CEO · CMDC Board Member
Name to come
CEO, Media Agency
- Q. How did you get your start?
- “I started as a media coordinator, learning how plans and buys come together, and kept saying yes to new challenges.”
- Q. What do you look for in new talent?
- “Curiosity, comfort with numbers, and the ability to explain a recommendation simply.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Learn every part of the business early. Planning, buying and data all connect.”
CEO · CMDC Board Member
Name to come
President & CEO, Media Agency
- Q. What surprised you most about agency life?
- “How collaborative it is. Every campaign is a team effort across clients, partners and specialists.”
- Q. What skill matters most?
- “Communication. Great ideas only work when you can bring people along.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Find a mentor, ask questions, and stay close to the client's business goals.”
Strategy
Name to come
VP, Strategy
- Q. What does a strategist do?
- “We turn audience insight and business goals into a plan for where and how a brand should show up.”
- Q. How did you get into strategy?
- “Through planning. I loved the 'why' behind every channel choice.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Read widely, follow culture, and always back your ideas with data.”
Strategy
Name to come
Director, Communications Planning
- Q. What's a typical day?
- “Briefs, audience research, working sessions with creative and data teams, and client presentations.”
- Q. What tools do you use?
- “Audience research platforms, measurement data and a lot of spreadsheets.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Get comfortable presenting. Your thinking is only as strong as your story.”
Investment / Buying
Name to come
VP, Investment
- Q. What does investment involve?
- “Negotiating with media partners to get clients the best value, quality and placement.”
- Q. What makes a great buyer?
- “Strong relationships, sharp negotiating and attention to detail.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Learn the metrics cold: CPM, GRPs, reach and frequency.”
Media Planning
Name to come
Media Planner
- Q. What does a planner do?
- “I figure out which channels, audiences and budgets will best hit a client's goals, then build the media plan.”
- Q. How did you break in?
- “Through an agency grad program right after school.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Get great at Excel and learn the research tools your agency uses.”
Investment / Buying
Name to come
Media Buyer, Broadcast & OOH
- Q. What's a typical day?
- “Negotiating with TV, radio and out-of-home partners, checking delivery and fixing any shortfalls.”
- Q. What do you love about it?
- “The deal-making and seeing a campaign live in the real world.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Build relationships with sales reps early. They teach you a lot.”
Digital & Programmatic
Name to come
Programmatic Manager
- Q. What is programmatic?
- “Buying digital media automatically through platforms (DSPs) using data to target the right audiences.”
- Q. What skills matter?
- “Analytical thinking, comfort with ad tech platforms and constant optimization.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Get certified on the major DSPs. It sets you apart fast.”
Social & Search
Name to come
Paid Social Lead
- Q. What does paid social involve?
- “Planning, launching and optimizing ads across platforms like Meta, TikTok and LinkedIn.”
- Q. What surprised you?
- “How quickly things change. You're always learning new formats and tools.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Test everything and let results guide your next move.”
Data & Analytics
Name to come
Director, Analytics & Insights
- Q. What does your team do?
- “We measure what's working, build dashboards and model how media drives business results.”
- Q. What background helps?
- “Stats, economics, math, or any field that taught you to love data.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Learn SQL and a visualization tool, and practice explaining numbers in plain English.”
Client Service
Name to come
Account Director
- Q. What does client service do?
- “We're the main link between the client and the agency, keeping work on strategy, on time and on budget.”
- Q. What makes someone great at it?
- “Empathy, organization and the confidence to push back with a good reason.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Learn your client's business as well as they do.”
Partner · Postmedia
Name to come
Agency Partnerships, Postmedia
- Q. What does a media partner do?
- “We work with agencies to build campaigns across news, digital and print that reach Canadians at scale.”
- Q. How do partners and agencies work together?
- “It's a true partnership: agencies bring the brief, we bring audiences, content and creative solutions.”
- Q. Best advice for newcomers?
- “Understand both sides of the table. Knowing how publishers work makes you a better agency person.”