Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Mike Richardson: Head of operations at Howatson+Company
Time in current role/time at the company:
Since March 2022, so about 9 months.
What do you do day-to-day?
My every day is fast paced awesomeness. I get to work with a bunch of legends making sure the right people, are on the right jobs, working together efficiently, to make the best work possible.
Define your job in one word:
Flexible
Why did you get into the industry?
After high school and a year of travelling, I put on my grown-up pants to go to university. I had no idea what I wanted to do but my dad suggested a business degree, so off I went. I had always loved the media; I was a child of the 80s so naturally loved TV and pop culture. Marketing & Advertising majors were a natural fit.
I managed to get my first job at DDB NZ as an Account Executive, and quickly became obsessed with how things were done, how ads get made, and all the effort that goes on in the background - there was no turning back from there!
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Get to know two things in detail: learn about the numbers and learn about the people you work with to play to their strengths.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
I’ve been very fortunate to have amazing managers throughout my life in advertising. Through their own experiences and personalities, I've grown into the person I am today – so special thanks to Naren Sanghrajka, Liz Ainslie, Nigel Seeto, Sarah Goaley, Cat Rey, Tom Harber, Kristie Thistlethwaite, Jasmine Lansdell & Renee Hyde.
What are you most excited about in the next 12 months?
I'm only nine months into my new role at Howatson+Company and already the agency has climbed and changed so much. I’m most excited to see where we end up in another 12 months. What a ride it’s been so far.
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
Probably an ambulance paramedic, or something in the film industry.
My mantra is:
Stealing from Dwyane ‘The Rock’ Johnson: Be hungry & be humble.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
My family used to have a pet sloth named Cous Cous when I was a kid (it was Indonesia... and the 80s)
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