#805: Omnissa CMO Renu Upadhyay on balancing AI innovation with org chart disruption

#805: Omnissa CMO Renu Upadhyay on balancing AI innovation with org chart disruption

Author: The Agile Brand January 30, 2026 Duration: 28:31
What if the biggest risk to your marketing AI strategy isn't the technology itself, but the org chart it's fracturing? Agility requires more than just speed; it demands a framework of trust and collaboration. When it comes to AI, this means your ability to innovate is directly tied to your ability to partner effectively across the organization, especially with IT and security. Today, we're going to talk about a critical tension point in the modern enterprise: Marketing is moving at the speed of AI, adopting powerful, often low-code tools to drive results. But this speed creates new complexities and risks, disrupting traditional roles and processes. Success is no longer just about having the best tech stack; it’s about forging a strategic partnership between the CMO and IT leaders to balance innovation with governance, and productivity with security. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Renu Upadhyay, Chief Marketing Officer at Omnissa. About Renu Upadhyay Renu Upadhyay is SVP & CMO at Omnissa, leading global marketing strategy, demand generation, product and solution marketing and brand to establish Omnissa as the leading digital work platform company. Renu is an experienced technology marketer with a deep understanding of products, industry, and customers spanning mobile, wireless networking and collaboration solutions across large and mid-size organizations. Prior to Omnissa, she served as vice president of Marketing for VMware’s End-user Computing (EUC) business. In that role, she led marketing strategy and was responsible for customer messaging, demand, content marketing, sales and technical enablement, and product pricing strategy. She oversaw marketing programs and campaigns for EUC’s comprehensive portfolio of solutions including employee engagement programs. Prior to VMware, Renu held senior product marketing roles at leading companies including Good Technology, Cisco Systems and AT&T Wireless. Renu Upadhyay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renuupadhyay/ Resources Omnissa: https://www.omnissa.com/ Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code AGILE at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/agile  The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/ Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://www.thecrmc.com/ Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://advertalize.com/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Each conversation on The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX moves beyond surface-level trends to explore the practical realities of modern marketing. Host Greg Kihlström guides discussions with executives and thought leaders from prominent brands and technology platforms, focusing on the tangible strategies that drive growth. You’ll hear detailed explorations of topics like the real-world adoption of AI, the construction of effective first-party data strategies, and the evolving landscape of customer experience. This podcast is built for leaders who need to translate complex technological shifts into sustainable business value and deeper customer relationships. Rather than offering quick fixes, these episodes provide a deeper understanding of how to integrate marketing technology, artificial intelligence, and customer-centric thinking into a cohesive strategy. The dialogue consistently centers on building customer lifetime value, ensuring that every technological investment contributes to long-term brand strength. If you're looking for a clear, expert-level analysis of what actually works in today's market, this series delivers substantive insights directly from the professionals shaping the industry.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX
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