CAREERS: Q&A WITH ..

Name: Mike Anthony Number of years in marketing: 11 years Job title: Sales and marketing director, Mattel Asia-Pacific What is your greatest work achievement? Difficult - I think the branding work we did in China for United Biscuits. Over a period of two years we took a large range of products with generic names, and created a focused portfolio of brands, targeted against specific markets, consumer focused and defensible. It was a great project and a wonderful opportunity to start with basically nothing from a brand point of view. What would be your dream brand to work on and why? I can't think of a specific brand, but anything in the leisure industry - hugely emotive products which could be great fun. I have to say too, that Mattel's toy brands are great fun too What would you do if you weren't in marketing? I guess I could focus more on sales, but realistically the day I finish marketing will be the day I am running a small business somewhere - ideally a tiny hotel on a beach What was your big break? Many many opportunities, but I think being offered the chance to work in Asia has changed my career significantly. It broadened my horizons both professionally and personally Did you have a mentor and how did this person influence you? No specific mentor but many, many people who over the years have opened my eyes to new ways of thinking. If I was to mention them all it would sound like an Oscar thank-you speech! Is there a secret to your success? Trust the people in my team, recognise that I'm not the only one who can have the best ideas, don't lose an idea just because it's difficult and someone says it can't be done, try and test things, simplicity rules How do you handle difficult people? In terms of difficult people it varies from person to person. What advice would you give to your successor? Don't get bogged down in the detail, the huge amount of products. Find the big ideas and follow through on them. What are you currently reading that will help you in your job? Right now - the third Harry Potter book. Mattel has the worldwide license for Harry Potter toys. Who do you most admire in business and why? Too many people. Anyone who agrees with my answer to question 6, I guess!

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