Ricky Chanana. Image: Supplied
“After Amazon I knew I wanted to move to a local operation company,” Ricky Chanana told AdNews.
Chanana, former Twitch head of sales ANZ, left the Amazon-owned company last week after three years to join Sydney-based creative intelligence company JustEggs Digital as chief growth officer.
“For the past 18 years I have always worked in global organisations, so local business appealed to me because I want to be closer and have ownership over P/Ls and commercials," Chanana said.
“I also want to influence the product and people. And thirdly, which is the most important, I want to drive a company narrative quicker.
“To move and create products in big businesses takes years of time. In local business we can be very nimble and agile to create something locally for clients as soon as they ask for it and be ahead of the market.
“Obviously there's other great local businesses like Cartology, Nine, Seven, Are Media etc, which are doing fantastically despite the global thing of letting people go.
“But JustEggs felt the most right because they are a fantastic local operation with a nimble team of 18, who are on the cusp of the next level.
“Plus, I’ve known the CEO of JustEggs Nik Kontoulas for about 15 years. He’s a fantastic guy I used to work with.
“I had a quick catch up with Nik, where he was very honest about where the business was and where they wanted to go with someone like myself to take the brand to the next level.
“For Nik and I, it was like a match made in heaven.”
Particularly, Chanana was attracted to how involved Nik is as a leader in his business. Chanana spoke highly of the cultural initiatives Nik has introduced including taking the team to Hawaii to paying for unlimited staff coffees and giving his team free car parking during COVID.
“People is the biggest economic currency in this world, especially in media advertising," Chanana said.
“To hear a local business investing so much in their people was a huge pull for me.
“Taking the team on such initiatives - even taking a trip to Thailand in May this year - can be done on the fly and that is a refreshing change for me.”
However, his skills aquired in global business will continue to dictate his leadership in the local market, as Chanana’s main moto for when he enters the role will be think global, act local.
“I will look around at what is happening in other businesses globally. But then look at how we can create products and hire talent which resonates for our local customers," Chanana said.
“I’ve seen a lot of people join local businesses recently because there's that narrative of wanting to be part of a local organisation, but still feel a part of a bigger play.
“There's never been a better time to focus and be the custodian of a strong local business.”
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