Career, credentials and the people I learn from.

Economist by training, marketer by trade, GRC professional by conviction. Today Chief Marketing Officer and Member of the Executive Board at Swiss GRC.

Yahya Mohamed Mao

Profile

I am a marketing specialist who has spent more than ten years turning complex technology into brands people trust, from cloud infrastructure and digital health to governance, risk and compliance software.

International is not a line on my CV, it is where I come from. Both sides of my family have a long history in Mogadishu, among the families of Yemeni Arab descent who settled there centuries ago and helped build the city. My paternal grandfather served as a state secretary and diplomat, and my father speaks seven languages fluently. On my mother's side, education was the family currency: my maternal grandfather trained as an engineer, studied for four years in China and spoke fluent Mandarin. I grew up between languages and cultures, and I am at my best in an international environment.

Alongside the executive role I write, speak and judge: three books, close to a hundred articles, the CMO Convo podcast, conference stages at the AIBC Summit, and startup juries at MassChallenge in Switzerland and the United States.

Languages
German (native), Somali (native), English (proficient), French (proficient), Arabic (advanced), Swiss German (working knowledge), Italian (basic)
Based in
Meisterschwanden, Switzerland
Write me an email

Career

From Strasbourg to the executive board.

Every role since 2014, newest first. Organisations are grouped, so a company with several promotions appears once.

  1. Swiss GRC

    Apr 2022 to today   Lucerne, Switzerland
    • Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) & Member of the Executive BoardOct 2025 to today
      • Own the global marketing and communications strategy as a member of the executive board.
      • Drive brand leadership, market expansion and thought leadership in governance, risk and compliance.
      • Represent the company on stages, in the press and with partners across the DACH region and the Middle East.
    • Head Marketing & CommunicationsJan 2024 to Sep 2025
      • Led strategic marketing management, PR and communications, employer branding and event management.
      • Advanced global reach and market influence in a highly specialised software category.
      • Built the thought leadership programme that carries the brand into new markets.
    • Head Business Development & MarketingApr 2022 to Dec 2023
      • Executed a dynamic rebranding and launched a new user-focused website.
      • Increased lead generation tenfold through PR, media campaigns and search visibility.
      • Achieved top search engine rankings and record participation at SWISS GRC DAY, with media partnerships including Handelszeitung and Computerworld.

  2. Tech Impact Insights

    Apr 2018 to today   Switzerland
    • Founder and Editor-in-ChiefApr 2018 to today
      • Founded and run an independent publication on AI, risk management, marketing technology and fintech.
      • Set the editorial direction and content strategy for the platform.
      • Work with industry leaders to produce in-depth analyses and interviews.

  3. MiSANTO AG

    Apr 2020 to Mar 2022   Frauenfeld, Switzerland
    • Chief Marketing OfficerAug 2020 to Mar 2022
      • Tracked and optimised marketing KPIs, turning campaign data into decisions.
      • Surpassed app user acquisition goals with 22,000 users in 2020 and 50,000 in 2021.
      • Built the online reputation and an ambassador programme with athletes from equestrian, motor and winter sports.
    • Fractional CMOApr 2020 to Jul 2020

      In collaboration with Workandsun Canarias, I took over the role of an external Marketing Communications Consultant for MiSANTO to develop the company's brand’s profile and to enance its presence on a variety of digital media channels.

  4. MassChallenge

    Feb 2020 to Dec 2024   Switzerland & USA
    • Mentor & JudgeFeb 2020 to Dec 2024
      • Reviewed more than 30 high-potential startups a year across the accelerator stages, assessing business model, marketing and sales plans.
      • Mentored startups including Neustark, the Swiss carbon removal provider that raised 69 million dollars in 2024, and Hi-D Imaging, an ETH MedTech spin-off.
      • Contributed expertise and feedback to the global community of judges in Switzerland and the United States.

  5. n'cloud.swiss AG (formerly Netkom IT Services GmbH)

    Aug 2017 to Jul 2020   Seengen, Switzerland
    • Chief Marketing OfficerMar 2019 to Jul 2020
      • Tracked and optimised marketing KPIs, turning campaign data into decisions.
      • Surpassed app user acquisition goals with 22,000 users in 2020 and 50,000 in 2021.
      • Built the online reputation and an ambassador programme with athletes from equestrian, motor and winter sports.
    • Head of Digital MarketingAug 2017 to Feb 2019
      • Established the company reputation through consistent digital marketing.
      • Improved search rankings and organic traffic with paid and organic search strategies.
      • Grew social media following by 180 per cent through digital campaigns.
    • Sales Executive and International Business DeveloperAug 2017 to Aug 2018

      During this role, I have optimised customer satisfaction levels by providing high-level customer support in close collaboration with technical teams.

  6. LEADEO GROUPE

    Jan 2017 to Jul 2017   Strasbourg, France
    • Business Development AssociateJan 2017 to Jul 2017
      • Managed a prospect portfolio and built partnerships with SAP, proALPHA, Abas, Sage and Microsoft in Germany.
      • Connected decision makers at German SMEs with the right software developers and integrators.
      • Represented the company at CeBIT 2017.

  7. European Homecare and Regierungspräsidium Karlsruhe

    Sep 2015 to Dec 2016   Karlsruhe, Germany
    • Administrative and Financial AssistantSep 2015 to Dec 2016
      • Managed a team of 20 employees from diverse backgrounds.
      • Acted as contact person for the regional management office and the German government's regional council in Karlsruhe.
      • Documented and improved processes, set and monitored cash balances.

