104. B2B Marketing in 2026: Changing Buyer Groups, AI Search, Digital-First Audiences and More w. Green Hat’s Stuart Jaffray

If most B2B buyers already know who they’re going to choose before they even speak to sales, what does that mean for your B2B marketing strategy?

In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, James Lawrence sits down with Stuart Jaffray, Managing Director of Green Hat, to unpack the latest findings from the APAC B2B Buyer Journey Research Report. With data from over 800 buyers across the region, the message is clear: the rhythm of B2B buying has changed under the current economic and technological conditions.

Read Green Hat’s report: The APAC B2B Buyer Journey Research Report 2025

Key Takeaways:

1. What happens before a buyer speaks to sales, and why that’s where most decisions are actually made
2. Why “demand generation” might really just be demand capture
3. The changes in buying group size and timing, and what’s driving it
4. How AI is accelerating first contact, even as buyers try to self-serve
5. What a Millennial and Gen Z-led buying committee expects from your content
6. Why ungating content is uncomfortable but increasingly necessary
7. The one metric revenue teams should prioritise over MQLs

Guest:

Stuart Jaffray is the Managing Director of Green Hat, a specialist B2B marketing agency operating across the APAC region. He’s spent his career working at the intersection of brand, demand and revenue, helping complex organisations align marketing and sales around how buying decisions actually get made. Previously he has steered strategy and growth at global advertising giant Starcom and shaped premium brand experiences at BMW Australia, bringing a deep understanding of customer behaviour, brand positioning and commercial impact.

With this blend of big-brand marketing and agency-led demand acceleration, Stuart brings a commercial and strategic lens to B2B growth.

You can follow Stuart on LinkedIn.

Find Us Online:

1. James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/
2. Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast
3. Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/
4. Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

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About the Podcast:

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.