Raj Ali is a Group Business lead at AudienceQ, with over 20 years of experience across both print and digital solutions. He’s held pivotal positions at several large media establishments such as Mail Metro Media and Daily Express bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role.
Who is your digital hero?
My hero is Danny Geelan – Head of Sales @ Ozone.
What has he done to win hero status in your eyes?
Danny has had the most significant impact on my career, from welcoming me to his team as a 17 year old at the Daily Express working across print direct response to reaching immortality status at Mail Metro Media as we pushed the boundaries on what could be achieved as an award-winning sales team competing at the very top.
Danny was always the smartest person in the room. He was meticulous with detail and this ensured he was always two steps ahead in every conversation. His drive and competitiveness were unmatched, usually walking away from a meeting with all the information he needed whilst leaving a feeling of being the nicest guy they had met.
He taught me the art of working a room at an event, opening new opportunities, striving to be the best, and developing yourself every day.
He taught me the importance of leadership. Managing upwards with editors, MDs, and CROs. But also guiding, training, and nurturing the talent on your team to benefit the business. But he also taught me the importance of being yourself, expressing yourself, and being personable.
People buy people in all walks of life. So always put the best version of yourself forward and people and success will follow.
How has his heroism helped drive digital?
Danny was always at the forefront of digital collaborations, even when all focus and revenue streams pointed otherwise. Headstrong in understanding where the industry was headed and helping his businesses move in that direction with every conversation he had.
He always pushed to stay up to date with industry trends, and product updates and was pivotal in developing innovative cross-platform solutions. Integrating new teams and processes across every successful merge and heavily championed charity, sustainability, and green campaigns. He is continuing the fight across programmatic as the world continues to change its media consumption habits connecting
What is the biggest challenge in digital we need another hero to solve?
Social Media Accountability. Purely from a consumer point of view, it’s safe to say my 2-year-old will not be going anywhere near social media! The lack of transparency or accountability is alarming. From mental well-being to exposure to inappropriate content, it currently serves to do more harm than good.
Not to mention cyberbullying, addiction, privacy risks, selective algorithms, and lifetime footprints. A reset is well overdue if we are to build a better world moving forward. This would mean designing with humans in mind, rather than profit. While the tech giants have outgrown their original purpose and turned their attention to taking over governments and the world, don’t forget the legacy you leave behind for our future generations.
What is your heroic personal achievement so far in digital?
As one of the few Bangladeshis working in the digital industry, I spent many years trying to fit in. My biggest achievement was to finally understand the importance of individualism and sharing my unique culture with the industry. My face lights up when colleagues and clients ask questions about my background.
I have made it my personal ambition to educate anyone willing to listen about our values from faith to family. Chaotic and colorful. On our inherent obsession to feed anyone around us, and our history as a young nation which brought our parents into the UK from adversity into one of opportunity for generations to come.
As I get older, and understand my background more, I feel obliged to bring it to the forefront of such a diverse and open industry.
