Clarinda Dobbelaar named new Planon CMO To Drive Global Smart Building Technology Growth

Smart building software specialist Planon has appointed experienced technology executive Clarinda Dobbelaar as Chief Marketing Officer as the company looks to accelerate its international growth and strengthen its position in the building management technology market.

Dobbelaar will lead Planon’s global marketing organisation and support the company’s wider growth strategy, including its efforts to expand adoption of technology designed to make buildings and workplaces more efficient, connected and sustainable.

Her appointment comes as artificial intelligence, building data and automation play an increasingly important role in how organisations manage commercial real estate and workplace environments.

Based in Nijmegen in the Netherlands, Planon develops smart sustainable building management software used to connect buildings, people and processes.

More Than 20 Years In B2B Technology

Dobbelaar brings more than two decades of experience across B2B technology marketing, sales and portfolio management.

Most recently, she served as Chief Marketing Officer at Companial, an international network of Microsoft Dynamics partners.

Her previous career also includes senior marketing leadership positions at Software Improvement Group, INTO and Nasdaq.

Across those roles, she has worked on international growth strategies, customer engagement and data-led approaches to technology marketing.

At Planon, her responsibilities will include strengthening the company’s global go-to-market strategy and building engagement with customers and partners across its international markets.

She will also join the company’s Executive Management Team.

Peter Ankerstjerne, CEO of Planon, said: ‘I am very pleased to welcome Clarinda to Planon and to our Executive Management Team.

‘Clarinda brings extensive experience in building high-performing marketing organisations and translating market insights into business growth. Her expertise will help us strengthen customer engagement, sharpen our go-to-market approach and further elevate Planon’s leading position in the market.’

AI And Data Reshaping Building Management

The appointment comes at an important point for the smart building technology sector.

Property owners and organisations are increasingly using software, sensors and building data to understand how workplaces are being used and where energy and operational efficiencies can be achieved.

AI is adding another dimension by creating opportunities to analyse increasingly large volumes of building and workplace information and turn that data into recommendations or automated actions.

The technology potentially allows organisations to move from simply monitoring building performance towards predicting requirements and responding more dynamically.

For Planon, the opportunity lies in bringing together information relating to buildings, employees and operational processes within a connected platform.

Sustainability is another major driver as organisations seek greater visibility of building performance while working towards energy efficiency and environmental objectives.

Dobbelaar Sees Opportunity In AI

Dobbelaar highlighted both Planon’s existing smart building position and the potential for artificial intelligence within its platform as factors behind her decision to join the company.

She said: ‘Planon has built a strong reputation as a trusted partner for organisations looking to improve building performance, workplace experiences and sustainability outcomes.

‘What attracted me most is the combination of market leadership, deep domain expertise and a clear ambition for growth, as well as Planon’s mission to connect buildings, people and processes in support of more sustainable, efficient and connected workplaces, and the potential of AI within the platform to turn data into insight and action. I look forward to strengthening how we engage customers and partners worldwide and further increasing Planon’s visibility and impact in the markets we serve.’

Smart Buildings Become A Growing Technology Market

Building management is becoming an increasingly important part of the wider enterprise technology landscape as companies seek to integrate previously separate systems and datasets.

Workplace management, property operations, energy consumption, maintenance and sustainability reporting can generate significant volumes of information.

Connecting those datasets creates opportunities for organisations to gain a more complete understanding of how their buildings are performing.

The growth of hybrid working has added another challenge, with workplace occupancy becoming less predictable and businesses increasingly looking for technology capable of helping them make better use of their real estate.

AI could further accelerate that shift by helping organisations identify patterns that might be difficult to detect through conventional building management systems.

For technology companies operating in the sector, the opportunity therefore extends beyond traditional facilities management software towards increasingly intelligent platforms capable of informing operational and strategic decisions.

With Dobbelaar now leading its global marketing operation, Planon will be looking to translate those trends into further international expansion while increasing awareness of its smart building and workplace technology.