VoiceAmerica-Leadership Beyond Borders

Phoenix, Arizona Mar 11, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - In this Episode of Leadership Beyond Borders, Kimberli Lewis welcomes Wendi Sturgis, Senior Vice President International at Yext, for a powerful conversation about leadership, disruption, and what AI-driven discovery means for brands today .

This episode explores a pivotal moment in digital transformation one that feels strikingly familiar to those who have lived through previous platform shifts, from the early internet to search and social media. But this time, AI is fundamentally reshaping how brands are discovered, interpreted, and trusted.

From Platform Shifts to AI Inflection Points

Wendi has built her career at the forefront of digital transformation, holding senior leadership roles at Yahoo!, Oracle, Gartner, and serving as CEO of Cleverbridge and Yext Europe . Having experienced multiple waves of disruption, she shares what feels familiar about todays AI moment and what is genuinely different.

One key insight: this shift isnt just about new channels. Its about a new audience. Brands are no longer positioning themselves solely for human consumers they must now also be legible, structured, and trusted by machines.

Brand Positioning in an AI Ecosystem

As AI assistants increasingly shape discovery, brand visibility has become an ecosystem rather than a channel. Creativity still matters but structure now underpins storytelling. Trusted, structured data is no longer an operational afterthought; it is the backbone of discoverability.

Wendi explains why brands will not accidentally perform well across large language models and AI search interfaces. Intentional strategy, experimentation, and internal alignment are now critical leadership responsibilities.

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Measurement, Budgets & Boardroom Conversations

The discussion also turns practical. Website traffic may be declining, but that doesnt necessarily signal failure it may signal outdated measurement models. As discovery increasingly happens off-site and within AI interfaces, leaders must rethink KPIs and success metrics.

Wendi makes a compelling case that organizations should dedicate 1015% of their budgets to innovation to avoid being left behind. Experimentation, she argues, is not reckless it is responsible leadership.

Why This Conversation Matters Now

AI is not a future scenario; it is reshaping competitive advantage today. For CMOs, CROs, founders, and board members, the question is no longer if AI will change discovery but how quickly they are willing to adapt.

This episode offers grounded insight for leaders who want to stay ahead of disruption rather than react to it.

???? Listen to the full recording here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-in-the-age-of-ai-discovery-with-wendi-sturgis/id1245949036?i=1000754472642

About the Guest Wendi Sturgis is Senior Vice President International at Yext, leading strategy and growth outside North America with a focus on EMEA. She brings decades of experience across technology, ecommerce and digital innovation. Yext (NYSE: YEXT) is a leading brand visibility platform built for a world where discovery happens across AI search, traditional search, social media.