Andrea Alembakis.
In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it's GumGum senior product manager Andrea Alembakis.
Time in current role/time at the company
I’ve been at GumGum for nearly seven years and have worn a few different hats, including Design Lead, Creative Technologist, Product Manager, and now Product Designer. The common thread across these roles has been a focus on creativity, product thinking, and leadership.
For the past five years, I’ve been part of the Creative Product Team, working across both product management and design. In February this year, I moved into a pure product design role, which I’ve been absolutely loving.
How long have you been in the industry?
I’ve been in the digital space for around 12 years, and I’ve spent about 10 of those years in ad tech.
How did you get here?
I started out at a rich media ad tech company called Big Mobile (now Big), in a hybrid designer and front-end developer role. After that, I joined AKQA, working on clients like Optus, and then spent some time at the NSW Department of Education. Eventually, I found my way back to ad tech at Playground XYZ, which later became GumGum. I’ve always followed what excites me: creativity, design, and cutting-edge tech. It has shaped every step of my career.
Was this always the plan?
Absolutely! I’m very lucky and grateful to have discovered my passions early on. My older sister, who was studying graphic design at the time, introduced me to design and code when I was in primary school. Like any younger sibling, I wanted to copy everything she did, and when I gave it a go, I was hooked. That moment kickstarted everything. I went on to study Digital Media at CoFA and stayed focused on what I loved.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
Anyone who knows me will know the answer to this question - Steve Nash. We’ve worked together since my time at Big Mobile, and he’s been a mentor and sounding board throughout my career. We have a strong, honest and respectful relationship that allows us to do great work and challenge each other in the best ways. Steve’s always pushed me to think bigger and step outside my comfort zone.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
Creativity! Ad tech brings together two things I love: building digital products and great creatives. I love being surrounded by clever campaigns, bold ideas, and the creativity that fuels the industry. I love working with so many creative minds, and the energy and innovation that comes from pushing boundaries in both tech and storytelling. There’s something genuinely exciting about building tools that help bring those ideas to life.
And the biggest challenge?
The constant change. Whether it’s the slow crumbling of the cookie, new regulations, economic shifts, or AI advancements - there’s always something transforming the space. It’s challenging but also very motivating.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
I am not eyeing anyone’s job since my goal is to start my own company one day. What I love about my current role in product design, and previously in product management, is how entrepreneurial it is. I get to innovate, work closely with users, and tackle meaningful problems. While I’m already getting that entrepreneurial fix in my day-to-day, I’d love to eventually channel it into building and running my own venture.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
I’m lucky to have a wide creative network who love bouncing around new ideas. They’re always great to chat with when I’m exploring something new. I also draw a lot of inspiration from seeing what others are doing across the broader tech space. Interviewing users can be inspiring too. You often uncover real nuggets of gold that shape a product’s direction. For creative trends, I turn to platforms like Dribbble and Behance, and when I need to reset, nothing beats a visit to an art gallery.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
One thing many people might not know about me is that I also channel my creativity into environmental and animal advocacy. I run a passion project where I collaborate with a talented marine biologist and a brilliant innovator in the marine-tech space. Together, we focus on positive advocacy and environmental education through events like snorkel tours and pastel-and-sip workshops with an earth-and-sea twist, eco-friendly merch, and an upcoming podcast spotlighting people doing incredible work in this space.
If that sounds like your kind of thing, follow along at @earthtoseaguardians on Instagram.
In five years' time I'll be…
Creating, learning, and making an impact in some way, shape or form. As long as I'm doing those three things, I will be happy!
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