Media Planning’s ‘Bold & the Beautiful’

Meet Amna Khatib Paracha, a trailblazing advertising professional who has recently been promoted to the position of Managing Director at Mindshare Pakistan. With her exceptional talent and determination, Amna has carved a niche for herself in the world of media and among advertising’s ‘Mad Men’, becoming one of the few women to hold a C-suite position in Pakistan.

Starting her career with Interflow as an intern right after her studies, her career took a significant leap forward in 2001 when she joined Mindshare, a company that would play a pivotal role in shaping her future. After having spent seven years there, Amna moved to PakMediacom in 2008, further enhancing her expertise in media planning and strategy. In 2009, she took on the role of Chief Operating Officer at Universal McCann, however, her passion for digital planning led her to shift gears in 2011 and join Converge Technologies as VP, Technologies where she successfully transitioned from traditional communication planning to digital planning. This move proved to be a game-changer for her, as it allowed her to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving industry.

In 2014, she rejoined GroupM and took on the challenging task of establishing and spearheading its digital arm. As the Chief Digital and Strategy Officer, Amna played a pivotal role in driving the company’s digital transformation, ensuring that GroupM stayed at the forefront of the industry.

Now, as the Managing Director of Mindshare Pakistan, she is determined to take the company to new heights. GLAM talked to her about her new role, the challenges she has faced coming this far in her career, as well as her future plans for herself and her organization.

GLAM: What inspired you to pursue a career in advertising, especially when you did your MBA in HR and Marketing?

AMNA KHATIB PARACHA: I got into advertising by pure chance. As for getting an MBA degree, the inspiration came from two people. One was my suave grandfather who I remember, had a very stylish leather briefcase which he carried to work every day. That briefcase sparked the desire in me to become successful and be part of a profession where I could also carry such an accessory. The second person was my aunt, who was pursuing an MBA degree from IBA. She served as a potent role model for me as I was impressed by her personality.

Looking back now, I think my journey into advertising and media was a natural progression. Even as a child I knew I had strong interpersonal skills and a creative mind, so I sought a profession which could allow me to fully utilise my strengths. But I think it was during my internship at Interflow Communications that I discovered my true calling in advertising and media.

GLAM: So, at what point precisely did you feel that it was the right place and advertising was indeed the profession you wanted to pursue further?

AKP: My first project at Interflow was a Pepsi UTC Campaign, during the Cricket World Cup, where the winner could win a blue Mercedes. We had to plan the whole campaign, including the roll out, planning the media etc. What got me excited was the whole creative process.

At that point in time, media was very new to me. But then one day my to-be-future boss at Mindshare came over at Interflow to deliver a lecture on media planning. I was intrigued by the information he imparted because it had a lot of numbers and a whole science behind it. So after almost a year at Interflow I joined Mindshare.

GLAM: You have recently been appointed Managing Director, Mindshare. What in your opinion are the strengths that you brought to the table and what changes are you planning to implement?

AKP: I have been with Mindshare now for quite a while. I began my career with Mindshare and spent good seven/eight years. Even later on in my career, I stayed connected with Mindshare, so it has always been very close to my heart. As for becoming the Managing Director, it was an honour for me as I had always admired the previous directors who had started Mindshare, in this role. I understood the responsibilities of stepping into their shoes and knew that I had to strive towards embodying their remarkable achievements.

As for your second question, the biggest asset that I bring to the table is my people skills, to connect with people both internally and externally. Also, this industry thrives on building and maintaining a robust network, fostering strong relationships and retaining valuable team members to optimise resources. I think I have honed these skills well through various life experiences, and they have nurtured my creative thinking and leadership qualities. By collaborating with others and thinking outside the box, I have been able to shape my career. I understand this is a different level and I have to adapt to the unique challenges the new position brings but the fundamental blocks remain the same. I hope I do justice to my new role.

My children really make fun of me when I talk in slang to them and tell them I know this app you guys are using, and their reply is ‘Maa, you can’t possibly be on this app’, and I tell them it is my job to be there and know what they do there as I need to target consumers who fall into your profile.

GLAM: How has media planning evolved over the years? With so many channels and ever changing media consumption habits, how challenging has it been to plan media for clients?

AKP: Media has definitely evolved but the basic principles remain the same. Every day we reach out to the right consumer audience wherever they are, observe the mediums they consume, and then strategize ways to be a part of their environment to get our message registered. This is the concept and basis of media planning.

