Young Gun profiles takes a look at the young talent across the Australian advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector. Aiming to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry.
Alexandra Whitehouse: programmatic manager at iProspect Sydney
Time in current role/time at company:
I have been the programmatic manager at iProspect for 10 months but have worked in programmatic at dentsu for almost three years now.
How long have you been in the industry?
I have been in the media industry for five years now.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
When I was studying at university, I planned to receive a degree in finance and realised halfway through my time there that corporate banking was not for me. I decided to change my major to marketing communications because I found the psychology behind consumer behaviour and what influences their decision to make a purchase so fascinating, especially since as individuals we’re all consumers. I got my first job in the in media, linear television, and was learning the intricacies of television buys at the time when all major networks were in the process of building out their own streaming services.
I knew that streaming was going to disrupt the landscape that I was currently working in and new that it was best to explore the future in digital buys which is what ultimately made me pursue a job in programmatic. I had no idea what programmatic was when I first switched from TV to digital, but I also had no idea that my media job would bring me to the other side of the world but I’m glad it has.
Who is your right-hand who guides you day to day?
It is difficult to pick just one individual as my right hand because there are so many important people who have helped me achieve so much in my career. My dad is the person who is my right-hand on a day-to-day basis especially since he is the inspiration behind applying for a job in Australia. He supported my move from New York City to Sydney because he did something similar at my age. In the professional workplace, my team both in NYC and Sydney have been so extraordinarily supportive throughout my career especially Emily Hare, Peyton Jackson, Alex Kirby, and Bari Epstein.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
The best aspect of working within digital is that the landscape is constantly evolving. There is always new tech that is being uncovered, a new demand-side platform created, and all the tools that we currently use as programmatic traders is continuously changing. That’s what makes the job so interesting is that you are forced to continually learn new things that will help shape the way we purchase and consume media. Having the opportunity to be at the forefront of evolution is the best part!
And the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge that digital media is facing right now, especially with clients that don’t have their own first-party data, is the data privacy issues. Also, the impending cookie-less future that is endlessly looming.
Whose job have you set your sight in the future?
I would love to be promoted to a director. This would be a huge testament to my growth but also my growth within the company in a new market!
Where do you turn for inspiration?
My team. I’ve worked with such incredible individuals throughout my career, and I’ve learned that your teammates are the best people to lean on when it comes to inspiration within the workplace.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you.
My coworkers know too much about me, I don’t think there’s something I can share that I haven’t already.
In five years’, time I’ll be:
Senior leadership is the goal for the future.
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