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.
Jamie Whitaker: account manager at Merkle B2B
Time in current role/time at company:
Three months as an account manager, two years at Merkle B2B.
How long have you been in the industry?:
I’ve been in the industry for just over two years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
My journey to a career in media was definitely not planned out in advance. I studied Spanish and Business Management at University in the UK and, like a lot of other Brits, decided to sample life in Australia back in 2018 for a year. Having been here for 5 years it’s safe to say I like it here!
Having spent several years working in hospitality management I decided to transition careers to something more closely related to my field of study and when the opportunity came to start my career in media at Merkle DWA as an account coordinator, I took it with both hands and haven’t looked back since.
Who is your right-hand who guides you day to day?
My guide throughout my time at Merkle has undoubtedly been our client director, Shivani Patel. From day one she took me under her wing and has been an invaluable source of industry knowledge and expertise that has helped me progress both professionally and personally. The wider team on our client patch are also great sounding boards on a day-to-day basis helping me navigate the world of media!
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
The variety of the industry means that each day brings new and interesting challenges. Being able to share knowledge and learn all sorts of new things from a diverse team and work across the region is amazing! The fact that there’s always something new to learn keeps you on your toes and promotes continuous development.
And the biggest challenge?
Hand in hand with the best thing – the fact that the industry is so fast paced and ever-changing means that sometimes it can be difficult to keep up with new innovations and trends. Making sure to have a good source of industry landscape and publications is incredibly important to make sure you are staying on top of the changes.
Whose job have you see your sight on in the future?
Define the future! Short term I want to continue my linear growth within the company however in the long term who knows. The industry is constantly shifting and you never know what opportunities lie around the corner.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
Obviously, I rely on my co-workers for inspiration for work related things but my friends and family all play an important part in my personal inspiration. If I ever need help getting creative juices flowing then Costa Popolizio is the number one go to.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you:
I think most of the people at work know most of the things about me but maybe the fact that my favourite film of all time is Moulin Rouge might surprise one or two!
In fives years’ time I’ll be:
In reality – in a leadership position helping other people achieve their goals in their own careers within the industry.
In my dreams – retired, living in the country with my wife running an animal sanctuary.
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