Life At Nexxen with Ellen Rogan

Welcome to Life at Nexxen, a new series spotlighting our employees – from their career journeys and go-to advice to the rituals and activities that make up their days here at Nexxen.

Our first spotlight is on Ellen Rogan, an account manager focused on the publisher side of our business. Read ahead for more on what brought Ellen to Nexxen, how she spends each day and her favorite part of the job.

Let’s start with the basics: What’s your current title and how long have you been with Nexxen?

My title is Senior Strategic Account Manager, and I started at the company about two years ago now (I’m legacy Amobee). I first joined Amobee as a Publisher Development Manager, before we were acquired by Tremor International, then shifted into my current role about nine  months ago, not too long before we rebranded as Nexxen.

Got it. And what led you to this industry in the first place?

I’ve always been in digital marketing – I started my career on the agency side as a digital buyer (a job I luckily fell into out of college). Then, around 2014, I moved into ad tech, working for a small demand-side platform (DSP) focused on the travel space. That’s where I learned about the technology behind advertising, how programmatic really works, etc., and I knew I wanted to stay on this side of the industry.

From there, I moved to Amobee. When Amobee was acquired by Tremor, a lot of changes went around, and – given my experience working with publishers – I was moved to the sell-side of the business and took on a role in account management. I’ve learned a lot, but I’ve also been able to bring my past knowledge to the table, which has been great.

What advice would you give to someone who may be going through a similar transition or change in their career or at their company?

Be curious and ask a lot of questions. Everyone has them, so don’t be embarrassed to ask thoughtful questions. Be sure to pay attention and listen to the answers, too; it’s the best way to learn.

Now that you’re settled in your current role, which three words would you use to describe working at Nexxen? And why?

I’d say close-knit – my team really does feel like family. It’s the best group I’ve ever worked with, we’re very close and collaborative. Challenging, but in a good way, in the sense that you’re constantly learning. And exciting – there’s something new and different to take on every day.

What does an average day look like for you?

I start each day with by walking my dog. Then, once I get to my computer, the very first thing I do is pull up what my team calls our ‘War Room Report.’ It’s basically a look at how much revenue we generated the day before, broken out by publisher and account manager. It’s a chance for us to look together and see how we did as a team, as well as individually. At 2 o’clock each day, we have a call to discuss those numbers – it’s a daily pulse-check, a chance to say things like, ‘Right, this account did really well, how do we replicate that elsewhere?’

The rest of my day is spent corresponding with my publishers – over email or on calls – to make sure their questions have been answered and their issues addressed. I get back to as many people as I can before the day is up, just to ensure they know we’re here and working on their requests.

I also have two daughters who are very busy with school and gymnastics, so once my workday is up, my time is spent getting them to and from and practices and meets, ensuring they’re well-fed and fuelled.

And last but not least, what’s your favorite part of the job?

My team, hands down. They’re what keeps me going.