CAREERS: Q&A with ... Rose Leng

<p>Name Rose Leng </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Age Mid-thirties </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Job title Regional marketing director, Microsoft, MSN business division </p><p>- Asia </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>What is your greatest achievement? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Launching the Disney TV Channel in the Middle East five years ago. It </p><p>was the first time I launched such a culturally-sensitive product in a </p><p>market I was entirely unfamiliar with. The learning curve and </p><p>sensitivities (language, culture, religion) we had to overcome were </p><p>tremendous. Who would have guessed that Little Mermaid was banned in the </p><p>Middle East because her bosom was covered only with shells? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>What would be your dream brand to work on and why? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Any brand that has an underdog status would be interesting to work on. </p><p>In many ways, MSN was in that category. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>What would you do if you weren't in marketing? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>An anthropologist. I think there are a lot of similarities between the </p><p>two as both involve the study of human behaviour in different cultural </p><p>and environmental settings. I've always been interested in learning </p><p>about the lives of different civilizations and ethnic groups. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>What was your big break? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>My first job after I finished business school. I joined a promotions </p><p>agency of McDonald's which was my first foray into marketing. Before </p><p>business school, I was a financial analyst and I realised that I </p><p>couldn't do that for the rest of my career. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Who was your mentor? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Angela Bassage, marketing director of McDonald's when I worked there - a </p><p>real professional with a lot of creative energy. She was also the </p><p>matchmaker through whom I met my husband. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Is there a secret to your success? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As a marketer, being able to strike a balance between the big picture </p><p>and the nitty gritty details is very important. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>One needs to observe overall market trends and set strategic directions </p><p>for a brand and keep an eye on executional details of marketing </p><p>activities. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>How do you handle difficult clients? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>I remind myself to not take things personally, and instead, try to </p><p>empathise with the client's needs. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>What advice would you give to the next person to do your current </p><p>job? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As in many regional roles, the only way to gain respect from local </p><p>markets is to provide added value. Otherwise, the function is only seen </p><p>as an additional reporting layer and a hinderance. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Who is the person you most admire? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Martha Stewart - one of the best marketers in recent times. Passing out </p><p>free juice and croissants on Wall Street the day her company got listed </p><p>was a simple yet creative idea that worked! </p><p><BR><BR> </p>