Locala Stars Archives

Locala Stars – Janis Ramos, Head of Customer Success Americas

We’re a growing team, dedicated to making Locala the leading drive-to-store platform worldwide. Every day, we create, code, design and improve our services to give our customers the best experience possible. At Locala, we love what we do and the people we do it with. Spotlight on Janis, our Head of Customer Success Americas in Miami!

What does it mean to be Head of Customer Success Americas?
As HCS, I’m responsible for maximizing customer satisfaction and engagement with Locala’s products or services, while managing a team within the US territory.

How would you describe yourself?
I’d say I’m hardworking, persistent, and always up for a challenge!

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
Traders! I would love to see our platform’s evolution and how we achieve our strategies and tactics.

What’s your most useful skill?
Organization.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
Hold onto your seats! It’s Khaleesi on a dragon bubblehead 😁

Who’s your favorite historical character?
Hedy LaMarr. She’s the one who invented the tech behind today’s wi-fi. Impressive, right?

And your favorite superhero?
Sailor Moon.

What do you like most about your job?
Easy, the people!

What can we find in your fridge?
A lot of leftovers. I haven’t been cooking much these last 3 months!

Connect with Janis on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Arnaud Taffo, Support Account Manager

We’re a growing team, dedicated to making Locala the leading drive-to-store platform worldwide. Every day, we create, code, design and improve our services to give our customers the best experience possible. At Locala, we love what we do and the people we do it with. Spotlight on Arnaud, our Support Account Manager in Montreal!

What does it mean to be Support Account Manager?
My job consists in assisting our traders and account managers in their daily routine so that they can perform well and achieve their goals. Whether it’s getting an issue resolved on the frontend or pulling data from the backend for any insights or forecasting purposes or even helping set up a campaign with the inventory management.

How would you describe yourself?
I like to raise debates. I question the nature of things quite often. If I had not worked in IT, I might have worked as a journalist.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
I would swap for Hadrien Bailly’s shoes, to see what a salesperson’s day is made of. He’s such a cool and funny guy, too!

What’s your most useful skill?
Stubbornness. I don’t give up until I have tried everything.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
Nothing but a cup of coffee.

Who’s your favorite historical character?
Lewis Hamilton. He has made history in a sport he was not even predestined for. His innate talent for racing, his competitiveness and his dedication have led him to be a seven times F1 world champion despite all the obstacles throughout his path. When he was young, his father said: “do the talking on the track”. I’ll let you imagine what he has kept doing ever since. I also admire the fact that he always stays humble and grateful towards his team when he wins.

And your favorite superhero?
There is no superhero for me, but rather real-life heroes I might find inspiration from.

What do you like most about your job?
I like the fact that it gets me to explore beyond what I’m used to in such a way that I keep learning new things, reproducing them, and making them work for the benefit of my job.

What can we find in your fridge?
Delicious dishes cooked by my wife.

Connect with Arnaud on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Tomás Gowland, Senior Trading Manager

We’re a growing team, dedicated to making Locala the leading drive-to-store platform worldwide. Every day, we create, code, design and improve our services to give our customers the best experience possible. At Locala, we love what we do and the people we do it with. Spotlight on Tomás, our Senior Trading Manager in New York!

What does it mean to be Senior Trading Manager?
My job means I get to work with sales, pre-sales, and account managers to set up and manage mobile ad campaigns. I use data analysis to optimize on bidding, pacing, performance, and margin and ensure all KPIs are met. I also make sure to offer insights on how to improve campaign effectiveness through Fusio’s functionality.

How would you describe yourself?
I would describe myself as kind, a team player, and passionate. Putting my best foot forward, treating people the way I’d like to be treated. I try to put the larger group before myself, whether it’s my family, friends, or the team I work with. I’m passionate and provide my all in my relationships with family and friends, playing sports, and at work.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
If I could switch positions with anyone, it would be Arnaud Taffo or Michael Colson. I’ve sent them crazy requests in the past that involved lots of data, effort, and time. And they’ve always delivered! I’d like to be in their shoes for one of those last minute, quick turnaround requests.

What’s your most useful skill?
I’d probably say it’s empathy, although it’s something that can be improved. Always.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
Unfortunately, nothing crazy 😓

Who’s your favorite historical character?
Probably Martin Luther King. I remember first moving to the United States from Argentina and learning about him. I was blown away by what he had done, said, and how he was spearheading a movement of peace despite facing constant violence and the greatest adversity.

And your favorite superhero?
My favorite superhero is probably Spider-Man. His determination and ability to overcome challenges have always set him apart from the rest. Always fighting for those who can’t protect themselves, like he once was. Also, let’s not forget he’s in high school.

What do you like most about your job?
The people I work with. I consider myself fortunate to work with a diverse, kind, and caring group of people.

What can we find in your fridge?
Orange juice, can’t start the day without it.

