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.
This week we speak to Yury Glikin, Head of Sales APAC at Outbrain:
Time in current role/time at the company:
Two months.
How would you describe what the company does?
Outbrain is a technology company powering customised advertising recommendations for every consumer on the open web.
Our unique technology provides a genuine and future-proof alternative to the digital duopoly and our focus on quality ensures great return on advertising spend for brands.
What do you do day-to-day?
As part of my role, I am in charge of all sales across Australia and New Zealand. I work with agencies and brands to bring new business into our ecosystem and help them to build their own channels of revenue across the open web.
I’m also passionate about working with companies to get them to invest their media budgets outside of search and social and into quality content that can be distributed through native advertising. I also love empowering my sales team to grow and hit their targets and KPIs.
Define your job in one word:
Storyteller.
I got into digital market industry because:
It’s the industry that’s the most rapidly changing, most exciting and primed for growth across disrupting the status quo.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Educating the market on what native advertising is, and how successful it can be. This includes challenging preconceived assumptions about it.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
A perception that popular social channels are the only platforms where clients (agencies and brands) can gain superior results. There are many other channels that can drive success and help these brands thrive. Further expansion into them will benefit agencies and brands immensely - native advertising being just one.
What are you most excited about in the next 12 months?
To learn the native advertising business, reconnect with the digital media industry (I haven’t worked in this space for 15 years) and win the market for Outbrain while continuing to create trust and commitment with our audience.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
When I was working as a BDM at NineMSN, about 15 years ago, my boss was Mike Allara (he’s now the Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Cluey Learning, an awesome e-learning platform).
He is known for being calm, even natured, with a razor-sharp instinct for what works and what doesn’t. From him I learned how to be vocal about my ideas without offending anyone, as well as how to work with others by remaining objective in highly challenging situations.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Have a thick skin, create a strong network, help people without wanting anything in return - good karma works both ways.
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
Travelling the world and looking for the best ocean swims in exotic locations.
My mantra is:
Be authentic and accountable.
My favourite advert is (and why):
The “Wassup” commercial for Budweiser. It was released 20 years ago, and people are still quoting it. Simple, brilliant and effective - it has become a cultural phenomenon.
Music and TV streaming habits: what do you subscribe to?
Netflix, Stan, Binge, Amazon Prime and Apple Music.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m an avid ocean swimmer and when I was growing up, I desperately wanted to be a clown.
In five years' time I'll be:
Helping an awesome digital company become a success in the APAC region.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
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