Mehnaaz Ahmed
Senior Brand Strategist at uberbrand
Branding strategist by workday, mom of two girls by life and inspired by other great humans daily. Been on both sides of the fence both working for global corporate FMCG client, both big creative agencies and small branding agency, worked across most industries and loved it all. Experience working across APAC & EMEA regions. Originally from South Africa Cape Town.
Extremely passionate about the creative and branding industry and amazing people in it! I've been blessed to have many great mentors and inspirational leaders through my work and life journey and ready to share and be the ear and smile people may need.
Career & Background
What inspired you to do what you are doing now?
I’ve always loved helping to understand people and business needs and then shape brands or products to solve those needs. Being on the brand agency side as a strategist I can focus on developing brand strategy, marketing strategy or campaign ideas, allowing me to focus on the part of branding I enjoy.
Could you tell us a bit about your professional background?
I’ve always had a passion for the industry and have been lucky enough to work across all spheres, which has proved well in terms of understanding the industry and needs of all
parties that many don’t often see. My journey began on the advertising agency side in client service at Saatchi & Saatchi before moving into quantitative and qualitative studies at a research agency and learning to analyse data and gain consumer insights.
I then shifted to the client side, where I spent most of my career within brand management at Johnson & Johnson. After ten years on the client side, I made the shift back into agency, with a strategic brand role focus. I am loving building brand strategies and new directions for a variety of clients and working closely with creatives. I am hoping to be promoted into a Strategic Director role or potentially move back into marketing as marketing director.
Your favourite food for thought
Books
- Getting to Why – Simon Sinek
- Ikigai – Hector Harcia and Francesc Miralles
- The first 90 Days – MIchael D. Watkins
Podcasts / Thought Leaders
- Throughline
- Freakanomics
- Just Branding
What drives and inspires you
What are your core values?
- Compassion
- Courage
- Integrity
- Making a difference
Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
Sooo many to choose from, I cant pick one! Women who have broken through barriers in the creative, corporate or government world, trying to make the changes others fail to do.
You as a Mentor
Why have you decided to become a mentor?
I’m extremely passionate about the industry and connecting with fantastic amazing women in the industry!
I also know that navigating the working world, as a woman just starting out or later on trying to balance life and career growth is not an easy journey, especially alone. Fraught with challenges in the work environment and home. I’m Looking to share some of my experiences over the past +17yrs across both working on a global client side, big agency and small agency, and cross countries where I have worked. Would love to connect and learn from others too!
Ready to apply?
The best time is right now. Take a chance – you never know where an Assisterhood mentor can take you.