Frederique Covington Corbett

The Innovator 25:

Frederique Covington Corbett

SVP, marketing, Asia-Pacific

Visa
Singapore

"Understand what's making people scared and show them it can be overcome"

Voted Asia's most influential CMO in 2015, Covington Corbett moved to the region in 2007 to oversee strategy at Bates 141, before taking on a succession of senior marketing roles at Microsoft, Twitter and, in her current position, Visa. A well-known change agenct among CMOs, Covington Corbett brings a considerable depth of experience to her position at Visa, having successfully built Twitter's international marketing business during her two-year stint at the company.

How do you define innovation?

Looking at the same things in new ways, leading to fresh outcomes.

Most innovative comms/marketing campaign you’ve seen in the last 12 months?

UnderArmour.

What brands and/or agencies are most innovative when it comes to marketing/PR?

Those people have never heard of.

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider ‘innovative.’
When I wrote my first book called the Dictionary of Change. It allowed me to catalog all the key trends happening in Asia and I met Martin Sorrell, the CEO of WPP after winning an unforeseen global award for it.

In what area of marketing/PR do you see the most innovation?
Social media & online marketing.

How would you describe the communications/PR industry’s level of innovation?

More innovative then other marketing disciplines

Where do you see the greatest opportunity for marketing & PR to become more innovative?
Content & creative.

Who most influences how innovative a brand’s marketing/PR is?
CMO

Who is your mentor and why?

Dr. Larry Chiagouris. He made me grade his PhD student copies which helped me take the class without knowing it

How do you find inspiration?

Asking questions, never taking no for an answer

Advice for people seeking to bring new ideas, ways of doing things to their organizations?

Understand what's making people scared and show them it can be overcome

In your opinion, what’s the most innovative place in the world?