[NewsMaker] Deshendri Smit

Deshendri Smit has been promoted to Executive: Sales & Marketing of Primedia Unlimited's Mall Division: Primall Media and MallWorx. Smit takes over from Lee Curtis who has been with the group a decade. Smit has worked the Mall Division for six years: as an Account Manager, and then as Sales Manager over the past two years. She is now in charge of developing and implementing a national sales and marketing strategy. The Mall Division includes Unlimited's mall activation brands; Primall Media, Mallworx, Mall Active, Prime Courts, Primedia Lifestyle Group, SourceCRM and Captiv8.

Q: What is at the top of your to do list?
A: Work on integration across our various mall offerings to provide better retail solutions to clients, and to use our environment to generate shopper and retail analytics.

Q: What is your core strategy?
A: To help clients build their brands in retail whilst serving the shopper, retailer, mall and property owner.

Q: Most important attribute needed to do your job?
A: Visionary leadership that's clear and defined.

Q: The biggest trend to note in your industry?
A: The uplift and importance of ROMI: the conversation has moved from just building brand equity to really understanding how a campaign has delivered against the investment.

Q: How will you make an impact?
A: By closing the gap from ATL (above-the-line) to path -to-purchase, by driving the understanding of shoppers and what influences their buying decisions.

Q: What inspires you?
A: People that invest in their growth with integrity, that always strive to be better both personally and professionally.

Q: What legacy do you hope to leave in the industry?
A: Entrench the value of partnership between media agency, media owner, brands and creative agencies.

Q: Your life philosophy?
A: My mission is to add value to every relationship and in every interaction.

Q: Tell us something about yourself not generally known?
A: I have less clothes in my cupboard than most men I know.

Q: At the top of my 'bucket list' is...
A: Travelling to Norway to see the Aurora Borealis.