You could feel it right from the start. The buzz of early-morning arrivals, the quick-fire greetings between familiar faces, and the low hum of a room filled with anticipation. On 3 April 2025, over 200 B2B marketers and sales leaders gathered in Amsterdam for the first European edition of the ABM Forum, co-hosted by B2B Marketing (UK) and SPOTONVISION.
The theme? How account-based marketing (ABM) meets AI. The feeling? We are all figuring this out, together.
From strategy to mindset
The day opened with a candid fireside chat led by Leanne Chescoe from Demandbase, focused on scaling ABM using intent data. Claire Maybank from TomTom put it clearly:
“Scaling ABM is change management. It takes time and shared language.”
Mark Norbruis of o9 Solutions gave the room a chuckle when he explained they refer to hot prospects as being in “pole position.” Smart, simple, and exactly the kind of alignment sales teams love.
Moreover, alignment was not just a buzzword; it was a thread running through every session, from the early keynotes to the afternoon panels. In a high-energy discussion on AI and ABM, SPOTONVISION’s Shimon Ben Ayoun and Ingrid Archer brought a dose of realism to the hype. “AI is your pal”, Ingrid said. “But you need to break it down into small use cases.”
Whether it was Adobe painting a future of AI-powered experience makers or Thomas Allgeyer warning that 30% of AI-generated data may be flawed, the sentiment was clear: AI might speed things up, but the human element is non-negotiable.
Stories worth repeating
What made the day special was the openness of the case studies. These were not over-polished brand stories. Instead, they were honest, human, and often quite funny.
T-Systems’ Sascha Steiner talked about pitching ABM as bold yet manageable. Their journey from pilot to global 1:1 strategy started small, with just three accounts, but grew by focusing on insights, proof, and collaboration.
Luisa Alzola-Wegmüller from Roche Diagnostics reflected on the shift from ABM to ABX; breaking silos and embedding customer experience into the heart of their approach. “It is about changing words, capabilities, and mindset”, she said.
In addition, Christian Weiss of Autodesk took it one step further, bringing the room back to the one thing that makes or breaks ABM: trust.
“Success starts with fixing data, agreeing on one shared goal, and making sales part of your plans.”
The SPOTONVISION workshop: ABM in action
One of the liveliest parts of the day was the fully booked ABM workshop hosted by SPOTONVISION’s Ingrid Archer and Tamara den Hartog. Rather than just a presentation, it was an invitation to get to work.
Participants drafted ABM plans on the spot, swapped feedback, and shared tips for getting internal buy-in. One participant summed it up perfectly:
“Sometimes, just calling it something else helps, like ‘targeted growth strategy’ instead of ABM.”
As advocates of making B2B marketing more personal and strategic, the SPOTONVISION team brought their trademark energy and hands-on style to the room.
Not just tactics, but team sport
The day closed with a powerful keynote by psychologist and performance coach Jamil Qureshi. His message? Real change happens in small shifts, done consistently. “Companies do not compete with companies”, he said. “Networks compete with networks.”
That mindset, think, feel, act, resonated deeply. It also reminded everyone in the room that ABM is not just about tools or tactics. It is about people, partnerships, and staying human in an increasingly digital world.
Leaving inspired
As the last conversations drifted into the networking drinks (and the AI photo booth sparked plenty of selfies), one thing was clear: the European ABM community is here to stay.
Across industries and maturity levels, attendees were aligned in their curiosity and ambition. They came with questions and left with ideas. And if there is one thing the day proved, it is that no one has it all figured out. However, we are better when we share.
Want to bring ABM to life in your organisation?
At SPOTONVISION, we help B2B companies turn strategy into action through ABM programmes, workshops, and expert support. Whether you are just getting started or ready to scale, we are here to help you do it right.
And yes; 6sense, Kerry Cunningham, was there too, with brilliant insights on why 85% of buyers go with one of the first vendors on their shortlist. That alone made the case for early brand visibility and a smarter approach to B2B buying signals.
