Annika Björkholm

About Annika Björkholm

CMO to Watch in 2025 (CMO Alliance)30 Under 30 in Learning 2022 (Learning Guild)Marketing Leader of the Year 2021 NL (SaaS Awards)I turn complex into compelling.10 years of making (unsexy) B2B companies irresistible. If it\'s complex and customers don\'t understand why they need it, that\'s my sweet spot. The best marketing in B2B happens when you stop trying to impress and start trying to clarify. Complex products need simple stories. Technical buyers are still humans who want to feel confident about their decisions.My formula for impactful marketing that drives $€ pipeline: 1. Positioning: Nail how you\'re unique (not just different)2. Branding: Make that uniqueness look and feel premium3. Content: Customer stories that actually resonate and convertI am Expeditious. Curious. Positive. Growth-minded. Humbitious. Perseverant. Thoughtful. Sometimes very impatient.I love Experiments. Clear overviews. Learning new things. Innovation. Freedom. Making an impact. Passionate people. Sports. Good food & red wine.I hate Not learning from mistakes. Perfectionism. Non-transparency. Hierarchy.\"We\'ve always done it this way\". Arrogant people. Internal competition. Being restricted.Approach: Pragmatic. No-bullshit. Efficient. Analytical.Always open to connecting with fellow growth-minded leaders.

Experience

1. VP of Marketing

   L2L

   Aug 2024 — Present · Minneapolis, MA

   L2L helps manufacturers prevent production disruptions through shop floor digitalization, connecting teams to solve downtime, optimize performance, and improve collaboration- Develop and execute global B2B marketing strategy driving pipeline growth for manufacturing digitalization solutions- Lead marketing team and agency partnerships while managing budgets across demand generation, content, and brand initiatives- Drive multi-channel demand generation programs including paid media, SEO, events, and trade shows to reach plant managers and operations leaders- Establish thought leadership positioning through industry research and executive visibility- Optimize customer journey and sales enablement through data-driven performance analysis and cross-functional collaboration with sales and customer success- Develop integrated go-to-market strategies and messaging frameworks aligned with complex B2B sales cycles.

Education

• University of Amsterdam

  Master of Science (MSc) - graduated with distinction, Business administration (Marketing and International Management)

  2016 — 2017

• University of Helsinki

  Minor subject (BSc):, Art History

  2014 — 2015

• Hanken School of Economics

  Bachelor of Science (BSc), Business Administration: Management & Marketing

  2012 — 2015

• Universität Innsbruck

  Erasmus Exchange (BSc), HRM and German

  2015 — 2015

Skills

• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• Marketing
• Microsoft Excel
• Teamwork
• Social Media
• Customer Service
• Mailchimp
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Microsoft Word