Interviews, insight & analysis on digital media & marketing

My Digital Hero: Ken Parnham, Founder/CEO, AudienceQ

Ken Parnham is Founder/CEO, AudienceQ. A digital veteran of over 20-years standing, he has held senior roles at companies including OpenX, TRUSTe, Adlink and Orange.

Who is your digital hero?

Lee Puri, Co-Founder at MiQ Digital.

What has he done to win hero status in your eyes?

Lot’s, but let’s start with a little history. 

We both worked at an ad-network in the mid-2000s. Lee was a sales director & he was excellent. On my first ‘pitch meeting’ with Lee I noticed that he had a different approach to all other sales people I’d worked with, he’d formulated & adopted a holistic approach to selling.

He has a unique ability to get to the heart of the matter, challenge the status quo and make peers and colleagues feel comfortable. He’s a natural ‘people person’ & I feel that phrase get’s under-valued. When you meet someone that is a natural people person, they’re a delight to be around, and like Lee can get the best out of people. 

How has his heroism helped drive digital?

Lee’s launching of and rollout of MiQ, has been an inspiration to myself and other tech entrepreneurs in the UK industry. 

It’s amazing to see a UK company performing really well in the American market and such a positive success story. He’s managed to do all this whilst maintaining his integrity and for all intents and purposes he’s very much the same person I went on my first pitch meeting with. 

Business aside, there is a very human aspect to my digital hero. Both Lee and I are from mixed-heritage backgrounds, and during the BLM, Lee and I have been talking as to how we obtain a better understanding of the world around us and how we can contribute back in a positive way.

MiQ is really good at this but as is the case with all industries, globally, he recognises that there is a lot more that could be done.. 

What the biggest challenges in media we need another hero to solve?

This might not be a problem that a “hero” could provide a solution for, and I appreciate obvious statement BUT diversity. Diversity is key to any business’ future survival. I’m not just talking about within your respective teams, but I mean through all levels up to senior management. 

There simply needs to be more representation in media. Recently there has been sparks of a positive change but as a society we are nowhere near where we need to, or should  be. On a more individual practice, speak up, if you see injustice in the workplace (or anywhere for that matter) say so, keeping quiet makes you complicit.

Channel your inner ‘hero’ and fight for what’s right. 

What is your most heroic personal achievement so far in digital?

In the later half of 2018 I decided to go alone and set-up my own company.

We’ve faced my challenges, like everyone – and we’re still being affected by the repercussions of COVID19. There’s obviously further challenges ahead, but we’re ready to take them on.