Ismaël Semani, digital director, Omnicom Media Group Montréal
- Frequently used expression : “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” This quote attributed to Albert Einstein perfectly reflects the essential qualities in an agency: agility, flexibility, taking a step back and achieving your objectives through the continuous search for solutions.
- Your hobbies favorites: Soccer! There is something magical about being on a field, my childhood soul probably stayed there. This is where I fill myself with positive energy. We also have a very good team at OMG! Another hobby, watching my daughter grow up, is priceless.
- An unusual fact: My father is from Tunisia and my mother from Laos. Really unusual!
- What advice would you give to the next generation? It’s hard to choose just one piece of advice. With almost 20 years in the industry, from my point of view, it is our duty to pass it on to the next generation! I would tell them that the secret to fulfillment lies in the constant search for progression: always seeking to learn new things, setting themselves challenges, surrounding themselves with mentors… I would also tell them to seize every opportunity to practice. , even if it’s something that’s scary… even more so if it’s something that’s scary, at the end of the day, there are no failures, there are only feedback .
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I started my career in France in 2005 in an agency specializing in SEO/SEM called Takezo, which then joined the Dentsu group. I spent 15 years of my life there and I take this opportunity to pay tribute to him today. There I met exceptional talents and mentors who believed in me and who contributed, in part, to being who I am today.
The agency is a world that suits me. Dynamic, constantly evolving, with solutions and technologies that are constantly evolving, in short, it was exactly what I needed to feed my thirst for learning and challenges.
At Dentsu, I had the opportunity to explore various professions such as SEO, SEM, Display, and probably one of my greatest accomplishments was to build and develop the Paid Social department at Dentsu France.
In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, I joined other incredible talents at Jellyfish France, a choice guided by the need to be more present for my daughter and to develop something again. I contributed to the growth of a center of experts and to the success in several strategic pitches for the agency.
In 2022, we made a family choice and settled down in Canada, in Montreal. Today, history repeats itself, I am lucky to work with new talents, young and with strong convictions. In my role as digital director, I support a portfolio of brands in their various digital transformation and growth challenges, while investing in development projects within the agency. To complete the loop, I am also keen to support the next generation with the aim, who knows, of them becoming stars in the industry.
