Welcome to Extra Mile by HiTechNectar, an exclusive interview series with industry leaders, discussing the latest innovations, tech trends, marketing practices, expert insights, and a lot more.
Today, we are thrilled to introduce Vivien Boidron, Marketing Director at GridBeyond, a top-notch AI-powered platform for renewable energies. GridBeyond continuously innovates and collaborates with customers to create optimal value from energy generation, demand, and storage to deliver a zero-carbon future.
Join us as we explore Vivien’s journey, the impact of GridBeyond’s technology, and the role of marketing in transforming the energy landscape.
Hello Vivien! Greetings for the day! We are excited to host you today!
Q1. With diverse designations in marketing and your current role as Global Marketing Director at GridBeyond, could you share some key highlights that have shaped your career?
Ans. My career to-date has been a journey of aligning cutting-edge marketing with business growth with striving to make a tangible impact that will influence our collective future.
My journey began at home, influenced by my father, a nuclear physicist whose work and passion for science surrounded me from an early age. Growing up in an environment where complex ideas and meticulous problem-solving were part of everyday conversations, I developed a fascination with the mechanics of the world around me. This exposure didn’t just nurture my curiosity about how things work on a physical or scientific level; it also ignited an interest in the dynamics of communication and influence.
I became intrigued by the way certain individuals and businesses could convey concepts so effectively that they not only gained buy-in from their audience but also inspired those people to become advocates for their ideas. This realization led me to explore the intersection of communication, psychology, and business, seeking to understand what makes a message compelling and how it can be crafted to resonate with others on a deeper level, and I have taken this interest with me throughout my professional career.
From my start in the renewable geothermal industry to learning the value of process at Schneider Electric, each step has led me here. At GridBeyond, we’re not just marketing solutions; we’re leading a movement towards a smarter, more sustainable energy future. It was a thrill to fuse technology innovation with sustainability objectives. The CEO’s vision was perfectly aligned with my own: helping more renewables find their place in the energy we use and driving the net zero transition. By translating GridBeyond’s technical prowess into marketing, we have shifted perceptions that even the heavy industrial sector can contribute towards a zero-carbon world while proving that it’s possible to reduce the overall cost of the energy transition for consumers of all types. Imagine marketing not as a support function but as the engine driving business growth. That’s what we’ve achieved at GridBeyond. We’ve transformed marketing into a critical revenue driver by focusing on quality over quantity. We don’t just generate leads, we create a streamlined marketing pipeline that fuels our sales teams with actionable, high-quality leads, ensuring every campaign contributes directly to our bottom line.
If I was to choose one defining moment of my career to-date, its right now, every day. I joined GridBeyond back in 2013 as the company expanded from Ireland to the UK. We now have the dream team in place and the startup culture of the wider business has given me and the team the freedom to innovate and push boundaries like never before. My philosophy is simple: let people shine where they excel and think outside the box wherever possible. This approach has not only driven remarkable results but also fostered a culture of innovation and collaboration. Our success is a direct reflection of our team’s talent and dedication.
We’ve turned knowledge into our most powerful tool, building trust and authority. Our white papers and webinars aren’t just marketing collateral; they’re essential resources that simplify the complex and offer deep insights. This approach has positioned us as the go-to experts in the industry, recognized by giants like EY, S&P Global, and many industry reports and opening up stages worldwide for the team to provide insights to audiences ranging from students to industry veterans.
Q2. What are the biggest threats energy inefficiency can cause, and how can these be tackled effectively?
Ans. Energy inefficiency is more than just a missed opportunity—it’s a ticking time bomb that can disrupt businesses, economies, and the environment. Think of energy inefficiency as a slow leak. It’s an invisible drain that inflates operational costs, increases emissions, puts companies at risk of missing regulatory targets and could have a negative impact on a corporate brand that could last a lifetime.
As the global demand for energy continues to rise, inefficiency can strain energy resources and even threaten the stability of the wider power grid. This is particularly concerning in regions with tight margins where grids are already under pressure. An unstable grid can lead to power outages, which disrupt operations resulting in significant financial losses and could have far reaching impacts – even down to the household level.
In today’s world, consumers and investors are increasingly conscious of environmental and social governance (ESG) issues. Energy inefficiency can damage a company’s reputation if it is seen as being negligent in its environmental responsibilities. This can lead to a loss of consumer trust and investor confidence.
The solution is a commitment to sustainability, investing in energy-efficient technologies and processes that align with global net zero ambitions. But it is vital that companies are transparent about their energy use and carbon footprint and actively engage in initiatives that promote sustainability. By positioning themselves as leaders in smart energy, businesses can enhance their brand reputation and build stronger relationships with stakeholders.
By adopting solutions like GridBeyond’s AI-powered platform, businesses can contribute to grid stability through demand-side response and energy optimization, trading, and hedging all of which help ensure that energy is used more effectively across the board.
Q3. How can technologies such as AI and ML be significant for the future of energy management, and how is GridBeyond incorporating these technologies?
Ans. AI and Machine Learning (ML) aren’t just tools—they’re the architects of the future. While AI is gaining prominence in many areas of our lives, they’re reshaping the energy management landscape in a few key ways.
In a world drowning in data, AI and ML are the lifeboats. They process and analyze vast amounts of information quickly and accurately, providing decision-makers with actionable insights. Whether it’s reducing emissions or improving operational efficiency, AI turns data into strategic value.
