Martin Oetegenn has a love for creativity and a passion for music. He gives us an insight here into his life as a Marketing Manager and how he transfers his skills between his job and his talent.
What does your role as a Marketing Manager involve?
My role involves creating and implementing annual marketing plans for our Language examinations and TESOL qualifications. This includes designing marketing assets, developing campaign toolkits, and crafting channel strategies. I also coordinate global campaigns and product launches to ensure they align with market needs and priorities. Collaboration is a significant part of my work—I regularly partner with Sales and Academic colleagues, and our international markets to ensure our marketing efforts achieve business objectives and truly resonate with our audiences. One of my favourite aspects of the role is its variety: I analyse customer insights, oversee creative projects, and build strong relationships with our global teams. I also lead initiatives to elevate Trinity’s brand and act as the voice of our customers in shaping future plans.
Your role takes you to many places around the world. What recent destinations have you been to and what are you involved with in your overseas trips?
Last year, I had the privilege of travelling to Delhi, where I worked with our amazing team out there to host a gala event at the British Council. The event showcased Trinity’s suite of qualifications and created valuable networking opportunities for both new and experienced teachers. Spending time with our local teams and meeting teachers and students was incredibly insightful - it brought our global mission to life and deepened my understanding of their needs.
How would you describe the culture within the Marketing team or within Trinity more broadly?
Trinity’s culture is highly collaborative and mission-driven, both within the Marketing team and across the organisation. We share a passion for supporting education and the arts, which inspires everything we do. Creativity and innovation are central to our work—everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas and play a meaningful role in projects.
Our culture is also inclusive and supportive, reflecting Trinity’s global outlook and commitment to diversity. People are approachable and open to cross-departmental collaboration, which has helped me build lasting friendships in my almost 15 years here.
Before joining Trinity as an employee, you worked with us as an examiner too. How did this experience help you move into a career in Marketing?
My experience as an examiner gave me invaluable insights into Trinity’s qualifications and the needs of our exam centres, teachers, and students. Understanding how things work ‘on the ground’ has been crucial in shaping the campaigns I design and the resources I develop. Examining took me to key markets like Italy, Spain, Argentina, and China, where I built relationships with colleagues that now support my work. This blend of first-hand experience and global connections has been instrumental in my marketing journey.
Martin, you are musician yourself! Tell us more about your talents.
Outside of my marketing work, I’m also a songwriter. I’ve collaborated with incredible artists, including writing a track with Pitbull and Leona Lewis and contributing to a Billboard-charting album. Since 2020, I’ve been releasing my own music as an artist, which has been very rewarding. So far, I’ve gained over a million streams on Spotify, performed live on BBC Radio London, and played at venues like the O2 Academy Islington. It’s exciting to pursue my passion for music while working for an organisation that celebrates creativity.
Does being a singer/songwriter help you have a greater impact when it comes to your responsibilities as Marketing Manager?
While my music career isn’t directly connected to my work in marketing, the skills I’ve developed as an independent artist have been incredibly useful. As an artist, you learn to master social media, develop compelling imagery, and create promotional material—skills that translate seamlessly into my marketing role. For example, crafting a cohesive brand image as a musician has helped me approach Trinity’s marketing campaigns with a fresh perspective on creativity and audience engagement.
What do you enjoy most about working for Trinity?
Trinity feels like a natural home for me—it brings together my passions for music, languages and teaching. Knowing that our charitable status also means that our work helps advance education and benefits communities globally is incredibly rewarding. I particularly enjoy working with our colleagues around the world and creating campaigns that raise awareness of Trinity’s exams and qualifications. Seeing how our work supports teachers and students to achieve their goals is the most satisfying part of my role.
“Trinity feels like a natural home for me—it brings together my passions for music, languages and teaching.”