E28 | How To Change Career Successfully | Gau Narayanan, CMO Thirdway

Gautham Narayanan, a seasoned veteran with over two decades of experience, has embarked on an exhilarating journey of brand transformation that spans continents, dazzling the world with compelling ideas and an illustrious client portfolio. For the better part of his illustrious career, Gau was the driving force at BBDO, serving as the regional director for BBDO Africa and the managing director of BBDO South Africa. He didn't just stop at business conquests; Gau also invested his passion and expertise in nurturing talents within BBDO's four African offices, leaving a lasting legacy of innovation and growth. In 2018, a thrilling chapter in Gau’s career unfolded when Wieden+Kennedy appointed him as the new managing director for its Delhi office. Returning to his roots in India after a childhood move to the UK at the age of 8, Gau found himself on familiar terrain but faced with the intriguing challenge of reconnecting with a new audience and navigating the intricate tapestry of culture and consumer behaviour. Fast forward to the present day, Gau Narayanan has made a remarkable pivot from the world of advertising to the dynamic realm of Thirdway, the UK's number one design and build company. As the Chief Marketing Officer of Thirdway, Gau continues to script his remarkable career narrative, adding new layers of creativity and innovation to his already illustrious journey. His transformation from advertising maestro to the helm of Thirdway embodies the essence of reinvention, proving that his expertise knows no bounds. We Discuss: -Moving from India to the UK at age 8 -Falling in love with sports -Working at AMV BBDO for nearly two decades -Making a change through advertising -Entering fatherhood -Becoming MD at Wieden+Kennedy -Dealing with problematic clients -Moving back to your country of origin -Telling your mother something life-changing -Changing industries later in your career

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Unexpected Medical Emergency

(00:04:16) Multilingual Background

(00:08:10) Memories of Childhood in Mumbai

(00:12:07) Finding my place in school through sports

(00:16:04) A Special Agency Experience

(00:20:00) From AMV to Luna BBDO: A Journey in the Advertising Industry

(00:24:12) Using Doodles to Express Emotions

(00:27:54) The Power of Visual Campaigns

(00:32:03) Working on Global Brands

(00:36:26) Positioning for Decades

(00:40:24) The Opportunity in Africa

(00:44:12) Standing Up for Employees in the Workplace

(00:47:57) Returning to India

(00:51:46) Widen and Kennedy: A Different Approach

(00:55:53) Questioning Authority and Empowering People

(01:00:01) The Importance of Design in India

(01:03:50) Identity Confusion in a Globalized World

(01:07:59) The Application of Skill Sets

(01:12:08) Breaking the News to Mom

(01:16:17) Finding Strength and Support

(01:20:16) A Change of Career Path

(01:24:27) The Complexity of the Creative Industry

(01:28:44) Redefining the Office Space

(01:32:47) The Power of Creativity and Culture

(01:36:41) Embracing Change and Taking Leaps

(01:40:40) Embracing Diverse Thinking

(01:44:43) From Student to CMO Watch on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@HOWIBECAME__⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We're on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Unity & Motion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - A London based production company specialising in commercials and branded content Email: info@weunify.co.uk This is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UNIFY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast. Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unity & Motion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Credits: Director: Charles Parkinson Poet & VO Artist: Ashley Samuels-McKenzie Sound Recordist: Aurelija Ausembergaite Camera Operator: Stuart Aitken Editor: Catherine Singh