SUSE Names Margaret Dawson as CMO to Accelerate Global Growth

SUSE has announced the appointment of Margaret Dawson as its Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). With this move, SUSE aims to scale its global go-to-market strategy, strengthen its brand positioning, and further accelerate growth and innovation in the enterprise open-source ecosystem.

Driving SUSE’s Global Growth Strategy

“As the demand for choice among enterprise customers grows, SUSE has never been better poised to lead,” said DP van Leeuwen, CEO of SUSE.

“With a proven track record of scaling technology brands and turning marketing into a true growth engine, I’m confident in Margaret’s expertise to accelerate our global leadership and capitalize on this moment.”

In her new role, Dawson will spearhead SUSE’s global marketing initiatives, ensuring consistent messaging across brand, product, customer, and community touchpoints.

Margaret Dawson’s Vision for SUSE

“I’m excited to return to the world of open source to deepen our relationships with customers and partners, amplify our voice in the market, and drive measurable business impact,” said Dawson.
“SUSE’s market opportunity is massive. As it hits 33 years as a leader in enterprise open source software, I’m bullish about SUSE’s future.”

Her focus will be on enhancing SUSE’s market visibility, amplifying its open-source leadership, and strengthening global customer engagement.

With over 25 years of experience in technology marketing and product strategy, Dawson has held leadership roles at Amazon, Microsoft, HP, and Red Hat. Before joining SUSE, she served as CMO at Chronosphere, where she successfully drove brand awareness, marketing engagement, and revenue growth.

Beyond her corporate achievements, Dawson is an acclaimed author and speaker, often sharing insights on open source, emerging technologies, leadership, and intentional living. She has been recognised as:

• Top Women in Cloud Computing
• Business Role Model of the Year – Women in IT Awards
• Mentor and Coach of the Year – Stevie Business Awards
• Top 50 Women Leaders of Seattle – Women We Admire

Alongside Dawson’s appointment, SUSE has expanded its global go-to-market leadership team:

• Dongun Lee – Regional Leader, South Korea
• Gen Watanabe – Regional Leader, Japan
• Kingsley Wood – Head of North America Solution Architecture
• Joao Pereira – Brazilian Public Sector Leader
• Holger Pfister – Promoted to VP, DACH Region

This enhanced leadership lineup underscores SUSE’s focus on delivering localized solutions and addressing regional customer needs while driving global expansion.

With Margaret Dawson at the helm of global marketing and a strengthened leadership team, SUSE is well-positioned to amplify its brand voice, enhance innovation, and deliver superior customer experiences worldwide. The company continues to solidify its role as a trusted enterprise open-source leader while preparing for the next phase of accelerated growth.