Managing Change in 2020

Change, is the only constant. Guaranteed, and never more evident than in 2020. Entering Q4, it is time to look back at my first nine months as VP Client Services EMEA at Paragon. When embracing a significant career change, you start to re-evaluate your role in the industry and how that too has changed. In the last 15 years, I have seen constant evolution of what was originally considered ‘digital’. First, we saw the dedicated digital agencies, then there was the genesis of specialist digital teams within the largest six Global Holding Groups, where we saw digital quickly becoming integral to client strategy.

Today, consolidated multi-channel teams execute a variety of agency service models that include overseeing managed service partners and client in-housing, not to mention responding to competition from consultancy vendors and consolidation of global tech. Change is hard. But what remains central throughout all this change is the client experience. Having worked as a Global Lead for agencies groups at platforms and publishers, I’ve seen first hand how each agency group are taking different roads to evolve their strategy in response to client demands. In my view, service, quality and value remains paramount – but re-imagining the approach and measurement of success is the challenge.

Now, I’m ‘in the building’ with the experts at dentsu and am influencing how we are addressing client needs with the latest industry shift – offshore solutions. I am contributing to a new development phase for our industry, that has been fast tracked due to fundamental changes to everyone’s day to day lives – much like those early digital agencies. I have been blown away by the knowledge, expertise and passion of our Paragon offshore teams including specialist teams executing across operational delivery, creative consultancy, client management right up to complex business intelligence.

This has reaffirmed my pre-2020 view that offshoring strategies via new markets that facilitate established ones, is key for industry sustainability. Never more important than in today’s uncertain Global environment.

So much like my personal evaluation and new direction – we find advertisers, agencies, technologies and publishers asking the same questions of themselves and making plans. Paragon may just be the answer for them – as it was for me.

Change? Yes please.

To find out more about how we can help transform your business, get in touch.