CB Hot Suit Takes: Priya Patel, CEO, McCann NZ
CB Hot Suit Takes is our new Q&A series for extremely busy CEOs and senior leaders across the industry ~ covering careers, creativity, challenges and the song that sums it all up. Next in the hot seat is Priya Patel, CEO, McCann New Zealand.
1. What made you get into advertising?
Like many others, I liked the intersection of creativity and commercial impact. I also like understanding human decision making – so decoding people’s ‘predictable irrationality’ is a fun daily challenge.
2. Which piece of work are you most proud of, and why?
I can’t pick a favourite child. I love work with scale and cultural impact so helping make Macca’s part of the zeitgeist in NZ and Australia; creating food porn and fashion chaos for Marks & Spencer; the work we did for Westpac Australia bringing topics like immigration, death and divorce to the banking category; and toasting / wearing Vogel’s (the best bread in the world) – are all up there.
3. What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role right now?
Leading through VUCA (that’s volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity for anyone not familiar with US Army leadership lingo!) To me, it’s the most accurate summary of the global craziness we find ourselves operating in daily. Our challenge is keeping the business evolving despite the noise; and without losing the creativity and human insight that make it special.
4. What’s the most recent thing you’ve learned, professionally or personally?
Most things are figure-out-able. We work in advertising, not A&E. The stakes can feel very dramatic in the moment, but perspective is an underrated skill.
5. What song best sums up your career so far?
“Superstylin” by Groove Armada.
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