Tina Morwani, Senior Marketing Manager, EMEA at GitLab Inc.
Tina Morwani is a B2B (business-to-business) marketer committed to growing authentic brands that align with the values of today’s modern, purpose-driven customers.
She is skilled at building successful marketing campaigns that reinforce the brand story and drive revenue within the technology sector.
Currently the Senior Marketing Manager for EMEA at GitLab, she has previously held roles within Criteo and Hewlett-Packard. Vocal around mental health issues and diversity & inclusion for underrepresented groups within the advertising industry, Tina was born in Spain to Indian parents and currently resides in Ireland.
“
Decisions, at the end of the day, are made from two places: fear or love. If you do the work to understand where your choices come from, make sure they always come from love.
”
Tina Morwani
Tina Morwani, LinkedIn
What do you like about your career/role or areas of focus?
There's so much to love about being a marketer. We have an incredible opportunity to create system-level change and reshape the dialogue within advertising.
I want to work for brands that stand firmly for what's right and represent our own diversity as well as that of our customers. The moral, social and economic cases are well documented; it is now common knowledge that diversity in creative output increases brand reputation, consumer loyalty and the bottom line.
To our everyday consumers, this is not just a brand's purpose or corporate social responsibility; it is a way for them to see the reality of their experiences acknowledged and validated. And there is still so much work to be done. I'm excited to be a part of that journey.
Outside of your professional work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
Books have been my constant teachers and broadened my understanding of the world. What lies in reading is the freedom to live vicariously through others, and that empathy has permeated into my life.
Oftentimes, I've wondered why we look at people made of the same flesh and blood and see the 'other'. Why definitions and distinctions that don't serve our collective humanity become warped reasons to hurt one another. For what? We still turn a blind eye to suffering and cruelty in the world. We allow differences to become breeding grounds for hostility rather than beautiful opportunities to learn. What we deserve is so clear. There is no such thing as other people's children. That truth, for me, is obvious.
Advocating for systemic changes in that sense is important to me. We need to build purpose-driven businesses from the ground up. We need to create platforms for marginalised voices to be heard. Those who can, should use their privilege to lift up others in need. That purpose guides me daily.
When it comes to your life chosen career, is there a phrase, quote or saying that you really like?
"Without trust, a brand is just a product, and its advertising is just noise." - Keith Weed
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
That I don’t need to play it safe or wait my turn.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles?
There are so many trailblazing change-makers I respect. Reshma Saujani, Stephanie Lampkin, Antonio Lucio, Claire Schmidt, Tristan Harris, Susan Fowler, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Laverne Cox, Ava DuVernay, Trevor Noah, the late Iris Murdoch and Philip Larkin to name a few.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
Blendoor, an inclusive recruiting and people analytics software that mitigates unconscious bias. In addition to measuring bias, Blendoor provides metrics that demonstrate the ROI of diversity and inclusion initiatives. With data and AI, they aim to move the discussion from social good to business intelligent.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Play for the name on the front of your jersey, not the name on the back.
What drives or motivates you each day in a work environment?
Doing the right thing. Constantly asking myself if I'm going to be proud of my actions and initiatives.
It all comes down to having a workplace with equal representation - of all races and ethnicities, sexual orientations and gender identities, abilities, spiritualities, generations and cultures – with equal voices, equal roles, equal pay and equal respect.
The blocker is pervasive bias. Bias limits equality. If I can leave a legacy behind that encourages more individuals and brands to put their money where their mouth is, I will retire happy.
What are your thoughts on the future of social media?
Social media has built communities in an unprecedented way, but it's also given rise to cyberbullying, misinformation, manipulation at scale, addiction, isolation, polarization, algorithmic bias, depression and body image insecurities.
An indictment of the current business model driving these platforms, and enforced regulations on artificiality, data, privacy and targeting are paramount for restoring broken trust. More ethical technology will emerge as a natural response to changing content consumption needs.
Do you have any mentors?
Two incredible mentors in my life were people who championed my intellect and empathy and taught me how valuable those qualities were.
My English teacher from high school shaped my critical thinking skills and the way I analysed human behaviour and language. He made me love learning.
My business partner from a previous company was instrumental to my growth, constantly challenging me and guiding me through equally challenging times.
It's not lost on me that they were two influential men, and men who always made me feel safe. I try to be really conscientious when I have conversations around what women need and deserve, and be thankful for the male allies in my life, because they matter.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work?
An individual's LQ (learning quotient), is arguably a better predictor of success than their IQ. Throughout my career, the individuals who I have seen succeed the most, are those who have the internal drive and intellectual curiosity to learn something new and approach change with energy and enthusiasm.
Any up and coming marketer should be conscious of that, and take a couple of things into consideration: they need to be an empathetic business leader; be adept at embracing creative, disruptive thinking and connecting disparate things in new ways for their internal and external audiences.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Paying heed to other people's opinions. It interferes with one's courage.
What skills do you feel have helped you to become successful?
A fierce desire to learn, and do better than the day before.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience?
For me, success lies in living my purpose - having a positive impact on the lives of people by encouraging them to think and act in ways they may not have considered before.
Decisions, at the end of the day, are made from two places: fear or love. If you do the work to understand where your choices come from, make sure they always come from love.