My New Role as Manager of Research and Community
Edward Wong is the Manager of Research and Community at Ibbaka.
See his LinkedIn profile.
When I reflect on my career journey so far, one constant has been my passion for understanding value, how it’s created, communicated and delivered. Whether it’s been through value-based pricing strategies, market research, or building connections, I’ve always sought to bridge the gap between business goals and customer needs. This is why stepping into the role of Manager of Research and Community at Ibbaka feels like a natural progression for me. It’s an opportunity to lead initiatives that advance the field of Customer Value Management (CVM) and also to foster a community of like-minded professionals who are equally dedicated to creating and delivering value.
Why Research and Community Matter
At its core, Ibbaka is a Customer Value Management platform vendor, combining consulting expertise with tools to help companies align their pricing strategies with the value they deliver. Through value model generation, value stories, and pricing optimization, we help our clients to differentiate themselves and drive growth. But as generative AI transforms how B2B SaaS companies operate, the need for better research and stronger communities has never been more urgent.
Generative AI is disrupting traditional business models, changing how companies build, package, and monetize their solutions. This shift requires not just new tools but also new ways of thinking about value. My role is to address these challenges head-on by focusing on two critical areas:
Leading research initiatives that uncover actionable insights for companies navigating this transformation.
Building a community where Customer Value Managers can share best practices, learn from one another, and grow together.
For me, this is a chance to make a real difference in how businesses understand and deliver value.
What This Role Means to Me
Throughout my time at Ibbaka, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to projects that bridge research, strategy, and execution. From creating and validating value models to developing pricing calculators, conducting AI research, and managing cross-functional teams, these experiences have given me a deep appreciation for the complexities of Customer Value Management (CVM). They’ve also reinforced the importance of aligning research with business goals to drive meaningful outcomes.
As Manager of Research and Community, I’ll be responsible for:
Strategic Research Initiatives: Planning and executing six major annual surveys on topics like Net Revenue Retention (NRR), AI monetization, AI performance metrics, best practices in CVM, and emerging trends in pricing and packaging.
Value Model Creation: Assisting in the development of generic value models across key B2B SaaS categories like talent management, cybersecurity, payment systems, and customer support.
Community Engagement: Building an engaged community for Customer Value Managers through webinars, blog posts, reports, and other resources.
Platform Enhancement: Contributing data to Ibbaka’s platform to improve its capabilities in value model generation, pricing optimization, packaging strategies, and value communication.
Go-to-Market Support: Aligning research outputs with lead generation efforts and go-to-market strategies to drive growth for both Ibbaka and our clients.
What excites me most is how all these pieces come together. By combining research with community building, we’re not just advancing our platform or delivering reports—we’re empowering professionals across industries to make better decisions about pricing and value.
The Vision for Research and Community
My vision for this role is simple: to make Ibbaka the go-to source for CVM intelligence while fostering a vibrant community that drives innovation in B2B SaaS. To achieve this:
We’ll produce high-quality research that addresses the challenges of monetizing generative AI investments.
We’ll build a community where Customer Value Managers can connect, collaborate, and learn from one another.
We’ll create tools that help companies scale their value models efficiently while staying ahead of market trends.
As Manager of Research and Community at Ibbaka, my goal is to create value—not just for our clients but for the entire CVM ecosystem. We hope to inspire others to think differently about value creation, whether it’s through groundbreaking research or fostering connections among professionals. Everything we do will be guided by our core values: Delivering Value and Learning Constantly.
If you share my passion for Customer Value Management - or if you’re curious about how generative AI is transforming industries - I’d love to connect, exchange ideas, and learn from one another. Connect with me on LinkedIn or by emailing me at edward.wong@ibbaka.com.
