Meet the NSW Mentors
Alexandra Gough

What inspired you to do what you are doing now?

Growing up I was always fascinated by advertising, I decided then and there that’s the industry I wanted to work in. My role looks very different to the one I’d have imagined, but I love the pace of change in this industry and the opportunities to get stuck in and try something new.

Could you tell us a bit about your professional background and where you are headed in your career right now?

I’m Alex, a Client Partner at Pinterest and a Brit who made Sydney home about 12 years ago – the two year plan turned into 12 and now I have an Aussie passport.

My career has spanned roles across media agencies, creative agencies and now tech — and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I started out in London as a digital buyer on the agency side, moved into a pan Euro social strategy role, I then made the move to Sydney as a Content Strategy Director at MediaCom. Then came the leap I really hadn’t planned for — joining Pinterest in a sales role, just before Covid hit, when the team was tiny and we were essentially building from scratch in market. Sales was never somewhere I imagined ending up, but it’s been a great move — a brilliant way to take everything I’d built agency-side and use it in a completely new context.

That said, imposter syndrome was loud in those early days. I learned that resilience, persistence, and being brave enough to ask for help get you further than pretending you have all the answers.

If I hadn’t ended up in media, I’d have studied psychology — I’m genuinely fascinated by how people think, make decisions, and what drives them.

I’m here for people considering a pivot, stretching into a new role, or who just need someone in their corner — someone who’ll be honest, warm, and genuinely invested in helping them figure it out, while having a bit of fun along the way.

What are your core values?

• Authenticity
• Courage
• Fun
• Health
• Kindness
• Optimism
• Perseverance

Who is your biggest inspiration and why?

My parents, without question. They both came from backgrounds where money was tight, but they worked hard, kept pushing themselves, and were never afraid to try something new or take a different path. My mum has had roles ranging from youth counsellor to a technical role in the NHS. My dad trained as a Marine Engineer before moving into sales. Between them, they’ve pivoted more than most — and they always told me I could be whatever I wanted to be, as long as I was willing to work for it.