TITLE: CEO of Publicis Communications – UAE
YEARS IN THE ROLE: 2 years
YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY: 28 years
YEARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST REGION: 13 years
POWER ESSAY: An ode to creativity and, its twin, resilience, by Publicis Communications – UAE’ Nathalie Gevresse
I feel lucky in life because I get to do the job that I dreamt of doing when I was young. I get to work in advertising: a world of creativity, ideas and novelty. And I’ve been doing it for almost 30 years now. They say, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” But the truth is that even when you do what you love, you need a lot of resilience.
This fact has only increased over the years, with things getting evermore fast paced, with exponential technological changes, with evolving consumer choices and preferences, ultra-personalisation, and constant market evolutions. Resilience is not just a desirable trait — it is a vital component of creativity.
And if your dream is similar to mine, then you realise this rather quickly after joining the industry. Resilience and creativity: these are two qualities quite intricately linked; as resilience fuels creativity, and creativity, in turn, strengthens resilience. The interplay between these attributes is particularly crucial in our industry, where challenges are constant, and the ability to adapt and innovate determines success and longevity.
“Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it’s less good than the one you had before. You can fight it, you can do nothing but scream about what you’ve lost, or you can accept it and try to put together something good.” – Elizabeth Edwards.
In fact, resilience is about the stories you tell yourself because it reaches your nervous system, your emotions, your mindset, it gets under your skin. Today, resilience is certainly one of the most needed values in our industry.
“The truth is that creativity is hard and so are careers in creativity. I believe that choosing to work in creativity is certainly one of the most admirable, passionate things you can do.”
Within the current, and future, technological or economic evolving environment, it is not about avoiding challenges, they are inevitable, but it is about facing them with courage and a growth mindset. It is about finding new ways to thrive, even when the old ways no longer work. But this requires not only a specific profile of talents but also a proper learning ecosystem within the work environment to support them.
While resilience supports creativity, creativity also plays a pivotal role in enhancing resilience. Just because everyone can cook a dish, it doesn’t mean that everyone is good or a Michelin-starred chef. It is easy to have ideas, but it is much more difficult to turn them into successful ideas.
For this, you need a combination of persistence, a relentlessness mindset, and a lot of flexibility. In a time of constant change, creativity in our industry is not just about generating novel ideas; it is about thinking strategically and adapting to new realities, navigating complexities, and finding unconventional ways to address challenges, which enhances resilience.
The truth is that creativity is hard and so are careers in creativity. I believe that choosing to work in creativity is certainly one of the most admirable, passionate things you can do. But let’s face it, it’s hard. There is never a dull moment or resting time, all is in constant change, requiring agility, and innovation in record time with multiple and complex challenges at all levels. Working in creativity doesn’t equip you only for a career; it also equips you for the ups and downs of life. The best companies know this, and they give you the flexibility you need, whether you are a working mom, whether you want to ‘work your world’, or whether you are working with cancer.
With the rapid pace of technological advancements and evolving consumer expectations, now more than ever, there will be greater demands on creativity and resilience. Creativity will be essential for devising innovative solutions and agile strategies, while resilience will be crucial in maintaining this creative momentum and navigating inevitable challenges.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT
I’m incredibly proud of our creatives, strategists, and consultants’ teams for achieving amazing recognition across three agencies, both regionally and globally. Their dedication, resilience, innovative thinking, and relentless pursuit of creative excellence set us apart on the regional and world stage.
RAPID FIRE
Focus for the next 12 months?
Our people.
Buzzword we need to kill?
“It has to be human-centric” (We are not talking to aliens yet).
Marketing needs to prioritise?
“Take care of your employees and they will take care of your business.” – R. Branson.
Marketing needs to change?
Stop being intrusive, focus more on creating value.
Top lesson learnt in 2024?
Be resilient.
What worries you the most?
Our people.
Biggest blessing in your life?
Doing the job that I dreamed of when I was young.
Value/principle that matters the most?
Passion, ownership, empathy, respect.
Next travel destination?
China again.
What is your pet peeve?
Administrative tasks.
Who do you look up to?
Everyone around me is a source of inspiration because there is something to be learnt from everyone.
Top tip?
Trust yourself.
