20 - Jesh Sukwani : Asia’s Edge, Media’s Future & The Power of Travel Data

Host James Welch, a former 24-7 Media innovation captain, grills Global Media and Marketing Transformation Executive Jesh Sukwani—the mastermind who once led Zaxis behind the Great Firewall in China for WPP. Now based in Milan, Jesh shares his winning strategies for future-proofing a CMO’s toolkit. Tune in as they dive deep into the revolution shaping the future of global media, marketing, and data.

Interview Guide

This chat follows our "Signals & Sparks" format, where we find the method in the madness and the data behind the creative spark. Here’s what we covered:

The Signal in the Noise: Jesh sees Asia—spanning from the UAE to Japan—as a powerful signal for the future, noting its energetic, can-do mentality and advancements in creative industries and the democratisation of AI. He highlights the development of cost-effective, mixed-model AI solutions and the success of B2C platforms like TikTok, which created an entire content creation industry.

Connecting the Dots: Jesh, who spent almost five years leading media and the COE at Lenovo/Motorola, is focused on the changing dynamics of how brands engage with media agencies. He argues that an updated compensation model is required to utilise first-party data effectively to develop models and drive better outcomes, connecting media, technology, and data. Jesh also stresses the under-monetisation of travel data, which he categorises as a subsection of retail media, and the opportunity to use audience data (e.g., specific flight routes) to target audiences with intent, consideration, and a strong call to action.

Quick-fire. The quick-fire round to get to know them better:

Hero: Too many to name, referring to all the people who have been alongside him on his journey, both privately and professionally.

Best Decision: Coming into and remaining in the media and marketing industry, calling it dynamic, changing, and potentially the most profitable.

Worst Decision: Underestimating his own abilities and not taking a leap of faith to move to Dubai or the Caribbean when he had the opportunities early in his career.

A Bright Spark: Anthony Rhind, a London-based executive with a fascinating career path spanning agency, tech, and media.

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