Job update, but first the journey…
"Two years", we promised friends and family when we moved to America. I met Ciaran McCarthy months before I was asked to cover maternity leave for my boss’s boss in New York. This was a dream come true but I was nervous because I had just fallen in love and I didn’t want to ruin things. I needen’t have worried, he immediately said we should go.
We hoped to both get hired by US agencies and stay for a couple of years. Our plan worked out, I went to BBDO and he transferred to RGA NY. A few weeks in, the Ford pitch came up. I raised my hand, we won and I became the EVP Global Head of Planning for BBDO x Ford.
Ciaran and I got engaged, were living in The East Village and excited about our work, but it wasn’t an easy time. The Global travel was tough on my body and our wedding planning. (When we arrived at the big day, Sarah Booth was appauled that we hadn’t done the seating plan. I even messed up and forgot a guest). I still loved so much about working with Ford - particularly how passionate and kind my clients were.
Becoming a scholar with The Marketing Academy helped me to realize that delivering true transformation meant I had to work in-house. So we moved to California to pursue brand-side roles and made the slightly mad decision to both work for Electronic Arts. People told us this could destroy our marriage but we loved working together and it only made us stronger. To relocate, we chose to drive the whole way across the country, planning our journey day by day and camping when we couldn’t book a room. The only way to get to know the spectrum of America is to drive it in all its glory. To this day, it was our best trip ever.
At EA, I had the privilege of building a brand team for a 40 year old business from scratch. It is exceptionally hard to make a business case, prove it out, win head count and hire all at the same time. This was a master class in leading by influence. I learned more in this role than in the five years before it but it also burnt me out.
The last year brought transition. I started my advisory practice and became a fractional exec for PayPal. I also raised a baby into a brave, kind toddler, and reset my identity in relation to work. This time has brought many surprises, good and bad. I know who my real ones are now. I have more confidence saying no.
I’m more myself than ever.
Meanwhile, we’ve evolved from metropolitan millenials into rural mountain-living pioneers, having restored a 1970s mountain home that was regularly without power and water, to now being 100% off grid and solar powered. Our F-150 Lightning even powers the house as back up for our back up.
I’ve never felt more American.
With that, I’m happy to annnounce that the next journey takes me back the company that helped to build America; The Ford Motor Company. This time, in house as the Global VP of Brand and GM of Merchandising.
Here’s to the open road with all its twists and turns and to everyone’s journeys.
