#FavoriteMoments with Tiffany Nistovic

Industrials is a key segment within the voestalpine High Performance Metals Division, consisting of seven distinct sub-segments: Mobility, MedTech, Watch & Luxury Goods, Food & Beverage, Mining, Defense, and Other Industrial applications. You can learn more about our industries here.

As Head of Global Marketing Execution for the Industrials segment, Tiffany leads a diverse international team navigating this complexity every day. In this edition of #FavoriteMoments, we sat down with her to talk about her career journey, leadership perspective, and what it takes to build connections across regions and markets.

From the US to Global Marketing at voestalpine

Can you tell us about your background and how your career led you to your current role at voestalpine HPM?

I was born and raised in the US, and after high school, I moved to Europe to study. I knew I wanted to study business, so I came here and went to business school. I was always very creative, so marketing felt like the right choice. You could either do marketing or finance, and I’m definitely not a numbers person, so finance was never an option.

I studied business with a focus on marketing and completed my bachelor’s degree. I then started working as a marketing and events intern and later took on a full-time role while completing my master’s in International Management in the evenings and on weekends. I’ve always worked in a mix of marketing and events, and I really enjoyed planning and executing events.

After about two years, I felt ready for the next step and started looking for a role that was more focused on marketing, as events can be very demanding.

That’s when I found this position. I didn’t even know the company before. I remember telling my husband I had an interview, and he said, “You know that’s one of the biggest companies in Austria?” I had honestly never heard of it. Which feels funny now, because over the years I’ve learned just how much the company does and how present it is all over the world.

I started as a digital marketing expert, and later the opportunity came up to move into a regional marketing manager role. That role suited me much better because I’m a doer. I like creating things, supporting people, and being hands-on, rather than focusing on technical support. When I switched roles, I really felt like I blossomed.

I loved building connections with our international teams and supporting people across regions. In my current role as head of marketing execution for industrials, I can honestly say this is my favorite role so far. I’m working on marketing across all industrial segments, and it really feels like the right fit.

A Global Mindset and the Importance of Adaptation

How has your international background shaped the way you approach marketing?

I think one of the most valuable things I bring to this role is my international background. Both universities I attended were very international, and I really thrive in a global environment. I love working with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

You might start with an idea of what you think is good content, but then you get input from other regions and need to adapt. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. If you don’t adapt, in work and in life, you won’t be successful.

Building Connections Across Regions

How important are relationships across regions in your role today?

A big advantage is the relationships I built during my time as a regional marketing manager. I already had strong connections within the marketing community, which makes my role much easier. People can simply call me and ask for help or input.

The sales team are those working closest to our customers and play a key role in shaping what is truly needed, as they have direct insights into customer expectations. Our role is to support sales effectively. Since our content ultimately contributes to business generation and revenue, it is essential that we actively listen to our customer-facing colleagues and align our efforts with their needs.

Learning Through Experience and Cultural Perspective

How has living and working across cultures influenced your perspective?

Having Austrian family and living in Austria for over a decade has helped me understand different working styles and perspectives. If I didn’t have this international upbringing and perspective, it would probably be more difficult. Being immersed in the culture gives you a much better understanding of how people work.

That’s especially important in my current role. I’ve worked closely with colleagues in Industrials for years, so there’s mutual respect. I’m encouraged to try new things. If something works, great. If it doesn’t, we learn from it.

I really believe you learn from mistakes. Even when something goes wrong, the question should be: what can I take from this and do better next time?

Marketing in Industrials: One Strategy, Many Realities

What defines marketing in the Industrials segment at voestalpine HPM?

Industrials covers seven very different segments, but the core marketing strategy is quite similar across them. We’re essentially building a brand. We often describe Industrials as a kind of startup within the company.

The building blocks are the same: brochures, landing pages, email campaigns, LinkedIn banners, posts, etc. The concept stays consistent, but the content is tailored to each segment.

The challenge comes from the fact that each segment has different stakeholders, priorities, and perspectives. At the same time, we’re trying to build a strong brand identity while staying true to the voestalpine brand and showing new and innovative capabilities.

Many customers know us from Tooling, but in Industrials we’re often not yet well known. So a big focus is on building brand presence and showing what we can do beyond our traditional strengths.

Marketing and Sales: A Shared Responsibility

How do marketing and sales work together in Industrials?

Marketing and sales really need to work hand in hand. In Industrials, trade shows are extremely important for generating leads and building visibility. Being at trade shows together with sales is invaluable. I can see how sales works, what customers are asking for, and what kind of support is needed. You also build personal relationships, which makes collaboration much easier later on. That personal connection really matters.

What I love about Industrials is that we’ve built many segments from the ground up. Seeing a brochure move from concept into a tangible sales tool, actively used by the team at a show to engage customers, support conversations, and ultimately contribute to generating orders, is especially rewarding.

Measuring Success: Beyond the Trade Fair

How do you measure success—particularly around trade fairs and lead generation?

One way you can see success at a trade fair is when people come to your booth because they’ve seen your marketing you’ve done beforehand.

Then it is up to sales to continue to nurture the customer. We help set up the initial connection and then sales is responsible for building up and continuing the relationship. . Using our CRM system is one of the ways we are able to measure the ROI of a show. In many cases, especially in niche markets, it can take months or even years for an order to materialize.

Building trust and long-term relationships is essential. Once that trust is there, business follows.

Tiffany’s #FavoriteMoments

• Favorite singer or band: Shania Twain or Kenny Chesney. I’m a big American country music fan. I also love newer artists like Morgan Wallen. Country music is all about storytelling, and I really connect with that.
• Favorite movie: Christmas with the Kranks. I love Christmas. I wear Christmas socks all year round.
• Favorite place in summer: My dad’s house in Northern Virginia. Being with family, relaxing by the pool, no stress.
• Favorite place in winter: Skiing in the mountains, stopping at a hut for a snack and a drink after a good day on the slopes.
• Favorite recipe: Cheesecake. I make the best cheesecake (thanks Martha Stewart)—it’s my specialty, and I always bring one to the office for my birthday.
• Favorite way to switch off: A glass of red wine, spending time with friends and family, watching a Netflix show or reading a good book.
• Favorite book genre: Thrillers.

Find out more

You can find out more about the voestalpine HPM #FavoriteMoments campaign by exploring some of our other videos:

And stay tuned: our next #FavoriteMoments episode is already in the works — featuring another colleague with a surprising story and a fresh perspective from inside the voestalpine HPM world. You won’t want to miss it.