CEOs during COVID-19: Aimee Buchanan on protecting 500 jobs, trusting her staff and missing the drive home
In this series, Mumbrella’s Brittney Rigby asks media agency CEOs how they’re leading their teams through a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. First up is OMD’s Aimee Buchanan on why she’s worried about her family, clients, and colleagues, trusting 500 people with more information she’s ever had to, and receiving the best work she’s ever seen.
Aimee Buchanan is two months back from maternity leave, two months into leading a media agency through a global pandemic, and well over a month into answering the question: “Mum, did you forget to go to work today?”
Her four-year-old daughter is confused. How can mum be at work if she’s at home? Pretending to leave the house to go to ‘the office’, only to sneak back through the front door and up the stairs without getting caught, has become part of the OMD CEO’s daily routine.
So has hanging on for dear life as the “massive rollercoaster” of COVID-19 challenges her to remain mentally strong and ramps up her worry for her family, team, and clients.
The struggle is real- great read Aimee, really captures what a lot of us are dealing with at the moment!
The most genuine piece I’ve read from a leader in our industry in iso so far; honest, smart and uplifting. My four year old has managed a cameo or (more than) two, and in between strategy calls, workshops, WIPs and team check-ins, I’m homeschooling my eight year old. We are being tested and stretched; which is exhausting, inspiring and exciting all at once. Thanks for sharing!