Susan Anderton
CEO & Founder,
Susan Anderton is CEO and founder of The Brand Marquee, a global brand agency specializing in strategy-led transformation. With over 30 years’ experience, she helps executive teams align brand with business goals—translating complex, technical value into clear, persuasive messaging. Her expertise spans eight industries, including telecoms, defense, tech, data centers, and finance. A mentor and public speaker, Susan led the launch of the first AI-as-a-Service product in the U.S. for a major FM&O firm, significantly accelerating sales. She is known for shaping brand narratives that drive investment, visibility, and long-term growth.
PTC: How can telecommunications technologies help humanity?
SA: In 2006, I was part of the leadership team at an architecture practice building hospitals in some of Africa’s most remote regions. One thing that struck me was how vital the mobile phone store was—often the most important and accessible service on site. People would travel hundreds of miles for care and stay for long periods; telecommunications gave them a lifeline and an ability to connect during traumatic times. Today, connectivity continues to transform access to healthcare, education, and commerce. As a brand agency, we can see that through the building of digital platforms and infrastructure, connectivity remains a catalyst for opportunity, safety, and dignity. The industry must continue to prioritize accessibility and connectivity.
PTC: What network-related development will have the greatest impact in our industry?
SA: AI-powered infrastructure management will have the greatest impact, specifically through the integration of AI into network operations, automation, and decision-making. We’ve seen this firsthand with clients such as Salute, which launched the first AI-as-a-Service offering forFM&O, and RiT Tech, which transitioned from hardware to intelligent DCIM software. These advancements aren’t just operational—they reshape how networks respond, scale, and create value. AI enables predictive maintenance, real-time optimization, and adaptive performance at the edge. For businesses, it means smarter infrastructure. For brand strategy, it signals a new era of capability, resilience, and competitive advantage.
PTC: Is it important for companies to continue to innovate their organization or offerings, and why?
SA: Yes—innovation is essential to long-term value. For ambitious companies, particularly those preparing for investment, repositioning, or exit, innovation signals maturity, capability, and confidence. It reflects a willingness to evolve in step with shifting markets and stakeholder expectations. Whether through brand and product development, ESG commitments, or brand strategy, innovation is not simply about being first—it’s about being fit for the future. In our work with PE-backed and growth-focused businesses, innovation is often the difference between short-term momentum and sustainable, scalable success.
PTC: How does PTC fit your company’s goals or career purpose?
SA: PTC connects us with forward-thinking leaders and emerging technologies that directly influence how brands operate globally. As an agency focused on aligning brand with business strategy, we benefit from understanding how infrastructure, digital connectivity, and innovation trends are reshaping markets. Our clients often sit at the intersection of tech, finance, and transformation—PTC helps us stay at the forefront, ensuring our strategic advice is grounded in what’s next. It’s a space to learn, share, and anticipate.
PTC: What would you share with those interested in becoming a PTC member?
SA: As the world of connectivity, data, and digital infrastructure evolves at pace, PTC offers something rare: a bridge between the legacy of those who built this industry and the ambition of those shaping its future. For The Brand Marquee, joining PTC was about staying close to change, being part of an important community that has transformed digital infrastructure—learning from the people driving it and contributing to the conversations that matter.
PTC brings together global voices, emerging markets, and future-focused thinking in one place. It’s a space for shared ambition, collaboration, and clarity. For any company serious about relevance, innovation, and strategic growth, it’s an invaluable community.
PTC: What advice would you share with current and future graduates interested in this field?
SA: Take every opportunity to learn everything there is to know. You only have to know one more thing than your peers or seniors, and you become the expert in the room. This also shows that you are continuously learning.
Build allies for life as early as you can. This means building long-term relationships, because once you are in this industry, you are likely to stay! They will be your lifeline at some point in your career.
Learn to think strategically, see the bigger picture. Whether you are in brand, tech, or data center operations, your ability to connect dots between trends, data, people, and markets will set you apart. Be curious about everything – the technology, the business models, the way in which the market buys. And invest in communication skills – they will be your life skills.
Stay ambitious and always expect change, that way you will be one step ahead.
PTC: What is something that not that many people know about you?
SA: I started working when I was 16 and my first job was at a major defense company – Ferranti. I wanted to be a computer engineer, but my physics results didn’t make the mark! One of the first tasks was to sort through thousands of images using a basic technique – a lightbox and transparencies – and to label and file each one in the metal filing cabinet! This is where I caught the bug for telecommunications and computing. I began to learn the components of night vision goggles, helicopters, military communication systems, and the backbone of connectivity. I also started to realize at that young age that I knew the language more than my seniors! This gave me the drive to learn more, and we live and breathe this approach through our agency today.
About The Brand Marquee
The Brand Marquee is a global brand agency specializing in strategy-led transformation. We solve a critical challenge for PE-backed telco and digital infrastructure businesses: translating technical excellence into market value. We work with executive teams to build investable brands through strategic repositioning, go-to-market strategies, and integrated business development. Our clients’ brands are positioned to attract investors, customers, and talent—turning infrastructure assets into compelling market propositions. Our vision is to become one of the world’s most respected brand agencies for ICT industries, where creativity, talent, and culture shape reputations that drive commercial success.
More profiles
Susan Anderton
Susan Anderton
Bav Roy
Bav Roy
Wilson Burns
Wilson Burns
Vince Sciarra
Vince Sciarra
Can Zhao