  8. Daimler AG

    Mar 2015 to Aug 2015   Stuttgart, Germany
    • Intern in Business Development, New Markets and Product PortfolioMar 2015 to Aug 2015
      • Supported the innovation process from idea generation to implementation.
      • Ran technology intelligence to identify and evaluate new technologies.
      • Prepared and presented innovation workshops and management presentations.

  9. Eco-Gestion Conseil

    Dec 2014 to Sep 2015   Strasbourg, France
    • Vice President & Head of CommunicationsDec 2014 to Sep 2015
      • Co-founded and managed a student management consultancy.
      • Led communication strategy and initiatives to promote the consultancy.
      • Organised events to engage clients and partners.

Education

Education

Universities, business schools and executive programmes.

  • Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
    Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS), Governance, Risk and Compliance
    Aug 2022 to Jan 2023
  • ThePowerMBA
    MBA, Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Innovation and Digital Transformation
    Jan 2021 to Mar 2023
  • Yale University
    Executive programme
    2020
  • University of Pennsylvania
    Executive programme
    2020
  • International Business Management Institute (IBMI)
    Executive programme
    2019
  • University of Sussex
    Exchange student, MSc Technology and Innovation Management
    2014 to 2015
  • University of Strasbourg
    Master's degree, Economic Analysis and Policy, specialising in Economics and Management of Innovation
    2013 to 2015
  • University of Strasbourg
    Bachelor's degree, Economics and Management, specialising in Economic Analysis
    2010 to 2013
  • Einsteingymnasium Kehl
    A-Level
    2001 to 2010

Certifications

Certifications

Professional certifications, with verification links where the issuing body provides them.

Awards and rankings

Awarded by peers, certified by the profession.

CMO to Watch in 2024

CMO Alliance, Jan 2024

Being named a "CMO to Watch 2024" by the CMO Alliance is a prestigious honor that recognizes outstanding innovation, leadership, and impact in the marketing field.

Top 100 Marketer Award Finalist

OnCon Icon Awards, Jan 2024

The Top 100 Marketer Award is a peer voted award that is determined by peer observation of work.

Top 50 Global Thought Leader and Influencer

Thinkers360, Feb 2021

Thinkers360 is the world’s first open platform for thought leaders to share opportunities, promote and advance their expertise.

Strengths

Strengths

Strategic marketing leadership

A track record of leading marketing and business development initiatives that move the numbers.

Brand development

Rebrandings and corporate identities that make complex software understandable and credible.

Event management

Conceiving, promoting and hosting business events, from industry days to conference panels.

International experience

Studied and worked in Germany, France, England and Switzerland, active in the DACH region and the Gulf.

Multilingual proficiency

Five working languages, which turns cross-border go-to-market from a plan into practice.

Business development

Opening markets and building partnerships, from German SMEs and enterprise buyers to partners in the Gulf and Asia.

PR and communications

Media relations, press work and media partnerships with titles such as Handelszeitung and Computerworld.

Digital marketing

Search across the board: SEO, paid search and generative engine optimisation, so the brand is found by people and by AI assistants.

Speaking, judging and community

Speaking, judging and community

Where I give time outside the day job.

  • Speaker & Moderator, AIBC Summit
    The AIBC Summit is the Worlds Premier Event for Emerging Tech bringing together thousands of investors and innovators in Blockchain, Fintech, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technology, Big Data and the Internet of Things.
    Nov 2021 to Nov 2023
  • Awards Judge, AIBC Summit
    The AIBC Awards bring together luminaries in the industry for an evening of recognition and celebration of achievement.
    May 2021 to Nov 2023
  • Digital Author, The Digital Transformation People
    Regular contributor on digital transformation.
    Oct 2018 to today
  • Mentor, EUvsVirus
    As a mentor within the EUvsVirus initiative I'm sharing my expertise in Business and Marketing to be a great help to all the bright minds that come together to help us overcome the global crisis.
    Apr 2020 to Oct 2021
  • Global Parent, UNICEF
    "All children deserve to live happy and healthy lives.
    May 2015 to Oct 2022
  • Member, Swiss International Club
    The Swiss International Club (SIC) has set itself the goal of providing people who have moved from abroad a platform with which they can easily establish contacts and friendships with like-minded people living in Switzerland to optimize their personal and professional network of relationships.
    Dec 2019 to Dec 2022
  • Mentor, Swiss manager association
    Sep 2018 to Dec 2019

Expertise

Expertise

  • Marketing strategy
  • Brand leadership
  • Governance, risk and compliance
  • B2B demand generation
  • Thought leadership
  • PR and communications
  • Content marketing
  • SEO and SEM
  • Digital analytics
  • CRM (Microsoft Dynamics, HubSpot)
  • Email marketing
  • Graphic design and video editing
  • Content management systems
  • Event management
  • Employer branding
  • Product marketing
  • Business development
  • Innovation management
  • Public speaking
  • Team leadership
  • Budget management
  • Cross-cultural communication

Download CV as PDF

Let us talk

Looking for a marketing leader who understands trust, technology and growth?

Keynotes, panels, podcasts, advisory conversations and partnership ideas. I answer personally, usually within a working day.

Write me an email LinkedIn