Neil Duncan.
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.
Neil Duncan: MD at Publicis Production ANZ.
Time in current role:
I’ve been the MD of Publicis Production ANZ for about 18 months. And this month will mark 20 years working within Publicis Groupe.
How would you describe what the company does:
At Publicis Production, we create intelligent content at scale – bringing together human creativity, data, and technology to deliver end-to-end production and standout digital experiences.
What do you do day to day:
Each day is different, but I have found a balance between thinking ahead to where we’re going, reflecting on where we’ve come from, and helping the team work through immediate needs. Most of my time is spent talking with people – whether that’s clients, my team or our partners.
Define your job in one word:
Exciting!
I got into the industry because:
I got into this industry because I am fascinated by people. I’ve stayed because it brings together some of the very best qualities of humanity, including empathy, creativity, resilience and curiosity. That’s incredibly rewarding.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role:
Time. We have over 100 full-time staff, across four campuses, working on over 60 clients. There’s a lot to keep across, but thankfully I have a really solid leadership team who are incredible at keeping the platform humming so I can stay focused on the priorities.
What’s the biggest industry wide challenge you’d like to see tackled:
Protecting pathways into the industry – especially for early in their career talent. I was lucky to come into this industry by working in the mail room of Leo (Burnett) for two years while I was studying at university at night.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why:
I’ve been very fortunate to have had several great mentors over the years and a common theme across all of them has been how they’ve each taught me something about myself through their mentoring, and not just taught me how to do something. I think that’s the real difference between a mentor and a teacher or manager. I was especially fortunate to count Karen Colin-Thome, a long-serving finance leader at Publicis Groupe ANZ who recently lost her battle with cancer, among my mentors. She taught me more about the importance of curiosity in a creative business than anyone.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours:
Remember the greatest asset on any balance sheet is the people within the company.
If I wasn’t doing this for a living, I’d be:
Operating a small restaurant with a simple food philosophy and epic wine list.
My philosophy is:
Always look for the simplicity in what at first seems complex.
My favourite advert is:
Three Mobile “Sing It Kitty” from 2014. Whenever I hear “We Built This City” I can’t get this ad out of my mind for days. It’s an ad that makes me feel positive about the brand, even 12 years after it aired.
Music and TV streaming habits:
I’ve been collecting vinyl for a few years now – currently listening to Brother Wallace’s ‘Electric Love’ on repeat – and enjoy spending time researching and listening to music.
What do you subscribe to:
Amazon Prime is my most used subscription. It was a real lifesaver for the first few years of being parents when we needed things the next day, and they have some pretty good content on Prime Video.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you:
I’m a massive geek at heart. I’ve recently started gaming again and am currently replaying the Halo series on Xbox. I only get an hour or so a week but it’s great to unwind.
In five years time I'll be:
Hopefully still doing what I love, surrounded by people who make me proud to work where I do.
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