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.
Sal Daoud: National growth and partnerships director, VMG.
Time in current role/time at the company:
5 months in the newly appointed role, 18 months total.
How would you describe what the company does?
At VMG, we have a unique ecosystem of media channels that can facilitate ideas through to execution all in the one place. There is nothing from a marketing and advertising perspective we can’t touch, we can deliver it all.
What do you do day-to-day?
My role is quite hybrid, some days I’m leading, building and motivating the digital performance arm, and other days I’m having incredible conversations with senior marketers about their business and marketing needs. I’m lucky to have the best of both worlds in leadership and sales; the role is a great opportunity for me to use all my skillsets and strengths.
Define your job in one word: Unique
I got into marketing/advertising/media/tech because:
My background in graphic design led me down the path to further uncover advertising and the strategies behind creative execution and how it all comes to life across multiple channels
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Balance. Knowing when and where to push and pull and managing myself, my teams, and the business to achieve the greatest outcome for the organisation. We are currently going through some major growth and it’s about maintaining our current portfolio with a view to always be building on our momentum
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
Our industry's biggest challenge is recruiting top talent. With the flexibility from WFH, a shift in lifestyle, and international professionals still working their way into the country, this is a challenge that many organisations are working through. The key to success is having a flexible business that promotes WFH and having excellent amenities and features when coming to the office. Here at VMG, we have both. A leadership team who is driven by family and culture, and state of the art offices that creates an amazing working environment breeding culture and collaboration.
Notable campaigns you have worked on:
Bevilles, Superdry, Fellowes, Victorian Government
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
I’m inspired by people I work with every day, but someone who stands out for me is my original mentor, manager and coach. We worked together for a number of years and he had an approach to winning every opportunity no matter how big or small that left a huge impression on me. From him I learned that we should always be evolving and working on weaknesses to ensure we create the best version of ourselves; something that has helped me immensely moving into more senior leadership roles myself. It’s a philosophy that has helped me create high performers within our sales function.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Never rest on your morals and never stop learning. The minute you think you know it all is the day you’ll get overtaken by the ambitious, younger generation
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
Landscape architect – I have a green thumb!
My mantra is:
So cliché but “Be the hardest worker in the room”. I love Kobe Bryant and the Mamba Mentality has stuck with me.
My favourite advert is: Qantas commercials always get me! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwfuo8ESa5E
Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to?
Sadly, I don’t watch much TV, but I’m heavily into podcasts and loving ‘No Bullshit Leadership’ by Martin Moore. Very insightful.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I play the piano – my family loves it so I must be good
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