CEO Insights Magazine

Peter F. Drucker famously stated, "Marketing is not merely a function within a company; it is the very essence of the entire business seen through the eyes of the customers”. These words resonate deeply with a seasoned marketing professional, Daulet Mamayev. In a world where marketing shapes the trajectory of businesses, Daulet stands as an exemplary leader inspiring the industry to reach new heights.

Daulet's foray into marketing began with a solid foundation in Audit and Marketing, where he drew inspiration from successful marketing cases from across the globe. His early career exposed him to a time when marketing was undervalued in Kazakhstan, with many companies equating it to mere advertising.

Undeterred, Daulet's quest to explore how marketing could boost profits in businesses led him to discover his true calling in the world of marketing management. Now, as the head of the marketing department at Comportal, Daulet is at the forefront of the company's digital transformation and market expansion endeavours.

Give a brief account about your professional journey.

My professional journey in marketing started with a background in Audit and Marketing from KIMEP, where I was deeply inspired by successful marketing cases from foreign countries. I began my career at PWC, and at that time, marketing was not highly valued in our country.

Throughout my career, I worked in various industries and held different positions, from sales manager to general director. My main driving question was always, 'How can I sell or provide services to increase profits?' This led me to discover my passion for marketing and managing it within a company.

Currently, I am Chief Marketing Officer at Com­portal, where we focus on digital transformation and entering new markets.

How has your path to success been and what is your success mantra?

Over the course of my fifteen-year professional journey, I have been fortunate to work in various industries and positions, ranging from Sales Manager to General Director. Marketing has been the focal point of my career, as I found it to be the key to increasing profits for companies. My journey has been fuelled by a passion for marketing and a commitment to driving success for companies by seeing the business from the customer's point of view.

I believe that marketing is a dynamic field that requires constant learning and collaboration. Being part of a marketing community in Central Asia has allowed me to share experiences, gain insights, and stay updated on industry trends.

My success mantra revolves around continuous learning, adaptability, and interdisciplinary vision.

Define Comportal as an organization and its cur­rent position in the market?

Comportal is a leading value-added distributor (VAD) company based in Kazakhstan. It has gained recognition as the 'Distributor of the Year of Hewlett Packard Enterprise' among 128 countries in the CERTA region in 2022.

Comportal is focused on embracing digital transformation to provide a higher level of customer service and offer new communication platforms and information delivery methods. The company has also made significant strides in entering new markets, such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which presents new challenges and opportunities for growth.

The company's development strategy emphasizes the importance of marketing in determining the direction of the business. This is reflected in their restyling of the brand and a clear definition of the mission and value of the company. Comportal's approach involves close inter-departmental collaboration and an interdisciplinary vision to achieve the ultimate goal of increasing profits.

Working mainly in B2B marketing, Comportal develops the highest standards of work with local and international partners that not only enhance the company’s success and profits, but also contribute to the development of the business climate in Kazakhstan. Making Kazakhstan even more attractive to investors, which is critical for emerging markets like ours.

Comportal is a forward-thinking industry leader, with a clear vision for growth and a commitment to providing excellent customer service. The company's recognition and success in the competitive market demonstrate its effective marketing strategies and well-defined business direction.

What are your latest strategic plans as CMO to ex­pand operations, engage new audiences, and opti­mize market engagement?

As the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Comportal, I have adopted several strategic plans to expand and optimize our operations while engaging new audiences in the market. These plans are geared towards driving growth, increasing profitability, and enhancing our brand's presence and reputation.

My strategic plans revolve around digital transformation, market expansion, brand restyling, interdepartmental collaboration, and building a network of marketing experts. I pay special attention to education and knowledge sharing both within the company and among the partners. We launched an educational platform this year and currently working on its growing impact for the whole industry. By adopting these plans, I aim to position Comportal as a forward-thinking and customer-centric organization that maintains a competitive edge in the IT industry.

What were the toughest challenges in your journey so far? How did you overcome and learn from them?

Some of the toughest challenges I've encountered in my journey as a CMO include overcoming scepticism from company stakeholders regarding the role of marketing, and navigating the entry into new markets during a rapidly changing business landscape due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To address these challenges, I emphasized the importance of interdepartmental collaboration and gained support from understanding leadership. I also focused on accelerating digital transformation to adapt to the new reality and enhance customer service. Additionally, I leveraged my audit experience to identify gaps and improve marketing strategies. Overall, these challenges taught me the value of adaptability, collaboration, and strategic planning in achieving success in the ever-evolving telecommunications industry.

What is the future destination you are heading to­wards?

As the CMO at Comportal, my future destination is focused on driving the company's growth, enhancing its market presence, and solidifying its position as a leader in the IT industry. I am committed to implementing strategic plans that will continue to accelerate the company's digital transformation, ensuring we provide a superior level of customer service and innovative communication platforms.

Expanding into new markets is another important aspect of our journey. I will be leading the efforts to understand local customer needs, adapting our offerings, and establishing a strong presence in these regions.

What advice would you give to the upcoming indus­try leaders?

Embrace innovation and change, adopt a customer-centric mindset, foster collaboration across departments, face challenges with resilience, commit to continuous learning, prioritize data-driven decisions, demonstrate the value of marketing, balance ambition with realism, be adaptable in times of crisis, lead with integrity and empathy. In addition to building up expertise, it is crucial to build up and constantly work on your reputation. Remember, marketing is a dynamic discipline, and your success lies in a combination of expertise, leadership, and reputation.

Daulet Mamayev, Chief Marketing Officer, Comportal

Daulet Mamayev is an expert marketing strategist with a strong background in audit & marketing, known for his ability to drive profits through customer-centric approaches.