Imagine knowing the future of energy demand and supply. That’s the power of AI and ML, forecasting with remarkable accuracy by analyzing vast datasets. At GridBeyond, we use these technologies to help our clients optimize energy use, anticipate fluctuations, identify patterns, predict future trends, aligning with market demands and avoiding costly inefficiencies. AI can also be used to predict equipment failures before they happen, enabling proactive maintenance that minimizes downtime and extends asset lifespan.
AI and ML also allow for real-time optimisation, dynamically adjusting systems based on current conditions. Flexibility is the future, and AI is the key. By continuously learning from data, AI predicts when and where demand response actions are needed, allowing for rapid adjustments. This flexibility enables clients to participate more effectively in energy markets and monetize their capabilities. At GridBeyond, our AI-powered platform automates this, ensuring process optimisation, peak efficiency, reducing costs, and supporting renewable energy integration.
Q4. You have been an integral part of GridBeyond for more than a decade and have contributed to its success. What are the key challenges or hurdles that the firm has encountered over these years?
Ans. Over a decade at GridBeyond, we’ve faced our share of challenges—but it’s these very hurdles that have shaped us into industry leaders.
The energy sector is like a rollercoaster, with constant fluctuations in prices, regulations and technological developments. Energy is also a complex sector, and educating our market has been an ongoing challenge. The same is true for our team. Building and retaining a top-tier team of experts in the market in a competitive field has also proved a significant challenge, especially in our expansion markets, where the sector, culture and work-life balance may be very different to what we are used to as a company.
The way we have met these challenges however is the same…by investing in the future of the business and doing it in an agile way.
Whether it’s through thought leadership that simplifies the complex and showcases the value of our solutions, making changes to create an environment where our team members can thrive or in the development of our AI-powered platform, we’ve turned potential risks into competitive advantages. In short, our team’s dedication has been central to overcoming our biggest challenges.
Q5. Can you shed some light on GridBeyond’s marketing endeavors? How does the firm approach, educate, and engage audiences about complex energy solutions?
Ans. At GridBeyond, our marketing isn’t just about selling products, it’s about redefining how the energy sector connects with its audience and shaping the conversation. We’re not just part of the conversation; we’re shaping it.
Here’s the bottom line, content might be king, but to take the kingdom you need to provide value. The energy sector is about as complex as it gets. But at GridBeyond, we turn complexity into clarity. At GridBeyond, we don’t just produce content, we craft essential resources for the industry.
Our white papers and webinars are more than just information; they are collaborative efforts that involve in-house experts, relevant market data, and insights from third-party partners and industry authorities. By curating content with the best minds and data, we don’t just inform, we elevate the conversation, set the agenda for the industry and solidify our position as the trusted voice in energy management. Our video demos are like a window into the future, starting with a quick one-minute overview that grabs attention, then diving deeper with three-minute segments that show exactly how our solutions work in practice. It’s not just about explaining what we do; it’s about showing how we can transform operations, making the complex not just understandable but compelling. Think of it this way, in a world flooded with generic marketing, providing value is the core of our multi-channel strategy.
We initiate with industry publications, guiding our prospects through every stage of the decision-making process with a combination of expertly timed keyword searches, interactive webinars hosted with top-tier publications, and drip campaigns tailored to their unique energy needs. We also harness advanced segmenting techniques and data-driven insights not just to keep our audience engaged, but to convert fleeting interest into lasting partnerships. Every touchpoint is designed to move prospects closer to making an informed, confident decision.
We don’t just talk to our prospects, we listen, learn, and tailor our messaging to speak directly to their unique needs. By diving deep into the energy journey of each company, we pinpoint exactly where they are, what they need next and where we are most likely to grab their attention. We integrate these channels with precision to create a seamless journey for our audience.
We take it further with personalized, data-driven demos that use a prospect’s own energy data. It’s not just a pitch; it’s a real-world demonstration of what our technology can do for them. When they share their processes with us, we deliver advanced energy reports that don’t just show possibilities, they lay out the path to achieving best-in-class energy management. This isn’t theoretical, it’s practical, actionable, and tailored to their exact needs.
Whether it’s predictive analytics for a massive industrial player or a tailored renewable integration plan for a growing enterprise, we’re not just delivering messages, we’re delivering solutions that resonate. Every interaction isn’t just relevant, it’s a step forward in their journey, deepening our relationship and driving real engagement.
Q6. It’s been six months since you were named among the Finite Influential 30 Marketers in Sustainability. What has changed since then, and how has your approach to sustainability in marketing evolved since being recognized?
Ans. Being named among the Finite Influential 30 Marketers in Sustainability was both a proud moment and a catalyst for even greater impact.
Here’s how my approach to sustainability in marketing has evolved over the past six months:
The recognition has driven us to deepen our commitment to authenticity. We’re not just talking about reducing carbon emissions, we’re guiding our customers on a clear path to net zero. We show them the next steps, help them accurately report their progress, and ensure they’re equipped to achieve their sustainability goals with confidence. Sustainability is now woven into every step of our customer journey. From the first interaction to the final decision, we ensure that our commitment to sustainability is clear, compelling, and fully aligned with our clients’ goals. It’s no longer an add-on; it’s the essence of our value proposition. We’ve also doubled down on using data to drive sustainable outcomes. By refining our analytics, we now tell powerful stories with data. It’s about turning numbers into narratives that resonate.
Since the award, we’ve also successfully closed our €52 million Series C funding round. This achievement has brought in partners who are deeply aligned with our net zero vision, allowing us to collaborate on a larger scale. Together with our investors, we’re not just talking about sustainability, we’re building the future, with shared values and a collective commitment to driving real change.
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