive comeback for high-level executives.

“Digital-First is obviously the future because it’s the most cost-effective way to reach a large population. But is there webinar fatigue? I don’t know. There is always going to be space for in-person events.

You can’t beat the power of networking. We tried all of the channels on networking virtually. Some work, some don’t. But you can’t replace the value of an in-person event. While digital technology is probably going to lead the way, there is still definitely a people-first approach. Being agile and knowing what no one else knows first is the challenge.”

What is the defining characteristic of a successful marketing leader today?

Benjamin identifies leadership and the ability to advocate for marketing’s strategic value as the core of her role.

“I think the word I’m going to use is leadership. Taking the reins and leading the way is key. You have to have confidence in your teams and your abilities. You must be confident in making sure that marketing has a voice in the organisation as well. Oftentimes, marketing can be seen as a cost center rather than a revenue generator. Being able to lead your team, advocate for them all, and surround yourself with experts is essential. My advice? Don’t be afraid to try new things and don’t be afraid to fail.”

Join the Conversation: The Ortus Club’s Executive Network

Kathryn emphasises that the B2B space is loud, and cutting through digital noise requires more than automated campaigns. It benefits from authority, perspective, and meaningful peer and in-person connections. The very approaches Kathryn credits for building Riskonnect’s global visibility and impact. Our executive roundtables provide exactly this type of engagement: a space for marketing leaders to exchange insights, learn from peers, and discuss emerging challenges in a people-first environment.

When international directors highlight the enduring value of networking and human connection, they underscore the power of peer-to-peer dialogue. Our curated roundtables let you step out of digital fatigue and join high-level conversations shaping the future of your industry.

FAQs

Q: How is Risk Management marketing changing?

A: Marketing is shifting from purely selling software features to providing research-based insights that help FTSE companies make strategic decisions.

Q: Why is in-person networking still relevant for CMOs?

A: Because high-level B2B sales are built on trust. In-person events provide a level of human connection and unfiltered networking that virtual channels cannot replicate.

Q: How should marketing teams approach AI?

A: By adopting a “test and learn” mindset. Rather than fearing the unknown, teams should use AI to automate mundane tasks while focusing human creativity on personalisation and strategic judgment.