This month, we spoke to Patrick and found out why he became an account manager…
1. What’s your favourite colour?
Orange. It’s like the national colour of The Netherlands – where I’m from – after the last name of the royal family, called ‘of Orange’.
2. What’s your favourite film?
Dancer in the Dark. Quite a heavy movie with singer Björk in the lead role. It looks and sounds like an old school musical, but the story being told is extremely cruel.
3. What’s your favourite sound?
We just bought a new Vaio PC for at home and it makes this funky beep-sound when turned on… it’s always nice to hear the sound of your new gadget. (Well, for the first month.)
4. What’s your favourite band/musician?
I admit; I like handbag music. At the moment I can’t get enough of the new album of PCD… (if you don’t know which band this is, you probably hate it!)
5. Favourite word?
Tuck. Tuck. Tuck.
6. Least favourite word?
Honey, wake up!*
* Never heard it at work though!
7. Finish this sentence - when I was little I wanted to grow up and be a…
A professional violin player. I practised for years…. the fact that I’m here now shows you how ‘talented’ I was.
8. Why did you become an account manager? What inspired you?
I did a work experience during my university years at a design agency in Rotterdam and they offered me a job afterwards. From there I went to another agency, then AXA, the insurance company.
I found out project managing is my kind of thing: I like the challenging fast-pace that comes with it. You get frustrated sometimes but you also know there’s a deadline: so any project will end…. one day.
9. What’s your background in finance, i.e. education, etc?
I’ve got a Master degree in Psychology from The Netherlands, and a Master of Professional Communications from Sydney Uni. The psychology degree may not be the most logical choice for someone working in advertising, but I’d always been very interested in the human mind.
I’ve worked both on agency and client site in Holland, and joined RADAR after finishing my degree here.
10. What do you love about design?
I’m always surprised how the designers here at RADAR are able to translate the words from a brief into something tangible ánd beautiful. Sometimes you worry what they come up with, but so far I’ve been pleasantly surprised.
11. Who is your favourite designer?
Philippe Starck. Anything he touches turns into something interesting. Maybe also because the building opposite from where I live was designed by him, so I’m confronted with his style every day of the week!
12. Most memorable design exhibition/collection?
I love the Guggenheim in New York. You start at the top and scroll yourself down, along some pretty amazing art. The building itself intrigues.
13. What do you like about working at RADAR?
No politics. I’ve worked for big organisations long enough to know how hard it can be to have to play those games. At RADAR, we’re all here to get the job done and have fun with it.
14. What’s your favourite RADAR campaign/job?
We worked on a CBA project called ’40Faces. 40Stories’. It’s a program in which staff volunteer their time and skills by mentoring a group of less-fortunate students. I was overwhelmed by the commitment but also talent of these students. They all made their own piece of art which RADAR turned into a beautiful coffee table book.
15. If you weren’t in advertising, what would you do?
Probably a gardener. My family has a background in gardening.
16. Finish this sentence - the best career advice I ever received is…
It’s just a job.
17. What career/job would you never do?
A dentist. I worked for one during my uni years. The idea of working in people’s mouths all day… and believe me, it’s often not pretty.
18. Who is the funkiest dresser at RADAR?
Marissa. I don’t know how she does it, but she can walk in with the most attention-grabbing dress and look fabulous in it.
19. Who in the office would you trade places with for a day and why?
Anne, our accountant. It would be interesting to know where all this hard work leads to at the end of the month…
20. Finish this sentence - the best place to go for lunch/coffee/drinks in Surry Hills is…
Two Good Eggs. Because it’s across the road from where I live, in that Philippe Starck building!
21. Finish this sentence - RADAR is…
Tuck. Tuck. Tuck!