As marketing evolves from lead generation to account-level engagement, the ability to act on real-time insights has become a defining capability for modern organisations. At The MarTech Summit Stockholm 2026, we’re delighted to feature Maria Liw, Executive Director & Global Head of Marketing at SimCorp. With over three decades of experience across financial services, SaaS, and technology, Maria brings a rare blend of strategic vision and operational expertise. She will join the Panel Discussion | [Real-time Decisioning] Getting the Engagement Strategy Right with Real-time Insights and Decisioning, where she will explore how organisations can connect data, context, and action to drive meaningful engagement.
About SimCorp
SimCorp is a global provider of integrated investment management solutions for asset managers, banks, pension funds, and insurance companies. With a strong focus on data, analytics, and technology, SimCorp enables financial institutions to manage complexity, improve decision-making, and drive operational efficiency. Operating across major global markets, the company continues to support digital transformation in the financial services industry through innovative and scalable solutions.
Quick Q&A with Maria Liw
Could you please give us a quick introduction of yourself?
I’m Maria, a marketing leader with 30+ years of experience across financial services, SaaS, and technology. I started my career in the 1990s, when marketing was a very different discipline – data and digital tools weren’t part of the picture in the same way. Watching that transformation unfold, and learning to harness it, has shaped everything about how I work. Today, I focus on building marketing functions that blend creative thinking with analytical rigour, and I’m especially energised by AI transformation and translating account engagement into a real pipeline.
Why did you choose to participate in this summit?
I’ve spent a lot of my career deep in the MarTech space, so being in a room with senior peers who are tackling the same challenges is genuinely exciting. I find the most useful conversations happen in focused, smaller settings – where there’s space to go beyond the surface and into what’s actually working (and not). I’m hoping to share some of what I’ve learned about moving from MQLs to account-based engagement, and walk away with fresh perspectives to bring back to my team.
You have worked across financial services, SaaS, and tech for many years. What is one big shift in marketing that has stood out to you over time?
The shift from measuring leads to measuring account-level engagement has been the most significant change I’ve experienced. For a long time, marketing’s job was to generate MQLs and hand them to sales. But B2B buying doesn’t work that way – decisions involve buying groups, not individuals, and the research cycle starts long before anyone talks to a vendor. If you’re not building presence and trust early, you’ve likely already lost the opportunity. That insight has fundamentally shaped how I think about marketing strategy.
How do you keep a balance between automation and human judgment in fast-moving decision environments?
Automation is great at scale – nurturing accounts, tracking engagement, surfacing signals. But knowing what to do with those signals is where human judgment matters. We have engagement data across accounts, but making it easy to interpret and act on, particularly for sales, was the real challenge. We’re currently introducing an MQA (Marketing Qualified Account) approach that flags accounts where engagement has reached a meaningful threshold across multiple contacts, shifting the focus from individual leads to the account as a whole. That’s where marketing, sales, and BDR come together to validate the signals and decide how to respond.
What is one tool or technology that has genuinely made a difference in how your team works?
AI has had the biggest impact – and what made the difference wasn’t just the technology itself, it was how we introduced it. We ran hands-on training where people worked on real projects, and that’s when the sceptics became advocates. We went from a team that ranged from AI-curious to AI-sceptical, to one that achieved up to 92% time reduction in certain content creation workflows. Seeing the quality of the output for themselves was what changed minds – and that pull effect was more powerful than any top-down mandate.
Looking ahead to 2026, is there a professional or personal goal you are especially excited to pursue?
Two things, really. First, rolling out our MQA framework globally after a strong pilot – taking something from concept to global programme is always a significant undertaking. And second, Generative Engine Optimisation. The way B2B buyers research solutions is shifting fast – more and more are turning to AI tools before they ever visit a vendor website. Making sure we show up in those answers, with the right information, is something we’re actively working on – and an area I’m really keen to learn more about.
Maria’s perspective highlights a critical shift in B2B marketing, moving beyond individual leads to understanding and engaging entire buying groups. Her approach to balancing automation with human judgment, along with her focus on practical AI adoption, offers valuable guidance for teams navigating increasingly complex decision-making environments. As real-time engagement becomes more central to business growth, her insights help turn signals into action and strategy into measurable outcomes.
The MarTech Summit Stockholm– Simple, Smart, Scalable: MarTech Best Practices for Growth
Join us on 26 May 2026 at Courtyard by Marriott Stockholm Kungsholmen! This English-language event offers a comprehensive exploration of the evolving MarTech landscape. You’ll explore global best practice alongside regional insights, connect with peers facing similar challenges, and leave with actionable strategies and meaningful connections that last well beyond Stockholm.
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Last updated: April 2026
