Jason Trudel

As Group Account Director I am often asked what makes a great account person. Experience, of course, is usually my initial reaction – 17+ years across multiple sectors including healthcare (Becton Dickinson, embecta, Molnlycke), FI (Royal Bank), health and wellness (Reckitt Benckiser, Bausch & Lomb) and food & bev (PepsiCo, Unilever, Kraft/Heinz). And there’s the standard bio fare: strategic leadership skills, relationship building, results driven. But I think there is actually three things that truly make a great account person, and I rely on them to do my job well.

The first is a never-ending curiosity. Curiosity about your clients’ business, about new marketing channels, innovations, technologies, curiosity about teammates and different ways of working. The second is a sense of humour. Being able to handle challenges, obstacles and deadlines is easier when you keep things in perspective and laugh really hard at least once a day. The third is honesty. Being honest about mistakes and learning from them; delivering honest and sometimes tough feedback; being honest if you truly have a different opinion than a client or colleague. I try to embody these qualities every day.

When I’m not working obsessing over what makes a great account person, I’m usually at home listening to, and obsessing over, my vinyl collection.