Meet the Online mentorsSouad Saied

What inspired you to do what you are doing now?

I was drawn to marketing because it felt like the perfect intersection of creativity, strategy, and problem-solving. I’ve always loved writing, analysing trends, and understanding what makes people tick, and I knew I wanted a career that would challenge both my creative and analytical sides.

I love taking a complex challenge, distilling it down, and finding a way to connect with people in a way that feels intuitive and real. There is nothing more rewarding than creating something that resonates—whether it sparks excitement, nostalgia, or a sense of belonging.

Service is at the heart of everything I do. I love people, and I love helping them solve problems, whether it is guiding clients through complex challenges or empowering my team to do their best work. Being a great client partner means being strategic, creative, and analytical, but above all, it means being deeply invested in the success of others. I thrive on building relationships, anticipating needs, and acting as a trusted advisor to my clients.

I have always wanted a global career because people, cultures, and experiences inspire me. Having worked across different markets, I thrive on finding the universal truths that connect us while respecting the nuances that make each audience unique. Today, I get to bring all of that together, creating experiences that resonate, connecting brands with people in meaningful ways, and shaping moments that matter.

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Could you tell us a bit about your professional background?

My career has been a major focus for as long as I can remember. Entrepreneurial by nature, I couldn’t wait to start working and earning. At 12 years old, I was stuffing envelopes in a law firm mailroom, and by university, I’d worked across administration, retail, hospitality, and even run small business projects.

After landing my dream graduate role at JWT London, I faced an unexpected choice: take the “perfect” job in a city that made me miserable or stay somewhere I loved and figure it out. Against all logic, I chose the latter. And so began my career in marketing, designing community flyers and pulling together promotional campaigns at a tiny (now long-defunct) agency in Sydney. Not exactly the glamorous start I had imagined, but I knew where I wanted to go, and I was willing to take the backstreets to get there. Over the next 5.5 years, I worked my way up to Account Director, mastering the craft in a fast-paced, competitive environment.

From there, I moved to a global experiential agency, sharpening my skills in business development, pitching, and client growth. Singapore followed, expanding my market experience with some of the world’s biggest brands. Most recently, I led one of Australia’s top independent and network agencies as Managing Director, driving creativity, business growth, and award-winning work.

Now, I’ve taken my biggest leap yet – moving to the US to rejoin my previous agency as SVP, Client Services. My passion has always been in shaping impactful brand experiences, solving complex challenges, and building thriving teams.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve built my career by embracing challenges, taking risks, and saying yes to opportunities that would stretch me. At this stage, I’m focused on scaling global client partnerships, driving business results, and creating opportunities for underrepresented talent. The path hasn’t been linear, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

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What are your core values?

Compassion, Gratitude, Optimalism

Who is your biggest inspiration and why?

I am inspired by people who have overcome adversity to achieve incredible things while staying true to themselves. I am especially drawn to those who have taken non-linear paths, embracing different versions of themselves and life along the way. I seek out these stories in memoirs and podcasts, but I do not have to look far for inspiration.

My mother, a disabled Polish immigrant, went from being pregnant and homeless to building a career as a self-employed solicitor, fighting for those discriminated against due to gender, race, or disability. She did this while raising two young children and navigating her own battles for equal opportunity. She is, without question, my greatest inspiration.