Chief Marketing Officer, Netapp
Search every verified Gabrielle Boko interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Gabrielle Boko, Chief Marketing Officer at NetApp, discussed the company's "intelligent data infrastructure" strategy during appearances at NetApp Insight 2024 and NetApp Converge 2024. She described the concept as "an idea that has a connected road map and proof points" rather than a single product, and said the company's approach involves integrating security, intelligence, and unified data management across block, file, and object storage. Boko stated that NetApp has embedded AI into tools such as BlueXP for ransomware monitoring and cloud operations, and she characterized generative AI as an opportunity for customers to extract value from their data more cost‑effectively and securely. Boko outlined her marketing strategy as "less is more," emphasizing fewer, more resonant messages to enable salespeople and brand ambassadors to tell a consistent story. She noted that NetApp deliberately avoided "AI‑washing" by focusing on its existing intelligence and legacy story. Boko also highlighted the importance of the company's ecosystem, including deep integrations with ONTAP, hyperscalers, and partners, and said the company aims to make functionality "built in, not bolted on." She described data as "the new product" and said intelligent data infrastructure is the product NetApp delivers to help customers protect, optimize, and leverage their data.
“It's not a product — it's an idea that has a connected road map and proof points for how you can be better and leverage your data more effectively.”
“We really see intelligent data infrastructure as the future-proof point for how we bring that to life — you don't do that by just having a bolt-on; the strength comes from the connected relationships that can be a customer, a partner, a product roadmap all in one.”
“It has to be block, file and object — more value, more volume for less price — unified is important, and it has to have a fantastic operating system that allows you to have an integrated view of security and intelligence.”
“Feedback is more than a gift — it has to be something that you do all the time. We took the feedback, we listened, and we redefined and reconnected our pillars to what customers really wanted.”
“Intelligent services and Cloud Ops are evolving as part of our portfolio — the final pillar is Solutions: workloads and partner solutions that help drive AI, and we want our architecture to be receptive to that.”
“We already have solutions serving public institutions — for example certified email with legal proof in highly regulated environments — and while laws change, we can adapt the technology to the needs of a country or the European Union and keep the service stable.”
“AI is just the beginning — we didn't know what came next after cloud, but I think we are well prepared to have that conversation. We're here, we're listening, and we'll help you go where you want to go.”
“NetApp's been in AI for a while — we've embedded AI across tools like BlueXP to monitor ransomware and optimize cloud operations — and what excites us now is the opportunity generative AI brings for customers' workloads to extract value in a more cost‑effective and secure way.”
“We're redefining 'unified' to be more than a protocol — unified means any data, any workload, any place, and the new AF Series reflects that approach to integrated unified storage.”
“At the core of redefining infrastructure and intelligence is data — we're here to protect it, optimize it and 'go where their data goes', which is why we describe what we do as intelligent data infrastructure.”
“I see data as the new product — our customer's data is almost as close to being a product as a product is, and that makes intelligent data infrastructure the new product we deliver.”
“The strength of any technology company is its ecosystem — we've broadened ours with deep integrations into ONTAP, relationships with hyperscalers and partners so these capabilities are built in, not bolted on.”
“We deliberately avoided AI‑washing: instead of launching a campaign, we went back to our legacy and intelligence story and embedded AI where it genuinely belongs so the messaging stays true and useful to customers.”
“We hear from partners who build workloads on NetApp — like WWT saying 'this is a workload we couldn't do without you' — and that shows why making functionality builtin rather than a sidecar is so important.”
“My strategy as CMO is 'less is more' — fewer, more resonant messages let our salespeople and brand ambassadors be more compelling and consistent when they tell the story, accessorized with data infrastructure proof points.”
Gabie Boko, CMO, NetApp & Paola Menegon, Head of Strategic Opportunities/Alliances, Aruba, join theCUBE at NetApp Insight 2024.
Gabie Boko, Chief Marketing Officer, NetApp joins theCUBE hosts Rob Strechay and Rebecca Knight for this segment of NetApp Converge 2024.
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