A Day in the life of Joy Whitehead

What keeps you busy all day?
Having two Managing Directors!
What keeps you awake at night?
Finances, the question of whether or not humans are too smart for their own good, and the dog.

Name: Joy Whitehead

Company: Zed Media

Job title: Board Director

What keeps you busy all day? 

Having two Managing Directors!

What keeps you awake at night? 

Finances, the question of whether or not humans are too smart for their own good, and the dog.

Describe your working day: 

Read the Guardian on the way in, and check my emails. Breakfast. Meet one of my client planning teams for an update, read marketing press and relevant news stories, speak to the creative team about a marketing project, liaise with journalists for a PR piece, Lunch. Attend at least two meetings, review new business pipeline, write a presentation which could be channel specific, sector specific or client specific, speak to some clients, speak to some media owners, speak to at least 4 people trying to sell me something that I patently don’t need, have a 121 session, read and send emails on my way home.
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What’s your busiest time of day?

The morning…why does everyone like a 9.30 meeting?

What brands/accounts have you worked on?

Zurich, NSPCC, Tiscali, P&G, World Vision, Boots, Armani, Smile Train, Electrolux, MBNA, Motorola, Fiat, the Times,

Best day at work:
I should probably say winning new business or getting promoted, but I’ll probably go with the day I met my other half because that was on a working day.

Worst day at work:
My alarm not going off the morning of a pitch, which was a two hour train ride away. Making the train by some miracle, but snapping the heel off my shoe in my rush to get there.

Name one thing you’ve achieved that has made your bosses sit up and take
notice:
My approach to running new business pitches, whilst always appearing outwardly calm. Bit of a rod for my own back…

Ambitions:

To be the boss (of something) and to live by the sea…one day.

Advice to other rising stars: 

Work smart and don’t be afraid to be different

Quote from the boss:

 “Joy is one of the most popular members of Zed and she brings a calmness and cool authority to the management team and the rest of the agency.” – Kevin Murphy, Joint MD, Zed Media