Alumnus Leverages AI as the “World’s Smartest and Most Eager Intern.”
Marc Villegas (MBA ’05)
Senior Brand Director, Procter & Gamble
You’ve worked in marketing for 19 years – what drew you to this field and what has kept you there?
Throughout my time in the Wake Forest MBA program, there were several classes and professors that sparked my interest in the field of marketing. I went back to school knowing that I had an interest in marketing, but it wasn’t until I met professors like Anne Brumbaugh and Roger Beahm and learned about their experiences in the industry that I truly understood more about the work available in the field; this solidified my interest.
You have been a longtime volunteer as a class speaker, including this past spring in Roger Beahm’s class. Tell us about your connection to Professor Beahm and why you take the time to come back and speak with students.
Roger Beahm has served as an incredible mentor and lifelong friend to me as I’ve navigated my career. It was through his strategic insights in our brand-building course that I found and accepted my first job offer at Procter & Gamble (P&G). Roger helped me prepare for my job interview by sharing his marketing industry experience and advice with me – he truly did everything he could to help me succeed.
Since graduation, I’ve really enjoyed staying in touch with Roger and having the opportunity to share some of my career advice and advertising insights with students,just as Roger did with my classmates and me. Coming back as a guest speaker has given me so much empathy for the student experience and heightened my understanding of just how fortunate we are to share this unique Wake Forest experience.
Tell us more about how you are spearheading the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technology in your current role.
In my current role at P&G, I’m leading work on Generative AI, including training on effective prompting to help brand builders leverage this technology. Ensuring you know how to fully leverage AI is a core skill that is becoming more and more important in any industry, but especially in marketing.
I like to use the analogy that AI is like the world’s smartest and most eager intern. It knows so much, but it’s not like the intern shows up on day one of the job knowing how to write a marketing plan – you have to provide the context and background to see the desired result.
As a leader of Hispanic marketing efforts at P&G, what have you learned about Hispanic culture? What has surprised you the most?
I’m incredibly passionate about investing in and learning more about Hispanic culture. My dad’s side of the family is Colombian so I grew up in a bicultural Hispanic family. When I started my career at P&G, I had an opportunity to work with our Spanish language advertising team. I got the opportunity to travel to different regions of the country, meet Hispanic families in their homes and learn how their lives are different from what I was accustomed to. Experiences like these made me appreciate the power of talking to people and learning about their backgrounds. Fast forward a few years, and I worked in P&G’s Panama office for three years. I traveled all over Latin America, learning more about this very important customer base. When I returned to the U.S., I wanted to continue my involvement in the Hispanic community and was fortunate to do so through P&G’s Force for Good program, which facilitates various efforts to advocate for citizenship. I was able to reconnect with my Hispanic roots, understand more of what unites Hispanics as a culture and realize what brings people together.
Through my time at P&G, I’ve also had an opportunity to engage in our Capitanes del Futuro program, which is an effort to provide outreach to Hispanic communities through soccer. This mentorship and leadership program is in partnership with Major League Soccer and is designed to equip the next generation of Latino leaders. This program has had a huge impact since its development in 2021.
Looking back, what is your favorite Wake Forest experience?
Easy answer! Our end of the year business school celebration was one for the books. It was a special moment to reflect on all we’d accomplished as MBA students, the friendships formed and the experiences shared. At the celebration, I had the pleasure of deejaying on the lawn of the Worrell Professional Center (the former business school building) and it’s an experience I’ll never forget.
What advice would you give to young alumni just starting out in their careers?
The piece of advice that I’ve benefited the most from is this: don’t be so obsessed with having your whole career mapped out – get experience and just learn when you’re early in your career. The first few experiences can shape what you’ll end up doing down the line. Be open to experiences, grow and dive into things as much as you can versus sticking to a strict career path. Having a clearly defined career path doesn’t really exist today – it’s so much more about skills and experiences.
There’s a quote I love from Peter Drucker that explains how you can only successfully plan up to 18 months into the future. I think that’s so important. Five and 10-year plans are nice to think about, but it’s the near-term future where you should focus your time and effort.
Coming to P&G, I wanted an international assignment. Even though coworkers said the company didn’t really do that anymore, I made the decision to do the work that was put in front of me. Low and behold, six years later I got the international assignment! Rather than having a clear and defined plan, commit to working hard, growing your skills and investing in yourself. Opportunities will happen, you just have to be open to them and continue progressing, even if it’s not exactly what you expected your path to look like.
Spotlight interview conducted by Alumni Council member Emily Batista (MSBA ’18).
