DuPont Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, David Bills, spoke candidly with Sachin Arora and Peter Sashin, full time MLDP participants, to share ideas about marketing at DuPont and the Marketing Leadership Development Program.

Sachin:  Why do you think marketing is important to DuPont in today’s global competitive world?

David:  We are a science company, our emphasis is on being a true innovator.   For DuPont to win in today’s marketplace, we must leverage our marketing capabilities to understand customer needs, tailor our offerings to meet those needs and deliver additional value to our customers.   To maintain a leadership position in our core markets, we must also look at ways to constantly improve our speed and efficiency in bringing new products to market.  In addition, we need to constantly be aware of external factors and trends that are affecting our global markets and have the foresight to adjust our market strategy accordingly.

If you think of the whole business process—understanding customer needs to develop the right product, developing value propositions that satisfy customers, tailoring the offering to suit different customer segments and effectively communicating this differentiation—marketing plays a leadership role in helping us succeed.

Peter:  How has the marketing function changed at DuPont over the years?

David:  Historically, marketing has been a very important function for DuPont.   DuPont has been more successful in ingredient brand building than any other company in our core industries. From Teflon® and Corian® to Kevlar® and Nomex®, we have carried out some visionary work to pioneer new markets for our “hero” brands, both in the business-to-business and business-to-consumer space. 

Somewhere along the line, however, the importance of developing and executing carefully designed marketing strategies in support of sales was replaced by the notion that if we made superior products, someone would buy them.   But as the competitive landscape became more challenging, we realized that we cannot depend on past successes, nor can we expect customers to adapt their needs to our offerings. We had to go to the marketplace, determine the needs and then develop and deliver products that deliver real solutions. As Peter Drucker said, “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.”

Today, we have a holistic view of marketing. We can no longer afford to sit back and wait for R&D to invent the next blockbuster product; we now need to look to marketing to understand the changing market dynamics and drive the mass customization needed to be successful.  Therefore, marketing as a discipline in DuPont has taken on new meaning, driven by goals to increase profitability and revenue growth through aggressive new product introductions and pricing strategies, as well as increased penetration in emerging regions.  

Sachin:  In your new role as CMO, what are your goals for the corporation and how do you see the MLDP helping you achieve these goals?

David:  My vision is that DuPont will be the leader in providing sustainable, break-through innovations that fulfill customers’ most critical needs around the world. 

My goals for the corporation stem from this vision, are incorporated into the DuPont 2007 COTs (Critical Operating Tasks), and are vital to our success.  The marketing function is embedded in many of those goals including revenue growth, with a specific emphasis on emerging regions, new product introductions, and improving customer satisfaction.

Our marketing folks, including MLDP participants, have done some great work to help us achieve key milestones in the last few years. We have realized over $1 billion in benefits in the last three years from our pricing efforts alone.   With that being said, we have a lot more opportunities that require skillful, sharp marketing analytics and strategies.  My goal is to develop such talent and infuse best practices into the corporation.  The MLDP has proven to be an effective channel to help accomplish this goal.

Other key focus areas include the strengthening of our innovation and new product development processes.   As we spend $1.3 billion in R&D, we need to continually look at ways to better connect marketing to R&D in order to deliver innovative solutions that cater to real customer needs and are introduced into the market in a timely fashion.  To accomplish this, we need strong marketing talent.  

Hence, the MLDP program is an important investment for us.   We are looking for energetic and sharp MBAs to provide fresh thinking around the latest branding and product launch strategies, interactive marketing strategies, and global perspectives.  Therefore, we are committed to the program to help us achieve our vision.  

Peter:  Profile an ideal MLDP candidate for us.

David:  I am not sure there is a single profile because DuPont is a large, diverse global company with so many different products, services and challenges. As a result, our businesses require many different skills.  We need people who understand markets and consumers, people who have launched new products, people who have strong analytical skills and especially people with entrepreneurial spirit to drive change.

Curiosity is another important quality that a candidate should possess. You do not need to be a scientist, but you need to be interested in learning about our products in order to effectively tie marketing to R&D.   Candidates who make fact-based decisions as opposed to decisions based solely on intuition are likely to find it easier to drive change and achieve success within DuPont.

Finally, we want candidates to challenge the status quo in a productive way with energy and passion.   At DuPont, it is not only about doing a job well; we also care about the manner in which it is done.  We have a collegial culture here at DuPont.   So someone with “sharp elbows” probably will not be successful at DuPont.

Sachin:  How do you see the MLDP program having a global impact?

David:  The MLDP program attracts people who think globally, who have a much better understanding of global business practices and opportunities.  We have been successful in placing MLDP participants in several global assignments, and this effort has made a real difference in the company today and will continue to drive change tomorrow.

The United States and Western Europe still have substantial growth potential. However, the emerging economies are increasingly important as they present higher revenue potential and the need for better products as they develop. Thus, the MLDP management today is creating and promoting a community that communicates and shares insights amongst regions around the globe.

Closing words of advice - It is so easy to have your perspective shaped by the US market.  However, always remember whatever your job is, think globally.

Peter:  How do you see the MLDP program building future leaders within DuPont?

David:  DuPont has established the MLDP program to build our leadership pipeline within the company. We have been very selective in bringing in talented individuals who have demonstrated the necessary marketing acumen and leadership skills to be successful in DuPont.

We are committed to training, coaching and grooming candidates to ensure they develop and get exposure to leadership roles. The MLDP brand is strong within DuPont and it has credibility across businesses.  This allows MLDP participants to help us remove silos within various groups in the organization by sharing best practices and leveraging insights across businesses. Subsequently, by recognizing the good work of MLDP participants in leadership meetings and forums, we have opened more doors and new opportunities for current and future program participants.

Today, MLDP program participants are finding bigger and better opportunities within the company. This trend continues as MLDP participants transition into alumni status.   As a matter of fact, some of our alumni are currently in extremely visible and dynamic roles; responsible for top and bottom line growth in the company and hold titles like “Global Business Manager” and “Global Pricing Strategist.”

Sachin:  What advice do you have for an MLDP to succeed at DuPont?

David:  Like all companies, DuPont has its own unique culture.  In order to be successful in the DuPont environment, it is important to understand and work within this culture. Below are some useful tips to help you succeed in DuPont:

• Respect the past as you drive change. DuPont has a very strong history and while very open to change and new ideas, you need to be respectful of the corporation’s history.   It is unique as very few companies have been around for more than 200 years.
• Live by our core values which have existed since the formation of the company (Safety, Health & Environment, Ethics, and Respect for People). These are the life blood of the organization and cannot be compromised under any circumstances.
• DuPont is a relationship based company. In order to drive results, you need to make connections and get key stakeholders to buy in. Use facts and data to get people on board and drive your results.
• Arrogance will not get you far in DuPont.   Be assertive, yet polite.  If you reach out for help, people will help you succeed.
• Get up to speed quickly. Learn how to drink from a fire hose and gain credibility early.

Sachin and Peter:  Thank you so much for your time.

David:  Thank you.