Campaign’s Media Faces to Watch 2020 – Mirika Shah, Planning executive, Hearts & Science
Age: 23
Nadim Karam, senior director, planning, Hearts & Science: Mirika is a self-driven natural, bringing all the skills and expertise that are required to succeed in our industry. She is both analytical and creative. But more importantly, her positive can-do attitude makes her a joy to work with. Both internally within the team, and with all the clients that she works with. Nominating Mirika here was an easy decision, as I am confident of the bright future that is ahead of her in our industry.
Career highlights
While growing up I was educated in three different countries and ended up choosing science as my field of study. However, I eventually realised that media was my calling. I picked mass media as my career option and have been extremely privileged till this point to enjoy working in this field for more than three years now. While handling the UAE’s oldest telecom media account, Etisalat, as a digital media planner for around two years as my first job, I didn’t only learn media but all the possible ins and outs with extreme challenges. For more than one year now with Hearts & Science as a brand strategy biddable planner, I have been managing different industry clients, ranging from telecom (Virgin Mobile) to QSR (KFC) and FMCG (Mai Dubai), which gives me immense confidence to operate in this fast-moving media ecosystem.
Guiding principles
My guiding principle in life, which is not just limited to work, is ‘Stepping out of my comfort zone’. I didn’t learn this from one person, but multiple mentors in my life. I learned it from my ongoing life experience.
Dream job
To oversee a multinational media agency group.
Side hustle
As soon as I realised that media was my calling, I decided to do master’s of science in digital marketing, from a reputed university in Dubai. But at the same time, I didn’t want to leave my professional life behind. So, I decided to do both at the same time. The biggest challenge I took up was: I did both full-time. Even though I was the only student to do so, I successfully graduated with thesis written on ‘How evolution of programmatic transforms digital advertising and improves ROI’.
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