Susana Tsui became regional president of Neo@Ogilvy in 2006, having entered the digital industry at the height of the dot.com bubble. She has ridden the highs and lows of the sector and is optimistic as to the potential to create a stronger digital experience.
Although she admits that there is a shortage of women at the top in digital, she does not believe that there are any barriers to success other than the required time investment. In particular, she sees humour as among a digital practitioner’s most important attributes, and says this has helped her remain positive in the face of many challenges since she began her career in 1998.
How did you get into the (digital) industry?
I started in the 1998 dot.com boom. My entire career has been in digital. A lot of my friends were working in investment banking, but the markets were crashing and it was all doom and gloom. I researched the next booming industry and the only light at the end of the tunnel appeared to be the internet, so I decided to get a job at a dot.com company. I’m one of a rare breed that rode the wave and didn’t get out and go back to traditional media or a traditional job. When the bubble burst, a lot of people went back to traditional agencies or client-side roles. It was a tough time in 2000.
Who was your career inspiration?
I didn’t really have anyone I idolised but as for a mentor, Ken Mandel was one of my first digital agency bosses. He is now my client and I am also his client, but he has always been there to pull me up when I am down, and he taught me that free thinking, determination and creativity get you to where you want to be.
The other person was Nasreen Madhany, (worldwide CEO, Neo@Ogilvy) who taught me that regardless of race, gender or age, if you have it, you will always achieve your goals. She is a different type of inspiration because of her energy and advocacy of women in the industry and she has helped me to pass the message on. There are many more equal opportunities today - it’s so much easier now.
What is your philosophy towards work?
Having a life balance is important although it’s very difficult; personal life is something you sometimes have to sacrifice as work is very time-consuming. Especially in advertising, you have to have a good sense of humour. Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously; we forget what advertising is all about. Both men and women should not lose sight of humour. We’re not heart surgeons, after all.
Why aren’t there more women at the top in (digital)?
It has to do with the lifespan of our careers. To make it to the top, you usually have to invest quite some time. It’s more challenging for women; as you grow, you have to look at your personal priorities, but in many companies you have to rise into your forties before you get to the top. Digital is faster, but it is also maturing. In the end, it depends on the time you are able to sacrifice. Our working hours are way longer than any other industry. When you travel to three countries a week, how do you balance that with family time?
Is the industry doing enough to attract female talent?
It’s really not about men and women - it’s up to the individual to want to enter the industry, but the industry should create more opportunities in general. A lot of people are [bypassing] it. The industry should drive [the message] that it’s about talent. It’s less about what an agency can do to attract women, and more about what we are doing to embrace the new generation.
What advice would you give to young women looking to advance their careers in (digital)?
The only thing limiting you is yourself. You need to be very persistent and very clear about your path. There are fewer of you, so you need to look at companies that have a vision along the same lines as your own. That is key in our industry.
This will help you meet the right mentor, which is also very important. Because women have a higher EQ, we have more tendency to waver when it comes to decision making. Arguably this also means we look at things in a more holistic way, but being strong and having a clear goal is very important.
What was your biggest challenge in 2009?
My biggest personal challenge was all the travelling that leaves very little time for home life. Keeping a balanced mind can be difficult. For the digital industry as a whole, we had a pretty good year.
And your biggest achievement?
I’m proud of having built a very strong China network. That’s always been one of the hardest areas to crack. We have managed to strike a good staff balance between expats and locals. And of course my promotion [in July from regional managing director to regional president]!
What are your expectations for 2010?
The market is going to stabilise. I’m looking forward to having a bit more personal time, and to using technology to make ourselves more efficient. It will be less about going to visit clients and more about teleconferencing. We are also looking forward to an enriched digital experience. All channels are converging; it’s a very exciting time for us. Digital is no longer such an underdog.
Although she admits that there is a shortage of women at the top in digital, she does not believe that there are any barriers to success other than the required time investment. In particular, she sees humour as among a digital practitioner’s most important attributes, and says this has helped her remain positive in the face of many challenges since she began her career in 1998.
How did you get into the (digital) industry?
I started in the 1998 dot.com boom. My entire career has been in digital. A lot of my friends were working in investment banking, but the markets were crashing and it was all doom and gloom. I researched the next booming industry and the only light at the end of the tunnel appeared to be the internet, so I decided to get a job at a dot.com company. I’m one of a rare breed that rode the wave and didn’t get out and go back to traditional media or a traditional job. When the bubble burst, a lot of people went back to traditional agencies or client-side roles. It was a tough time in 2000.
Who was your career inspiration?
I didn’t really have anyone I idolised but as for a mentor, Ken Mandel was one of my first digital agency bosses. He is now my client and I am also his client, but he has always been there to pull me up when I am down, and he taught me that free thinking, determination and creativity get you to where you want to be.
The other person was Nasreen Madhany, (worldwide CEO, Neo@Ogilvy) who taught me that regardless of race, gender or age, if you have it, you will always achieve your goals. She is a different type of inspiration because of her energy and advocacy of women in the industry and she has helped me to pass the message on. There are many more equal opportunities today - it’s so much easier now.
What is your philosophy towards work?
Having a life balance is important although it’s very difficult; personal life is something you sometimes have to sacrifice as work is very time-consuming. Especially in advertising, you have to have a good sense of humour. Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously; we forget what advertising is all about. Both men and women should not lose sight of humour. We’re not heart surgeons, after all.
Why aren’t there more women at the top in (digital)?
It has to do with the lifespan of our careers. To make it to the top, you usually have to invest quite some time. It’s more challenging for women; as you grow, you have to look at your personal priorities, but in many companies you have to rise into your forties before you get to the top. Digital is faster, but it is also maturing. In the end, it depends on the time you are able to sacrifice. Our working hours are way longer than any other industry. When you travel to three countries a week, how do you balance that with family time?
Is the industry doing enough to attract female talent?
It’s really not about men and women - it’s up to the individual to want to enter the industry, but the industry should create more opportunities in general. A lot of people are [bypassing] it. The industry should drive [the message] that it’s about talent. It’s less about what an agency can do to attract women, and more about what we are doing to embrace the new generation.
What advice would you give to young women looking to advance their careers in (digital)?
The only thing limiting you is yourself. You need to be very persistent and very clear about your path. There are fewer of you, so you need to look at companies that have a vision along the same lines as your own. That is key in our industry.
This will help you meet the right mentor, which is also very important. Because women have a higher EQ, we have more tendency to waver when it comes to decision making. Arguably this also means we look at things in a more holistic way, but being strong and having a clear goal is very important.
What was your biggest challenge in 2009?
My biggest personal challenge was all the travelling that leaves very little time for home life. Keeping a balanced mind can be difficult. For the digital industry as a whole, we had a pretty good year.
And your biggest achievement?
I’m proud of having built a very strong China network. That’s always been one of the hardest areas to crack. We have managed to strike a good staff balance between expats and locals. And of course my promotion [in July from regional managing director to regional president]!
What are your expectations for 2010?
The market is going to stabilise. I’m looking forward to having a bit more personal time, and to using technology to make ourselves more efficient. It will be less about going to visit clients and more about teleconferencing. We are also looking forward to an enriched digital experience. All channels are converging; it’s a very exciting time for us. Digital is no longer such an underdog.
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