iknowho Speaker Series 2017: Career Strategy to Head of

On Wednesday 22 February, we ran the second of our Speaker Series Events. The topic was Career Strategy to Head of Marketing, and our expert panel for the evening was:

Aaron Fuller, Head of Marketing, Qantas Assure at Qantas
Hayley Goodman, Marketing Director, MTV & Comedy Central ANZ
Jayne Andrews, Marketing Director, Carnival Cruise Line
Sally Byrne, Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Amatil Alcohol & Coffee

The night was a huge success with a fantastic turnout and a great opportunity for us to catch up with clients and candidates alike. Thank you to those who joined us, we hope you enjoyed the night and took away some great tips from the panel.

Here’s a summary of the evening, if you have any questions please get in touch anytime.

What one personal attribute has ensured you have reached the top of your game?

Aaron – push the envelope, push the status quo.
Sally – self-esteem, believe in yourself and your worth.
Jayne – hard word – be prepared to do the shit jobs others do not want to do, and give it your all.
Hayley – being a holistic thinker – be a diplomat, it is all about being part of a team and not an individual.

Of the moves so far in your career, which was the toughest role to move into?

Hayley – I found moving from Executive to Manager level was the toughest. Having to form a holistic view, and understanding that marketing has a large remit so you have to be prepared to wear different hats. You need to be open to keep improving and learn that you will never know everything.
Aaron – moving from Hollard to Metlife, it was a big culture shock and career step shock.
Jayne – moving agency to clientside was the biggest challenge – I had wanted to do this for some time and luckily had a contact that gave me a chance.
Sally – for me it was the lifestyle and work change when I had kids, I had 2 kids under 2 when I decided to go back to full-time work. I felt like I was in fog for a while, but the fog cleared and I came out the other side.

a) Who helped you/mentored you/ inspired you throughout your career journey AND how important is mentorship or having someone to give you guidance?

b) How did the mentoring come about, did you seek it out or was it provided to you?

Hayley – I look for a mentor in any place I work. You need to have someone you are comfortable to talk to and vent to. For me, it is about respect for that person, and they can be at any level not just someone in the position you want to be in.
Sally – I never lent into a formal mentor. I have what I call a ‘board of directors’ which are people I turn to for all different aspects of life/work. From business, balance etc. These are people I respect and value their opinions. The ‘mentors’ that are natural are the richest.

When hiring for your team what are the key characteristics and skills you look for in people?

Jayne – right culture fit and a balance for the skills I lack.
Aaron – I look for people that ground me, that can tell me when my idea is rubbish. They need hunger, humility, humour and wanting to grow.

You lead a team now, what do you do to drive a strong culture in your team?

Aaron – give them free range to do what they want and trust them.
Sally – incentivise the team, not individuals, and at CCA we have this from the top down, no one is incentivised as an individual. I also do an individual WIP – so it is SIP, DIP (Sally’s work in progress, Dave’s work in progress) etc. It is important to focus on them and how they are doing.
Jayne – challenge I face is offering a culture that can grow and progress. I give my team the opportunity to learn other skills by giving them projects outside of their job – so the Digital exec will work on a solely print project. This gives them new skills and keeps them interested.
Hayley – make sure you are listening to everyone, and lead by example.

Diversity is a very hot topic right now. Did you ever come up against any diversity issues, or were you aware of any within the businesses you worked in? What would be your advice to managing these scenarios?

Hayley – making sure everyone in the team is the right fit regardless of gender, race etc. Make sure they are comfortable being themselves.
Aaron – I look to Alan Joyce on diversity (CEO of Qantas), I went to a seminar where he was asked a question on this topic and his answer was ‘if a gay catholic Irishman can become CEO then anyone can'.
Sally –I believe to become diverse, you need to push the reset button and be bold.

Is a sideways move a good career move or are you better off staying in the same role for longer and waiting for an opportunity to open up?

Aaron – you have to think of the long game, you want your career to be a long one so if you need to take 2 steps back then do it if it will get you to your end goal. The money in the long term means nothing.
Sally – it’s the ‘company you keep’, the literal company – if it is a backwards or sidewards step, it is the company to focus on; is it the right cultural fit, can

you see the progression, have you got passion for it?

What advice would you give to the would-be head of marketers here today as they go on their own career journey?

Jayne - always say yes to everything and do it to the best of your ability.
Aaron – Bryce Courtney words from his book with Ian Kennedy, The Power of One to One ‘create don’t compete’ and ‘comply not confirm’ resonate with me. You need to be brave and stand out.
Hayley – know your strengths and develop your weaknesses and surround yourself with people that support and balance you.
Aaron – when speaking with those above you, don’t assume from others’ judgement on how to deal with a certain manager, what to say or not say – be yourself.

How important is Networking?

Jayne – ask yourself ‘if I lost my job tomorrow, how many people could I call to help me out’. You need to make the effort throughout your career to network and keep in touch. Make an effort when you come across good people.
Hayley – networking is not only good for progression but also helps you in your day to day job – marketing is about people.
Aaron – Bring back the long lunch!

