Jo Blake is Head of Investment at MI Media. She has been in the industry for over 30 years, working at a number of larger network agencies before transitioning to independents more recently. She has held a variety of strategic and senior roles including heading up the planning & buying team at Ad City, which operated as a small business within Havas.
What makes you proudest about Women in Trading and why?
I am proud that this idea has come to fruition, 7 members of the committee who work well together, listen to one another and then get on and action ideas. We have had some great support and feedback, overwhelming even!
As a woman who has been an investment/trading role for a long time, this is definitely something that is needed. Personally, I feel that I want to give something back and not just get on with my role.
I am proud that we are being talked about but also that we want to help empower women and provide support and advice. Really, we are at the beginning of our journey. We have currently sent out a survey to all our members so that we can understand what is needed, this will help shape who we are and how we can support our members.
How did you first move into a trading career?
My first media role was at Zenith, when the company started. I moved from Saatchi and Saatchi in the 80s. Zenith was then seen as the first buying shop, I was in the Press department. You had to negotiate everything, Zenith was about buying power then.
You had to make people do the deals that you wanted via the strength of your personality and of course knowing all the trading tricks. I have always been in Investment, making money for companies and negotiating contracts and deals. I love it!
What is the biggest opportunity for women in trading today?
The biggest opportunity is realising that there are opportunities for women in trading and investment roles.
And for women to feel that there is a career pathway for them within trading and Investment. I hope that WIT group has highlighted this and women now feel that there is a way forward for them and a support network to back them up.
What is the most exciting aspect of the sector?
For me the most exciting aspect has always been about the people I have met and the friends that I have made and also building business relationships with people
and creating new opportunities for our clients. Anything is possible, breaking down the barriers and coming up with creative ideas and solutions to help solve client’s business problems.
What are the biggest challenges to be overcome in trading?
Firstly, there is a lack of diversity within trading, both in agencies and media owners, which is why Women in Trading was set up, this will not change overnight but I believe that WIT raising this as an important topic will help.
Secondly, we need to raise the profile of trading/investment with media and marketing, when people are thinking of a career in this area. Most people, who want a career in media and marketing, don’t know that there is a large element of trading as part of this mix.
What support structures and organisations are most important and effective to you as a woman in trading?
For me personally, it is not an organisation but individuals, within the WIT group, or my boss, or people within the media business that are friends and even ex bosses. They are my support structures, and are massively important to me.
7Do you think trading roles are still seen as traditionally ‘male roles’? What needs to be done to combat this?
Yes, I do, I think that it should be still about an individual’s talent also but there are less women in the trading arena, and therefore less women going for senior trading roles.
At a real junior hiring level, companies should be ensuring that there are an equal number of male and female hiring. So that the female pool is larger.
How can companies better help their female workforce in trading roles?
Providing support for those women and perhaps encouraging them to become a mentor to junior women within their company. Women speaking about their career path and how they got there is very inspirational for others, showing them that there is a career in trading if they want it.
What characteristics make a good trader?
The ability to see someone else’s point of view, being able to build relationships and to be able to communicate. You need to be organised and you need to be able to listen and anticipate the other person’s responses.
Also, the ability to be able to pivot and not to become stuck over one thing.
Who is your mentor, hero, or inspiration in the trading sector?
Pedro Avery is my inspiration in trading. He was my boss when I got the job at BLM, as a small agency they punched above their weight in terms of trading terms and deals, this was down to Pedro. He is a brilliant problem solver and always found ways around a trading problem, with his thoroughness (always did a lot of background work) and brilliant ideas to get around any negotiation.
He taught me that anything is possible and that you can do anything! I try to live by that, both in my business and personal life.
