Women in the Industry: Maggie Choi

Joining OMD as managing director for Greater China in 1998, Maggie Choi was appointed regional managing director ten years later. She began her career with Universal McCann in 1983, later developing a solid foundation in media at JWT. Prior to OMD, she played an important role in the launch of what is now ZenithOptimedia in Hong Kong.

Choi is well respected within the media industry and has chaired the 4As Media Committee and Hong Kong Audit Bureau of Circulations for a number of years. Over her 27-year career, Choi has helped build the regional presence of clients such as IBM, Johnson & Johnson, BAT, Mars and McDonald’s.

OMD was named Media Agency of the Year at Media’s Agency of the Year Awards in 2008, the year that Choi assumed regional responsibility.

How did you get into the media industry?

My entry into media was very natural. I studied communications, advertising and PR at Hong Kong Baptist University and one of the lecturers helped me get a job in an agency when I graduated. In fact, while I was at college had been planning to work as a creative director, but I was offered a job in media. That’s how I got in, and I haven’t thought about moving since. I found I had everything I wanted from the job. I like the people, and the evolving nature of the industry; the work is not static, which is quite different to a lot of other industries.

Who was your career inspiration?

One person who encouraged me is a gentleman named Cheong Shin Keong, who is now general manager of TVB. We worked together at JWT for 4 to 5 years. At that time, he was considered one of the best; he looked at media as a science, and exposed me to the world of media planning. He had a big influence on me in the early years and encouraged me to stay in the industry.

What is your media philosophy?

I think the most important thing is to be forward-thinking. Being good at what you do is not enough. Being keen - not just willing - to learn is extremely important if you are to stay at the top and continue to be successful in what you do.

Why aren’t there more women at the top in media?

A lot of men complain that women are more successful in our industry. I believe this is because women are often better at communicating, team building and focusing on details. Women perhaps also have a higher EQ, which is very important in this industry. I don’t have a straight answer as to why women tend to be more successful [in media agencies] but I see guys doing a lot of good work too, so no offence to men.

Is the industry doing enough to attract female talent?

I don’t think anyone has set up a plan to attract female talent. Agencies want to get more men into the industry to achieve more of a balance, but really it is all down to the individual so attracting one gender or the other is just not a priority.

What advice would you give to young women looking to advance their careers in media?

A piece of advice I would give to everyone starting a career in media is to observe and learn, as well as working hard and being a team-player. Determination to progress and learn is not just required at a certain point; this is an industry where you will never learn enough. This applies to everybody.

What was your biggest challenge in 2009?

From a personal and business point of view, with the recession, the biggest challenges were the budget reductions and the commoditisation of media and the move towards a more idea-driven industry.

And your biggest achievement?

That we stayed focused as a company and managed to retain and attract talent. On a personal level, I don’t know if it counts as an achievement, but my dog had three puppies at the end of the year. That helped cheer us up!

What are your expectations for 2010?

Clients are more certain in their spending, so we see this coming back. One other thing we will see, with recovery, agency expansion and increased demand from clients, is stronger competition for talent and higher [staff] turnover. I see this as one of the biggest challenges for 2010.