Karin Zulkarnaen: Director - Chief Customer & Marketing Officer

Karin Zulkarnaen

BSc Psychology, 1998

Best piece of advice received:

Build your personal brand to establish trust and create executive visibility early in your career.

Strangest interview question:

“If you can have any job in the world, what would it be?”

First job:

Part-time Sales Associate at Harrods, London

Ambitions for the future:

I’d like to transform the industry significantly. I am fortunate that I am empowered to come up with various innovations and industry first-movers throughout my career. I was awarded Marketing Leader of the Year and Industry Leader Marketer for Insurance Industry.

At this stage, I am developing the leaders to create the bench strength. Also love to work with young people as their mentor, both as my legacy in passing on my decades of experience but also for me to learn from these young people.

Director - Chief Customer & Marketing Officer, Prudential Indonesia

Describe your current role and what attracted you to it.

I’m responsible for Customer Strategy & Experience, Marketing & Communication strategy and Sustainability. The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role is both dynamic and complex. It requires creative intuition, an understanding of customers, the ability to produce data-driven insights to drive revenues and develop customer-facing technological innovations. As the main spokesperson of the company, it allows me to develop narratives and drive a positive reputation.

What’s your favourite part of your role?

I enjoy both the analytical and creative aspects of the role. I solve different business problems each day and meet different people to expand my network.

What are the key skills you learnt at Warwick that have helped you with your career to date?

A degree in Psychology equips me with a strong understanding of human behaviour and cognitive processes, which is highly relevant to my role. It enables me to better interpret customer behaviour, support effective change management within organisations, and communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.

During my time at Warwick, I designed and conducted a range of experimental studies, which strengthened my curiosity and analytical thinking. This experience sparked my interest in exploring “what if” scenarios, particularly in relation to business innovation — such as new products, processes, and emerging technologies.

Did you have a specific career path in mind when you chose to study at Warwick?

I initially wanted to be a trainer — I like working closely with people to develop their potential. I recently took up a professional coaching certification that allows me to continue my passion for people development on top of my work in Marketing.

What top tips do you have for Warwick graduates who would like to work in your sector?

Networking is an asset in the form of social capital. You must invest time in it to develop your career. It can be the edge you need to change your market or industry.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I usually start my day with either a run or an hour at the gym before heading into the office. Mornings are typically focused on orchestration – shaping narratives for strategic initiatives, monitoring market trends and sales performance to set priorities for the week and maintaining strong relationships within my network.

The rest of the day involves tracking execution, attending team meetings, and tackling any challenges or issues that arise. Evenings are usually reserved for family time or occasionally catching up with colleagues and friends over dinner to unwind.

What has been your greatest career challenge to date and how did your experience and skills help overcome it?

Early in my career, it was time management. It’s difficult to juggle a career and raising a young family.

My work challenges have shifted from “how do I do the work?” to “how do I shape the future of the industry?” It’s about sustaining our position as market leader today while driving the transformation needed to succeed in the future.

My experience in technical insurance and high-performance discipline helped me overcome the challenge of industry transformation. Communicating the narrative that the “new is better than the old” is important in change management. My entrepreneurial mindset fuels the curiosity to try new ways and innovate.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were applying for jobs?

When I left university, I didn’t realise how important networking was. I didn’t spend enough time making friends and building long-term relationships. I moved across five companies throughout my 26 years of work, and all of the job offers I received were through referrals and the personal network I’ve built.

What should current students or recent alumni be doing to move their careers forward?

Get to know Warwick Alumni who have vast networks, as it can open many new doors.