Kavitha Surapaneni

Director of Marketing & Brand at WavMaker

Led marketing and brand strategy for a B2B/B2C SaaS startup delivering royalty-free music for filmmakers and content creators. Set initial marketing plans, budgets and brand strategy; executed positioning, digital, SEO, email, web, PR, social media, and content to drive awareness and subscriptions. Managed two direct reports for social media and email newsletters and collaborated with product and agencies to refine features and messaging. Oversaw agency relationships and budgets for SEO, digital, PR, and content development.

Global Senior Product Marketing Manager at Intuitive Surgical Robotics

Led global product marketing for da Vinci learning products to drive adoption of robotic and digital surgery technology (SimNow, Intuitive Learning, Advanced Tissue Models, Telepresence). Drove the first paid social campaign (254K impressions, 100 new followers) with a $50K media budget. Increased online learning users by 30% in 2022 and grew trained/certified surgeons by 12% in 2022. Secured 100+ regulatory/clinical/public affairs approvals. Marketed six learning robotics technologies via positioning, videos, SEO, web, email, and social. Developed AR/VR/XR training strategy for surgeons.

Global Senior Brand Strategist at Intuitive Surgical Robotics

Managed brand strategy for the da Vinci robotic systems (~$4.5B), including naming, positioning, messaging, concept testing, and brand guidelines. Created Brand Guidelines to standardize global visuals and voice. Led integrated marketing plans and creative briefs for the global MyIntuitive app launch; owned sound guidelines including corporate brand sound and startup sound. Built brand architecture and identified future launches.

Global Senior Product Marketing Manager at Logitech

Managed $450M Ultimate Ears speaker brands (Boom, Megaboom, Wonderboom); brand strategist for music globally and owned brand guidelines. Created social media and influencer strategy for Millennials; global digital marketing lead with an $8M annual budget. Managed Ultimate Ears mobile app with UX/ copy updates; briefed and managed 4 agencies on global campaigns. Instrumental in Wonderboom launch ($100M in sales) and expansion of Apple partnership; led limited-edition launch with artist Jen Stark.

Global Marketing and Trends Manager at Firmenich Fragrances & Flavors

Innovation, fragrance/flavor strategy, and marketing plans for $200M+ CPG air care, baby, and beauty brands; driven marketing direction and trend forecasting to inform product development and go-to-market.

Global Innovation Brand Manager at Johnson & Johnson

Owned $275M RoC anti-aging skincare global strategy and a new product innovation portfolio; led cross-functional initiatives to extend product lifecycle and global impact.

Brand Manager at Henkel

Owned 7 laundry brands (Purex Fabric Softener/20 Mule Team Borax) worth $100M; led marketing for Dial soap ($120M sales, $5M budget); delivered a 51% sales lift for Purex Fabric Softener in 2008 through packaging and distribution optimization; grew Dial sales by $9.6M in 2009 with cost savings of $700K; managed a $410M innovation pipeline and launched Dial lotions with $14M first-year sales; executed a $22M integrated marketing campaign including TV, print, digital, and PR; secured Hello Kitty license for $7M annual sales.

Supply Chain Manager at General Mills

Supply Chain responsibilities including operations optimization and interdepartmental coordination; mentored MBA interns and participated in cross-functional teams.

Director of Marketing & Brand at WavMaker

Lead marketing and brand strategy for a B2B and B2C SaaS startup for royalty-free music for filmmakers and content creators. Manage two direct reports for social media and email newsletters; set marketing plans, budgets, brand strategy, positioning, digital, SEO, email, web, PR, social media, and sales enablement; collaborate with product to identify key features informing product development; supervise relationships, briefs, and budgets with agencies for SEO, digital, PR, and content development.

Global Senior Product Marketing Manager at Intuitive Surgical Robotics

Led global product marketing for learned robotic surgery education (SimNow), Intuitive Learning, Advanced Tissue Models, Telepresence; executed first paid social campaign; increased online learning users by 30% in 2022; grew trained and certified robotic surgeons by 12% in 2022; achieved 100+ regulatory/clinical approvals; marketed six learning robotics technologies; developed marketing strategy for AR/VR/XR training programs.

Global Senior Brand Strategist at Intuitive Surgical Robotics

Managed brand strategy for da Vinci surgical systems ($4.5B); naming, positioning, concept testing, and market research; created Brand Guidelines; led marketing plans and creative briefs for global launches; owned brand sound guidelines (corporate sound logo and startup sound) and moved brand from da Vinci to Intuitive; named future launches and feature priorities; implemented concept testing to influence launches.

Global Senior Product Marketing Manager at Logitech

Managed Ultimate Ears speaker brands (Boom, Megaboom, Wonderboom); global brand guidelines; social media and influencer strategy; global digital marketing lead with $8M annual budget; managed Ultimate Ears mobile app with refreshed copy and UX; briefed 4 global campaigns to drive new hardware/software launches; promoted from Brand Manager to Senior Brand Manager; grew sales and led Wonderboom launch with $100M in sales; inventory sell-out campaigns; expanded online and in-store offerings with Apple.

Global Marketing and Trends Manager at Firmenich Fragrances & Flavors

Innovation, fragrance/flavor strategy, and marketing plans for $200M+ CPG air care, baby, beauty brands.

Global Innovation Brand Manager at Johnson & Johnson

Owned $275M RoC anti-aging skincare global strategy and new product innovation portfolio.

Brand Manager at Henkel

Owned 7 laundry brands; led marketing for Dial with annual sales of $120M; drove growth in Dial through packaging design and distribution; led marketing for Dial lotions with a $22M integrated campaign; secured licenses (e.g., Hello Kitty) for the Dial portfolio.