Connect with Tomás on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Aurélie Guérit, Regional Account Manager

We’re a growing team, dedicated to making Locala the leading drive-to-store platform worldwide. Every day, we create, code, design and improve our platform to give our customers the best drive-to-store experience possible. At Locala, we love what we do and the people we do it with. Spotlight on Aurélie, our Regional Account Manager in APAC!

What does it mean to be Regional Account Manager?
Being Regional Account Manager involves working closely with Sales to build strategic proposals and coordinating internal teams (Designers, AdOps, Traders) to set up campaigns on time and ensure that client needs are understood and satisfied in order to maintain a favorable relationship with them.

How would you describe yourself?
I’m a person who takes a little while to wake up but who, once fully charged, lives her day to the fullest!

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
I would be Zahra! A talented and promising designer!

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
A shoe box… to elevate my screen. Did I forget to tell you I’m a DYI person too?

What do you like most about your job?
That would be coordinating operations and working with different expertise!

What can we find in your fridge?
Sweet Thai Chili Sauce – it goes so well with everything!

Connect with Aurélie on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Ludovic Garnier, Knowledge Base Content Manager

What does it mean to be Content Manager?
In my opinion, knowledge and intelligence are the foundation of workplace productivity and business efficiency. As we are a worldwide company, it’s interesting to develop a common culture and language across the globe. For example, a sales member in the US will provide nearly the same Locala offering as a sales member in Europe or Asia. As knowledge content manager, I’m here to reduce risks and operational costs while improving efficiency across Locala. For example, I work closely with the Operations Manager to onboard new hires and assist them in their learning journey, especially at the early stages of their career. With People Managers, we collaborate to better serve new hires with training and face-to-face meetings to make sure that they understand the organization, the market and skills to ramp-up as soon as possible in their job.

How would you describe yourself?
I’m a curious person, focused on creating a learning organization. As I’m learning every day from my peers, I ask them tons of questions to better understand what they do and how I can contribute to make the onboarding process less time-consuming. As content manager, sharing pertinent and actionable knowledge with the teams is a great way to create a culture that fosters employee fulfillment and enhances their skills.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
It would be with Christophe Collet, our CEO and founder, because I decided to join Locala not only for its tech which I believe is a game changer, but also for the people who created it. Also, as I am very curious, I want to know everything about the company and what happens at the top.

What’s your most useful skill?

I’m a good listener and interviewer. During workshops, I always listen actively and question the expert to better understand how, why and how and discover the “secret sauce” of a sales member. This golden rule applies to other positions of course. That way, I’m able to share knowledge at a global scale with the learning community.

Locala Stars – Ludovic Garnier, Knowledge Base Content Manager

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
Besides plants, I have a ninja turtle on my desk. I found it funny when a colleague told me I looked like one of them as I sometimes wear a brown jacket. It’s Donatello, the nerdy guy in blue behind the screen who’s also an ace in the field.

What do you like most about your job?
The co-authoring part and being the facilitator during a workshop to share even more relevant information. I don’t produce content on my own. It’s always with an expert, a champion in their area of expertise, that I start to write a training. It’s not from scratch but it’s from people, Localaers, and I like it! That way, the learning community is aware that content is always double-checked by an expert and doesn’t come out of my hat, like magic.

Who’s your favorite historical character?
That would be Winston Churchill. He was a very talented writer, speaker and painter. “Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm” is one of my all-time favorite quotes. It follows one of the aspects of knowledge management such as “lessons learned”. You can tolerate failure as long as you are successful in the long run.

And your favorite superhero?
Tintin’s world by Hergé is still a must-read, even now. This guy has multiple hats. He guesses everything and connects the dots to find the solution. He is adventurous and courageous and his riding, diving and many other skills make him my favorite superhero.

What can we find in your fridge?
My fridge is full of cheese and ham to make on-demand sandwiches! It’s one of my favorite foods and you can guess that it goes along with grape juice. I like to go to the local market on Sundays to find seasonal vegetables and fruits.

Connect with Ludovic on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Sarah Moortgat, Sales Manager Benelux

What does it mean to be Sales Manager?
It basically means working on developing new partnerships and ensuring a good and solid relationship with our clients. Always with a smile on!

How would you describe yourself?
I’d say I’m cheerful, sociable, funny (at least from my point of view) and caring.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
I guess that would be being a designer in Canada. On one hand, Canada is my favorite country, and I would love to go live on the other side of the world. On the other hand, I’m a creative woman and I would love to express it through design.

What’s your most useful skill?

Definitely being very sociable.

Locala Stars – Sarah Moortgat, Sales Manager Benelux

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
My desk is too full with food to add anything other than my computer!

What do you like most about your job?
Without any hesitation, MY TEAM! Laura, Quitterie, Lisa, Michelle and Benjamin are awesome people and I surely hope that everyone at Locala will have the pleasure of meeting and working with them.

