#Newsmaker: Cassandra Wingrove heading up sales at Mickey Llew's Australian office

Cassandra Wingrove

She has been tasked with developing and coordinating growth opportunities to reach the company’s sales objectives of AU$1.2m (R14m). She will also provide broad operational day-to-day support to the team as the Australian offering and services were previously managed from the Johannesburg head office.

Wingrove has a BA Degree in Communications and an Honours in Psychology from the University of Johannesburg and brings a wealth of experience gained from the digital marketing sector. Some of her core capabilities include forecasting the budgeting cycle, managing the financial reporting, developing online communication strategies and providing business intelligence.

She says she’s excited to be joining the agency at such a crucial and dynamic period in its growth journey, with the Australian expansion. “I am thrilled to be joining Mickey Llew at such an exciting time as the business expands into Australia. It is also a very interesting time for digital with more opportunities than ever before.

Will you be based in South Africa or Australia?

I am based in Australia and have lived in Sydney for the past five years.

What is your job title and what does your role entail exactly?

Head of Sales. I am focusing on building the foundations of the Australian Office, through new client acquisition and also managing the day-to-day operations. We do also have plans to grow out the Australian team.

How you plan to navigate the Australian office through these unusual times?

These are challenging times around the world, however, a silver lining is that it has allowed certain industries to flourish, such as e-commerce. There have been more opportunities for agencies like Mickey Llew as SEO has never been so important, especially with travel being restricted. It has pushed consumers to discover local businesses nearby.

What excites you most about the agency and the Australian office in part?

The opportunity at hand. Mickey Llew has built a reputable name for themselves in the South African market by forming strong relationships with their clients, delivering bespoke services and achieving bankable results. This has laid a strong foundation to scale the business fairly quickly and will allow us to build out an Australian-based team.

What are you most looking forward to or enjoying thus far?

I am enjoying networking with other agencies and business owners.

Tell us more about your background/experience and how this has equipped you for the role.

I have been in the tech industry for the past seven years. Most of my time was spent at a global media intelligence company, which allowed me to be exposed to running new business processes across IMEA.

I was then transferred to the company’s office based in Australia, where I worked across their key account clients. This gave me exposure to many Australian businesses across different industries. I have also been involved in a sideline business of selling on Amazon marketplace in the USA, which has given me a good understanding of some of the foundations that make up SEO, such as keyword research, product listing and running effective campaigns.

What do you love most about your career?

I love working in the tech industry because I believe in progress. People inevitably use technology to improve lives and help others. We spread knowledge, make tasks easier and make systems more efficient. Also, the industry is fast-paced and always evolving, meaning that there is always something new to learn.

What’s at the top of your to-do list?

To start building out our local partnerships with other agencies and businesses.

What are you currently reading/watching/listening to?

I love listening to podcasts whilst I exercise. As a mom of two little boys, the ability to multitask is an essential personality trait. I am currently listening to Kate Toon’s The Recipe for SEO Success, the Serious Sellers Podcast and SEO for the Rest of Us with Brendan Hufford.

Tell us something about yourself not generally known?

I have my Springbok colours for cheerleading. I competed in two World Championships held in the USA.