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Rising Star: Aoife Lehane B&T 30 Under 30 finalist

By Riza Karis • March 26, 2025

I recently had the pleasure of attending the B&T 30 Under 30 awards and had the chance to meet some incredibly talented rising stars in the industry. One standout was Aoife Lehane, a candidate we’ve had the privilege of working with, who was nominated and shortlisted in the Account Management category. Honestly, I wasn’t surprised at all—anyone who meets Aoife can immediately see how ambitious, creatively driven, and sharp she is. Here’s a look at her B&T 30 Under 30 experience and a glimpse into her impressive career: From starting your career in Dublin, to moving to Sydney and landing a fantastic role through iknowho at one of Australia’s top agencies, you’ve had an amazing career to date. Can you tell us a little more about your background? I have learned from some extremely talented people throughout my career to date and count myself very lucky to have had been afforded some amazing opportunities. I started my career at a boutique indie agency in Ireland where I got invaluable hands-on experience running my own accounts and pitching for new business quite early on. From here, I made the move to Droga5 in Dublin working on some of the agency’s largest clients. Whilst at Droga5, I went through a career crossroads moment where I was debating becoming a planner and actually spent 6 months working in the strategy department which I absolutely loved. This stint in strategy taught me invaluable skills that I use in my role everyday. Ultimately, I decided to stay in account management (if you hadn’t guessed!) as I couldn’t shake the curiosity of seeing the whole process come to life and the ability to really influence the work in all phases, beyond just what I touched in strat. It sounds cliché but I’m also a real people person and I thrive off building relationships. In my opinion, account management are the real beating heart of an agency, and I thrive in that role and the exposure it gives you to all areas of the business. When I decided that I was moving to Sydney I reached out to Riza at iknowho whilst still in Ireland. Not knowing the Australian market was extremely daunting but her knowledge and experience put me completely at ease. She really understood me, my ambitions and the type of agency I wanted to work in for the next chapter in my career and I couldn’t be happier with how it worked out. The calibre of talent in the mix was extremely high this year. How did it feel to be a finalist at this years’ B&T 30 under 30? And what inspired you to participate? I feel so incredibly grateful to have been up there with some amazing individuals who have achieved so much in their careers already. Personally, it was such a lovely moment to be recognised amongst such a talented group of people who have come from different backgrounds and corners of the globe. Having diversity in career paths and experience is so important for our industry to bring fresh perspectives and thinking – it only benefits the work, the people who make it and the people who see it. It was actually this time last year, seeing the finalists and the stories from past winners that inspired me to enter - I turn 30 this year so I figured if not now, when! What did you learn throughout the process of applying and what advice would you give to others looking to participate next year? Also, how did your agency help to support you in the process? I really enjoyed the process of applying and the moment of reflection it gave me on my career to date. So often I’m looking ahead to the next thing and don’t take the time to reflect on what I have achieved already. As someone who can be very hard on themselves, it was a really eye-opening and rewarding process to take part in. The 3 pieces of advice I would give to others looking to participate next year would be: 1: Think about the narrative you want to land from the start and how you weave that narrative through your response to the questions and constantly re-enforcing your point. 2: For me, it helped to get everything down on paper and then treat it as a bit of a creative review to condense and tighten (my first draft was 9 minutes long!) 3: Lean on those around you for their advice and point of view, you can get stuck in your own head when it comes to the submission, so it’s good to have those around you to offer that fresh perspective. I work with some very talented people who were extremely generous with their time not only offering me their advice and feedback but also their videography and editing skills to give my submission that final polish – it takes a village! There is no doubt that being a finalist helps elevate your profile, what other benefits do you see from being shortlisted and are there any other awards in your sights for the future? Not being from here it can be a little bit harder to “break into the industry” and make a name for yourself, as an expat I have found it hugely beneficial in that respect. Even this opportunity from the team at iknowho to do this profile piece has been really valuable and a great privilege that I don’t take for granted. In terms of personal awards, there’s nothing specific that I have my sights set on in the immediate, but I am open to whatever opportunities come my way. Forbes 30U30 would be a good one but I would want to get busy! What’s next for you, where do you see yourself in five years? Anyone who knows me has heard me say I want to be on that stage in Cannes.. so hopefully that will have happened. With the world we’re living in right now and the constant conversation around the value of creativity (which I believe is not only monetary, but also the value it provides to society) I’m driven by the opportunity to create something that people really connect with and makes a lasting impression in the world.. whether that’s as simple as just making people smile or changing societal behaviour for good - the pursuit of that is what drives me. I’m energised by working with likeminded people who share my ambition but not always a similar point of view. I love the process of sharing those different points of views and different ways of thinking and what brings to fruition. That to me is what makes the industry we work in so interesting and one I love being a part of. Ultimately, I would love to be in a leadership role in an agency where I have the ability to make a real impact and influence the direction for the future of the industry. -- Thank you so much, Aoife, for sharing your journey, insights, and advice. Your passion and drive are truly inspiring, and we have no doubt you’ll continue to make waves in the industry. We can’t wait to see what’s next for you! If you're looking for your next role within the junior-mid levels across agency or the perfect candidate to add to your team get in touch with Riza today!