Since I was 13 or 14 years old, I have had a passion for marketing and advertising. Throughout my journey, I have strategically sought out internships, pro bono work, and paid opportunities that have helped me gain experience and improve my skills within the industry.

This is the same approach I take with my company, Strategic Mage Consulting. Unlike others in the marketing field who become stagnant in one industry, we take risks and draw on our experience in various fields to provide faster and more effective results. At Strategic Mage Consulting, we are dedicated to pushing boundaries and helping our clients achieve their goals.

I have diverse marketing and digital transformation experience, including leading the launch of South Asia's first liberal arts university and triggering their competitors’ to explore their own digital marketing efforts. I also strategized for an e-commerce freezone, franchises and SEO agencies in the GCC and Southeast Asia, gaining invaluable insights into digital transformation's importance in driving business growth. Additionally, my work with logistics and food and beverage companies, including Galadari Food & Beverage division’s Baskin- Robbins and KyoChon, has developed my holistic approach to marketing and branding, considering each industry's unique needs and challenges.

What inspired you to start Strategic Mage Consulting? What is the underlying concept behind the business and your vision for its future?

Strategic Mage Consulting fulfils my long-term career goal of creating a space that caters to both clients and agencies alike. With experience from both client and marketing agency sides, we offer tailored approaches to clients' unique needs, specializing in digital transformation and marketing strategy. We provide content marketing, social media marketing, video production, blogs, and more to help brands stand on their own feet. We want to grow with our clients and our focus is to make a positive impact on our clients' businesses, helping them make the change they need to succeed.

"Unlike others in the marketing field who become stagnant in one industry, mage takes risks and draw on our experience in various fields to provide faster and more effective results"

We are expanding our services globally while staying true to our values. We started small and are growing steadily, with a focus on hiring the right people. Our goal is to create a collaborative environment where we understand our clients' needs and deliver high-quality solutions while maintaining our principles and ethics.

What approach do you take while overcoming business challenges? Tell us about the top three milestones you have achieved professionally over the years?

When facing critical challenges, it's important to examine what kind of change is needed. With different opinions coming from C-suite executives and stakeholders, it's essential to strike a balance between their requirements and the job at hand. We present options that are 50/50, recognizing that not everyone will be 100 percent satisfied with every decision. Our role is to approach each stakeholder differently and combine a tailored and structured approach to address the situation. Communication is key, and we work to understand both the stakeholders' needs and our clients' goals while keeping costs in check. Our approach is to deliver value for money while maintaining high-quality standards. Unlike many other agencies, we prioritize our clients' success above our own bottom line.

Tell us about the top three milestones you have achieved professionally over the years?

Top professional milestones that stand out: working with major players in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South Asia to implement digital transformation and business strategies, social media management plans, and paid performance strategies on a larger scale; making meaningful connections with like-minded individuals to build networks and find people who can help us grow our business; and setting specific, achievable milestones to further scale our operations. Success requires finding the perfect domino piece that sets everything else in motion, which means carefully observing, listening, and testing everything to execute flawlessly.

How do you foresee the Asian marketing landscape evolving going forward?

There is a lot of artificial intelligence that is leading the way in both content as well as design. The approach should involve mastering these tools while preserving the human touch. For example, you may use AI to create the initial draft of copy or artwork for social media ads or landing pages, but a human would need to review and refine it.

In the Asian market, we anticipate a hybrid model of AI and human-generated content, with humans supporting AI technology but not relying on it entirely. This is because we recognize the importance of human autonomy and creativity. While other regions may be more willing to depend solely on AI-generated content, Asia would aim to strike a balance between AI assistance and human decision-making. This approach will allow contractors to take advantage of the benefits of AI while still producing content that resonates with their clients and their customers.