Yes, it has evolved tremendously because the channels have increased and the touch points for consumers have increased also, and the consumers have evolved too. At the beginning of our careers, we used to be asked to watch television, listen to radio, read newspapers, magazines etc. not just to stay abreast but also to know what kind of content each medium runs and then reach out to consumers and question them on their preferences. Though we still do all of this, it has now become much more challenging because there are umpteen options to choose from, customers are spoilt for choice. Earlier it was just PTV and a few other channels or radio, but now we have digital, e-commerce, performance marketing, and we have to know who watches what on which platforms or apps. But having said that I feel our work has become even more exciting, since we have to stay up-to-date on whatever’s happening on the media front and that gives us an opportunity to experience so many new platforms.

My children really make fun of me when I talk in slang to them and tell them I know this app you guys are using, and their reply is ‘Maa, you can’t possibly be on this app’, and I tell them it is my job to be there and know what they do there as I need to target consumers who fall into your profile.

So they are my information points and I learn from them what apps are popular, and used by their age groups. I find it very interesting.

GLAM: As a female managing director in a predominantly male-dominated industry, how do you ensure your voice and perspective and those of your female colleagues, are heard and valued?

AKP: That’s an interesting question. You would like to think that by now it should be equal for both genders and it should be the thought leading than the gender… but sometimes this is lacking in the industry.

I have been lucky that I worked at places with really good people, clients, mentors, bosses and team mates who encouraged the right thinking and ideation, regardless of whether it was coming from a man or a woman, but there have been such situations. I recall I was not that junior when during a meeting I said something and one of my male colleagues a while later repeated the same thing and the third colleague said ‘what a good idea’; and I would just stare at them and say ‘but I just said the same thing a few minutes ago!’ So it does happen at times but I think what we need to do is to stand our ground and make sure that we are heard and known for the right reasons; that people know us for the hard work we do and the amazing ideas we come up with.

We do not need to play the female card and think of ourselves as lesser beings but instead play to our strengths, but this has to be internal first. First you have to have confidence in yourself and then it sort of comes out automatically.

I remember people said that since I was a working woman, I would not be able to take care of my children and give them the kind of attention they wanted, but I proved that I could because thankfully, I had a good support system. I am grateful to my mum and my husband, both of whom were very helpful, and to my supportive work environment. That was how I was able to work through the years when my kids were younger.

GLAM: But a lot of women say media and advertising are areas where women are always given a level-playing field. Do you agree with this?

AKP: I think times have changed. I never faced anything of the sort where I felt that because I am a woman, I am not being heard. Also, we do not ‘not hire’ a woman because she is married or because soon enough, she will have children and will not be able to carry out her duties. We hire women on merit, from all sorts of backgrounds, give them opportunities. But having said that, yes, issues such as level-playing field, equal salaries and opportunities still do exist, but I think you have to choose the right places and right people to work with. That makes a lot of difference.

Also you must have the right mentors. I have a lot of female mentors who have gone through the same situations as I have, and I take inspiration from them. This is what I advise young colleagues to do, whether they are males or females: do have mentors in your industry or workplaces because their experiences can add up to your journey, and through their guidance you can learn to deal with challenging situations.

GLAM: What have been some of the challenges getting to the top?

AKP: I think everybody has his/her unique set of challenges. What worked for me was prioritisation and time management. I also have two girls, and though they are grown up now, when they were little I had a stressful time managing work and family. I joke with my friends that I was in the right profession to successfully balance both sides because of media planning, the other planning (my family and kids) also comes naturally to me. And most mums would agree with me and if you go and see their note section or calendar, everything will be marked out. So it is imperative to focus on priorities. I remember people said that since I was a working woman, I would not be able to take care of my children and give them the kind of attention they wanted, but I proved that I could because thankfully I had a good support system. I am grateful to my mum and my husband, both of whom are very helpful, and to my supporting work environment. That was how I was able to work through the years when my kids were younger. So, everyone has different solutions, but planning is key and then its patience… give it time and things will settle down in their right places.

GLAM: What’s next for Amna Khatib Paracha?

AKP: Interestingly, so many people during my career have asked me my five-year plan and I have always told them that I never have one. I always go with the flow. Let’s see what comes next because, thankfully, it has been going very well. Throughout my life everything that has happened, I never really planned it, so I want to keep it that way. I like surprises.

GLAM: What’s next for Amna Khatib Paracha?

AKP: Interestingly, so many people during my career have asked me my five-year plan and I have always told them that I never have one. I always go with the flow. Let’s see what comes next because, thankfully, it has been going very well. Throughout my life everything that has happened, I never really planned it, so I want to keep it that way. I like surprises.