Kristy Barclay-Allen.
Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Empowering people to build community and bring the world closer together by connecting billions of individuals to share experiences, memories, and meaningful moments, through our family of apps.
What do you do day to day?
No two days are the same! My mornings usually kick off at 5am (thanks to my kids), followed by a few cups of coffee and a lot of meetings.
I keep busy leading the Independent Agency group, coaching and supporting the team to consistently achieve strong results. I also get to work closely with leaders across Australia’s key independent agencies, learning more about their priorities and how Meta can support their business goals and their clients’ goals and remain a solid presence in the industry.
Define your job in one word:
Gratifying.
I got into my industry because:
Growing up in London, on "Take Your Daughter to Work Day," I once got a chance to skip my usual options (the school where my mum taught or the cold English lake where my dad coached waterskiing) and tagged along instead to my friend's dad’s indie agency, Rainey Kelly. It was the coolest place I had ever seen. The people were warm, welcoming and showed us behind the scenes of a creative agency - I soon fell in love with advertising! Later, when my friend Lottie Laws started working at an agency in London (she’s now at Pinterest Australia) and I saw all the fun she was having, it sealed the deal for me too.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
It often comes down to balancing different competing priorities. With multiple stakeholders, including agencies, clients, and internal teams, things can get challenging.
I am a people-pleaser and I care deeply. It’s hard for me to say no!
What’s the biggest industry wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
Telling the real measurement story and results through incomplete numbers. Outdated measurement figures are often the cause of poor attribution of platform effectiveness, potentially eroding trust with partners and clients.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
It's hard to name just one. I've been lucky to have some incredible mentors. Heidi Hutchison was my first real mentor. She guided me through my pregnancy & returning to work while navigating the fast-paced, high-performance culture at Meta, something for which I’ll always be grateful.
Carolyn Bollaci continues to be another key support figure - she listens, respects my perspective, and always puts people first. She knows when I’m taking on too much and isn’t afraid to challenge me while supporting my vision, always. Plus, she brings humour and energy into everything she does, something we all need.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Be open to grow and evolve. Roles can change as well as jobs. Also, be willing to take on new challenges and make new connections - I learned the importance of this when I moved to a different country where I had no family support network.
If I wasn’t doing this for a living, I'd be:
I’d probably be a stay at home mum who also works in the family business, running a wakeboard/waterski club. Kids in the boat, chasing dogs - it’s an alternative universe that one day I might turn into reality.
My philosophy is:
Always be kind. I also live by the “I get to” attitude.
My favourite advert is:
Like a girl. Like many women, my abilities have been unfairly questioned because of my gender. And now, as a mum to a young girl when this aired it really struck a chord.
Music and TV streaming habits - What do you subscribe to?
I’m subscribed to pretty much everything out there - all my streaming platforms are full of an eclectic mix of Disney songs, Marvel superheroes, princess-themed shows, and a range of 90s - 00s music, thanks to having no autonomy in my house whatsoever. I don’t watch a huge amount of TV but I love a cheeky romcom/ reality TV break when I get the chance.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I was the face of Heinz baby food back in the 80s. There are ads of me in a nappy eating out of a jar out there in the print-world.
In five years time I'll be:
Hopefully an Australian citizen. After 10 years travelling between Singapore and Australia, my family and I are ready to finally set some roots in this beautiful country.
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