Observed Signal · Aug 7, 2026 · Interview · Source: The Drum · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Data & AI in MarTech Market: NetApp CMO: AI Failures Are Data Problems
Gabie Boko, NetApp’s chief marketing officer and juror on The Drum B2B Awards Effectiveness jury, argues that most AI disappointment in B2B marketing stems from poor data foundations rather than model flaws. Boko, who joined NetApp in 2022 and has more than 25 years’ experience at firms including HPE, SAP and Sage, says marketers should prioritise governed, accessible, trustworthy data and cyber resilience over visible front-end tools. She emphasises that human judgment—knowing which patterns matter to customers—remains the differentiator when tools are widely available. Boko also recommends balancing brand-building with commercial performance and encourages B2B marketers to develop a distinctive voice and technical curiosity to work effectively with data and engineering teams.
Highlights practical MarTech priorities—data governance, foundations and cyber resilience—that affect AI effectiveness and marketing ROI, but is an opinion/interview rather than a platform policy or major industry event.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Gabie Boko is NetApp’s chief marketing officer and joined NetApp in 2022.
- She served as a juror on the Effectiveness jury for The Drum B2B Awards.
- Boko states that much AI disappointment is actually caused by scattered, poorly governed, or siloed data rather than the models themselves.
- She recommends investing in data foundation, governance, accessibility and cyber resilience ahead of front-end AI tools.
- Boko argues that human judgment, not faster production, is the competitive advantage when teams have access to the same AI tools.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mappedSage
Business software provider for accounting, ERP, HR and operations.
“Gabie Boko has spent more than 25 years driving growth across technology companies including HPE, SAP and Sage, and since joining NetApp in ...”
SAP
German enterprise software provider for ERP, finance, procurement and CX.
“Gabie Boko has spent more than 25 years driving growth across technology companies including HPE, SAP and Sage, and since joining NetApp in ...”
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Enterprise hybrid cloud infrastructure and operations software provider.
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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