Marlen von Roth ─ Driving a digital strategy and managed services to scale and grow through partners...
June 30, 2021 • 3 Minute Read
Marlen von Roth
Sales Director Cloud EMEA
SUSE
Are you looking for a passionate and diverse EMEA leader responsible for creating a digital strategy, including managed services? We know the person—Marlen von Roth!
Marlen von Roth is responsible for leading and managing a team of partner executives responsible for the Managed Service Providers at SUSE in the EMEA region. Prior to SUSE, Marlen worked at a number of fast-track growth software vendors including Red Hat, Tripwire, EnterpriseDB, and Docker. She is a passionate leader focused on building high performing teams, ensuring diversity across the business and developing go-to-market strategies across multi-channels.
Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman™, Marlen von Roth!
Our 10 Questions for this IT Wondrous Woman.
Fun Facts
1. What’s the one thing about you that your business colleagues don’t know about you?
I grew up in Germany’s Black Forest spending most of my school holidays at my grandparents’ farm.
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you flying annually?
It varied, some years I travelled a lot. It was dependent on the needs of the business. I miss travelling to the US in particular.
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
Japanese Almond fish, which are dried fish. I ate it in Germany. My brother’s wife is Japanese and brought them back from Japan.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
Moving into sales. I came originally from a customer service background and going into sales taught me so much. It was a really good fit for me which evolved quickly into management roles.
There are no failures and only lessons. Hindsight is always 20:20! The opportunities I didn’t grab and missed are the ones I sometimes ponder about.
5. Did you have a mentor in the early part of your career and, if so, what is the biggest lesson you learned from your mentor or influencer?
I am very fortunate to have had many mentors throughout my career. My aunt Lucia has always supported me and been my life coach.
However when I moved into sales, my boss, Mark Dawson, took me under his wing. We did a tour through Europe and visited our major clients and he had the patience and foresight to share many of his sales strategies all of which start with the basics of sales. His mantra was the most important one … people buy from people!
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
That it is the journey which matters. Along the way you’ll have regrets, missed opportunities and knock backs but that’s all part of life’s balance.
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
I speak regularly at various conferences and panels and I am a passionate advocate. Recently I signed up as an executive mentor for women in cloud, where I help advancing women in tech.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
Building diverse teams. At Docker I had the opportunity to build two teams from scratch.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
I recently did a course through my company to become a coach, which really helps to unlock a person’s potential, rather than just telling them what to do.
To strengthen my skills, I have embarked on a leadership course with an executive coach who focuses on being more strategic and strengthening executive presence.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
Further growing and expanding our business and helping my team to navigate through a COVID / post-Covid world.
