Ribbon Communications

If there is one piece of advice I would share, especially with women, it is to be authentic.’ Joni Roberts, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President at Ribbon Communications, leads global marketing strategy, brand development, and stakeholder communications. She brings more than three decades of telecom experience, combining sales and marketing leadership with deep expertise in optical networking to the role. Known for her data-driven approach and focus on brand growth, Roberts plays a key role in aligning marketing with revenue impact while advancing AI-enabled marketing practices.

From Sales Roots to a Lifelong Passion for Marketing

My journey didn’t begin in marketing. It started in telecom sales in the early 1990s. A defining shift came when I moved into marketing at Nortel, then one of the largest global vendors with over 120,000 employees.

 That experience provided a strong foundation in structured, strategic marketing and sparked a lasting passion for the discipline. I saw how marketing shapes messaging, drives creativity and directly influences business outcomes when aligned with sales.

Over time, I moved between sales and marketing roles, with even a brief stint in supply chain that confirmed operations wasn’t my strength. What remained constant was my belief in the intersection of sales and marketing. That combination ultimately defined my career and continues to shape my approach today.

Bridging Experience and Opportunity

My path to becoming Chief Marketing Officer was not a single leap but a steady progression. I spent years leading sales and integrated sales and marketing functions, while working closely with field marketing and other disciplines.

When the opportunity to join Ribbon emerged, the timing aligned. The company was at an inflection point. Although built on the integration of GENBAND, Sonus, and ECI, the Ribbon brand itself was still relatively young, established in 2018.

"Marketing must Drive Measurable Business Impact."

Building a brand in a competitive telecom market requires consistent messaging, clear positioning and sustained engagement over time. I was brought in to accelerate that journey by strengthening brand awareness, elevating our capabilities and supporting growth across both optical networking and cloud-managed solutions.

My background in optical networking, combined with a technical foundation in telecom and electrical engineering, enables me to bridge technical depth with market storytelling, an increasingly critical capability.

Where Brand Awareness Meets Revenue Impact

Marketing must drive measurable business impact. Like many CMOs, I am evaluated on revenue contribution. However, strong fundamentals underpin performance, starting with brand awareness.

Building brand awareness remains one of the most challenging aspects of marketing. It requires consistency, clarity and alignment with customer needs. Over the past three years, we’ve increased brand awareness by more than 13 percent through coordinated efforts across digital marketing, content, social media, public relations, and events.

We also focus on demand generation. Metrics such as marketing-qualified leads, salesqualified leads, and conversion rates provide clear indicators of performance. We’ve achieved a 10 percent year-over-year increase in MQLs along with improved conversion rates, reinforcing that quality matters more than volume.

Marketing today is highly measurable. From website traffic and event engagement to CRM tracking and pipeline attribution, multiple checkpoints demonstrate marketing’s contribution to revenue. Even with these metrics, one principle remains clear: without strong brand awareness, everything else becomes more difficult.

Turning AI Disruption into a Strategic Advantage

As artificial intelligence reshapes marketing, the balance between measurable performance and strong brand fundamentals becomes even more critical. I view AI as an opportunity rather than a threat.

We’ve observed clear shifts in how audiences discover and access our platforms, driven by AI-powered search and discovery. Rather than resist this shift, we have embraced it. By making targeted updates to our website and optimizing for AI-driven engines, we have improved both traffic quality and lead quality. One of our most impactful initiatives has been the development of an internal AI agent to analyze content, evaluate page performance and guide design decisions. This has strengthened our digital presence and improved visibility across external AI platforms.

We are engaging more informed audiences who better understand our capabilities before initiating contact.

I often emphasize that while AI may not replace jobs, professionals who use it effectively will outperform those who do not. That’s why I encourage continuous experimentation and adoption of AI tools. Flexibility and curiosity remain essential in this evolving landscape.

Driving Growth Through Data, Integration, and Orchestration

Meaningful growth rarely stems from a single initiative. Marketing success is driven by orchestration.

I view my role as a conductor, ensuring that functions such as content, digital, events, account-based marketing and analytics operate in alignment. The real impact comes when these elements operate cohesively.

We have implemented several data-driven improvements, including refining website design and user flows, optimizing lead conversion processes and shifting toward intent-based ABM strategies rather than broad outreach.

Content has also been a key focus. By aligning messaging closely with customer needs, we’ve improved both engagement and conversion. This combination of coordinated efforts drives sustained results.

Mentorship and Representation Are the Path to Meaningful Change

Diversity and representation remain critical challenges in telecom and technology. While progress has been made, there is still work to be done.

Representation matters not only in numbers but in influence. Those at the table shape decisions, culture, and direction.

Mentorship has played a vital role in my own journey. Learning from strong women leaders who navigated industry challenges helped shape my perspective. One lesson that stayed with me is to treat challenges as part of your toolkit and turn them into strengths.

Today, I actively mentor others. Supporting and uplifting the next generation of women leaders is essential to driving meaningful and lasting change.

Creating Real Impact

As my career has evolved, so has my perspective. I have become more focused on where I can have the greatest impact.

What motivates me is the ability to leverage my experience, relationships, and insights to drive growth and innovation. Equally important is the ability to build strong teams.

on. Equally important is the ability to build strong teams. I believe great teams are the foundation of success. Research such as Project Aristotle highlights psychological safety as a key driver of performance. Creating an environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing ideas, taking risks, and learning from mistakes is critical.

When teams feel supported and empowered, they perform at their best and drive meaningful outcomes.

The Expanding Role of the Modern CMO

Looking ahead, the role of the CMO will continue to evolve, with AI playing a central role as a strategic enabler.

Traditional marketing approaches are becoming less effective. CMOs must rethink strategies, embrace emerging technologies, and adapt to new ways of engaging customers.

There is also a growing convergence between marketing and customer experience. Brand building, customer satisfaction, and retention are increasingly interconnected. Understanding customers and delivering consistent value must operate as a unified effort.

Over the next five to ten years, CMOs will take on more holistic responsibilities, integrating marketing, customer engagement, and AI-driven insights into a cohesive strategy.

Be Authentic and Take the Leap

If there is one piece of advice I would share, especially with women, it is to be authentic.

Early in my career, I felt pressure to conform. Over time, I realized that true growth comes from embracing who you are. Authenticity builds confidence, clarity, and a stronger voice.

Equally important is the willingness to take risks. Many women hesitate to pursue opportunities unless they feel fully qualified. I encourage challenging that mindset. If you believe you can grow into a role, even without meeting every requirement, take the chance.

Bet on yourself. The most meaningful opportunities often come from the risks we are willing to take.