People Spotlight
Catherina Kowsoleea, Global Data Strategist
You’re not originally from New York, what was it that made you want to try the Big Apple?
I’m originally from Amsterdam and getting a chance to move to New York was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you like fast paced innovation, this is the place to be. When it comes to advertising and data, New York is years ahead compared to other markets. Also, getting a chance to work on some of the world’s largest clients with seriously complex data sets is very exciting!
Did you always know that you wanted to work in a data role?
No not at all. I knew I wanted to work in a high paced environment and be part of something exciting, and data always seemed to me like the most boring and nerdy part of a company where you work in Excel files all day. Little did I know! A resourceful recruiter talked me into my first data role and I fell in love instantly.
Do you think being in a data role has been good for collaboration across the network?
Yes! I think that working in data, and specifically in data strategy, is the ultimate position for collaboration because data touches every part of our business. Every day I meet with such a wide variety of colleagues across the network, from the media teams at Carat and iProspect to the data specialists at Merkle and Cardinal Path or the innovators at Isobar. Furthermore, it means I get a chance to meet with partners in this field such as global giants like Facebook and Google and small new startups that are looking to disrupt. Data roles are all about collaboration!
How do you continue to stay engaged at work?
Luckily, I have a naturally curious mind and working in the rapidly evolving data world means that I often come across things I’ve never encountered before. Very often this means that we need to investigate and work with others across the network to find a solution, and honestly, that’s the kind of stuff that keeps me engaged. I love thinking about large complex structures and working with others to find solutions and learn from them. Engagement comes naturally if you have a genuine interest in your work.
Is there anything you do outside of work that inspires you when you return to the office?
A personal interest of mine is startup technology, and there are so many great initiatives in tech that inspire me constantly. I try to go to tech meetups at least once a month. Sometimes it’s related to media and sometimes it’s a completely different topic. I always learn something, and sooner or later I can apply this random knowledge I’ve acquired, to my job.
What is it that you most enjoy about your role?
The best part of my job is being able to work with the great minds that we have in the network. As I said, we often have questions or challenges that come up that are a first for us, as this field is rapidly evolving you cannot know everything. So, working with others and building something together that creates value and makes people’s lives easier is what I enjoy most.
