Carolyn Cho
Client Partner, INNOCEAN Australia
Carolyn is a Client Partner at Innocean with over 18 years experience in advertising and marketing.
She started her career at Young & Rubicam Sydney and Ogilvy Sydney but has spent most of her career abroad in New York at Saatchi & Saatchi and London at Fallon. She’s been the client lead on many leading global, European, UK and Australian brands.
Career & Background
What inspired you to do what you are doing now?
Always drawn to working in a creative industry where the possibilities are infinite and forever changing. Every day, every project, every outcome is different which makes it exciting and motivating. Love the diversity of backgrounds, walks-of-life and thinking that everyone brings.
Could you tell us a bit about your professional background and where you are headed in your career right now?
Started my career in London after finishing my degree in Marketing. Worked in-house at a fashion-lifestyle company in Marketing and moved across to advertising at Young & Rubicam, followed by Ogilvy in Sydney. Then wanted to live abroad so got sponsored in the UK at a small creative agency before moving to New York and landed a job at Saatchi NY for 7 years, back to London and full circle back to Sydney. I am now focused on a few clients but mainly on building the agency’s reputation within the industry and looking for new biz opportunities.
Your favourite food for thought
Books
- Who moved my cheese? – Dr Spencer Johnson.
- Peak Performance – Brad Stulberg
- Thrive – Arianna Huffington
Podcasts / Thought Leaders
- Ladies first with Laura Brown – inspirational women who are bossing it.
- A life of Greatness – Sarah Grunberg
- Malcolm Gladwell
What drives and inspires you
What are your core values?
- Integrity
- Making a difference
- Optimism
- Approachable
Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
Many different people inspire me. Including Arianna Huffington who has learnt and champions that you can be successful & prioritise well-being, my mum who has always have a growth mindset and is always learning, and some of the people who have been on my team before who go on to shine & become who they want to be.
You as a Mentor
Why have you decided to become a mentor?
I believe that when you get to a certain point in your career that helping someone thrive should be a given. The Assisterhood particularly resonates with me given I am from a diverse background and would love to see more diversity in management / leadership positions.
What are the top skills or qualities you bring to mentoring?
- Collaborative
- Looking for potential
- Non-judgemental
- Nurturing
- Optimistic
Ready to apply?
The best time is right now. Take a chance – you never know where an Assisterhood mentor can take you.