In global B2B marketing, ABM teams face a recurring challenge: how to scale what works while remaining relevant to local markets. This tension shows up in account selection debates, inconsistent measurement, and the push-pull between global governance and regional execution.
Anna Pfeifhofer, who leads Global Scale ABM Operations at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, explains how HPE addresses this challenge through a Center of Excellence model. Ahead of her session at the European ABM Forum in Amsterdam (26 March 2026), she shared what should be standardised, what must stay local, and how to build governance that enables speed rather than slows teams down.
The Foundation: What Must Stay Consistent
Alignment is non-negotiable. Anna identifies three core areas that should be standardised globally:
1. Strategy and Unified Framework
Everyone must share the same understanding of ABM fundamentals. There is no room for interpretation on the basics.
2. Account Selection Standards
Clear criteria and processes are essential for identifying and prioritising target accounts.
3. Data and Metrics
One source of truth ensures comparable measurement. As Anna says:
“Everyone has the same view and uses one source of truth in order to have comparable metrics afterwards.”
These elements provide the scaffolding that makes global ABM scalable and measurable
The Freedom: What Must Stay Local
Local flexibility is essential for customer impact. Anna is clear:
“A lot. I would say the majority.”
Customer-facing elements should adapt to regional realities:
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Content and messaging relevant to local markets
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Case studies that resonate culturally
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Channel selection based on regional preferences
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Event formats suited to local business customs
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Timing and account prioritisation aligned with regional sales cycles
She explains why flexibility matters:
“Otherwise every organization out there would have the same standardized ABM approach… you don’t cut through the noise… and it’s not ABM because it’s not account-based. You’re not starting from the account.”
The Role of a Center of Excellence: Enable, Don’t Control
A global ABM Center of Excellence should focus on enabling, not dictating, execution.
Primary responsibilities:
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Program Design: Frameworks, common language, and standards that allow consistency without rigidity.
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Capability Development: Templates, training, and operational support for regional teams.
Anna emphasises what a CoE should avoid:
“The center of excellence should give the guidelines… But the center of excellence should not go into the details of how things are being executed, because this is the expertise of the account-based marketers in the region.”
Overcoming the Speed Trap: Standards Without Slowdown
A common concern is that governance slows execution. HPE addresses this with two principles:
Communication
“When you start such an initiative… you will talk with a lot of different people not just within marketing but also within the sales organization. Communication is absolutely key.”
Trust
“The center of excellence is not there to control what the ABMers are doing in the regions. It’s about supporting them.”
Trust and communication—not process and control—prevent organisational drag.
The ongoing journey: key learnings
Building a CoE is an evolving process. Anna reflects:
“It never stops… You learn while executing… gather all the feedback from our ABMers in the field. It’s an ongoing learning process.”
Her approach balances structure and flexibility:
- Standardise strategy, language, and data infrastructure
- Localise customer-facing elements
- Enable regional teams with frameworks and resources
- Trust local expertise for execution
- Iterate continuously based on field feedback
Actionable Takeaways
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Standardise the basics: Shared ABM definition, terminology, account-selection standards, and one source of truth for data.
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Localise customer-facing decisions: Tailor messaging, channels, content, events, and timing to regional markets.
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Design templates to accelerate execution: Avoid templates that dictate execution.
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Build governance on trust: Clear guardrails with freedom to adapt.
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Run a quarterly “global vs. local” audit: Confirm what must remain consistent and what can flex before friction arises.
Don’t miss Anna Pfeifhofer live in Amsterdam
Anna will provide practical frameworks and lessons for senior B2B marketers seeking to make global ABM programmes both effective and agile.
European ABM Forum
Amsterdam
26 March 2026