Who’s your favorite historical character?
I’m a huge fan of Britney Spears but as she is not dead, I don’t know if that makes her historical. She definitely left a big mark on pop music.

And your favorite superhero?
You’re lucky, I’ve just watched all the Marvels. I would go for Black Widow, she’s such a badass!

What can we find in your fridge?
Desserts and Monbazillac.

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Giulia Demontis, Design Manager

What does it mean to be Design Manager?
It involves creating something from nothing sometimes. Because of that, I always look for inspiration around me: even a little detail can give you the chance to develop a great idea! As a designer, I always do my best to create impacting formats, but at the same time efficient formats, in a logical way and with the best user experience. Of course, I’m an everyday support too for my team and for anyone who needs help solving creative issues 😉

How would you describe yourself?
I’m always smiling, always ready to do stupid funny things but focused and serious if I have a job to accomplish. I really love listening to music, all music but good music! I think I’m a good friend and an excellent listener: you can always find a shoulder if you need it. I love discovering new places and looking around, there is always something new to learn.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
Well, I really love my job so I don’t have a specific switch I want to do. I would probably like to try all the positions in my team, stay on the other side, better understand the dynamics of every job.

What’s your most useful skill?

As I said before, I’m a good listener and observer and that helps me be rather diplomatic in many situations.

Locala Stars – Giulia Demontis, Design Manager

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
A cow-shaped AirPods holder! I have a really weird love for cows 😄

What do you like most about your job?
Creating something starting from a concept, an idea, and grabbing the attention of the user with my work. And why not, be proud when a client says “ok, wow, really good job”!

Who’s your favorite historical character?
Margaret Thatcher. Absolutely! I don’t like her political ideas but her temperament. A strong and determined woman, ready to do anything to put into practice what she believed in.

And your favorite superhero?
Iron Man! He’s the best. Tech and smart! Love him.

What can we find in your fridge?
There is a lot of vegetables, some dairy products, my beloved smoked salmon… and of course, dark chocolate 😆!

Connect with Giulia on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Giuseppe Mastrolonardo, IT Technician

What does it mean to be IT Technician?
As one of the company’s IT technicians, my responsibility is to make sure everyone else can do their job without any technical issues! Every position and every employee/intern is so dependent on their computer working correctly to do their job, that any issues can cause delays and headaches. My job also involves improving the Locala technical infrastructure and automating long and repetitive tasks.

How would you describe yourself?
I’d say as someone who is humble, hungry and ready to learn from many of my failures! I measure success by actually walking the walk and not talking the talk – even if what I set out to do doesn’t really work out at the end – the important thing for me is that I actually tried.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
I would honestly love to switch positions with anyone here. I find everyone’s job so fascinating and vastly different that it’s hard to choose someone. I would love to learn a little bit of everyone’s job and become the jack of all trades (but master of none).

What’s your most useful skill?

Knowing that it’s impossible to know everything. The world is always improving and evolving so knowing everything all the time is just impossible (especially in the tech world). My most useful skill is saying “I don’t know the answer to that question, but I will do everything in my power to figure it out”.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
I like to believe I’m a minimalist at heart and not very materialistic, so I don’t keep a lot of things on my desk. A few cool things I have are my SONOS PLAY:5, an extra wide monitor, and a little desk fan that powers via USB. I love listening to music while on the job – and nothing beats the SONOS PLAY:5.

What do you like most about your job?
I genuinely love how nice and likable everyone is. I like how everyone really believes in our product and services and that energy is infectious. On the IT side, I like my teammates – although I have never met them in person, we have built a good foundation of communication and we trust each other to fix whatever issue comes at hand.

Who’s your favorite superhero?
Is Mando a superhero? If so, then him! What’s not to love about him? A bad*ss character that learns how to care for someone that is not him.

What can we find in your fridge?
I recently bought a house with a friend and we both like the art of fermentation. In our fridge, you can find a lot of homemade Kombucha, Kimchi, different types of butters and spreads, etc. Also, lots of fruits and veggies and different types of proteins. If you know about fermenting Kombucha, we have named our SCOBY ‘Scoby Bryant’.

Connect with Giuseppe on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Andrea Marchini, Head of Trading Italy

What does it mean to be Head of Trading?
I see myself as the campaigns’ mechanic. I care about delivery, performance and profitability and also about finding solutions that are ‘out of the box’ if something is outside the usual workflow (which, in the digital advertising environment, means almost all the time).

How would you describe yourself?
I’m eclectic and passionate about a lot of different things, from ad tech to board games, and global politics to cats. I wrote a fantasy book that you can find on Amazon (in Italian, sorry!) and I regularly attend LARP (Live Action Role Playing) events, though not during Covid, obviously.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
I would like to try the ‘sales experience’ once in a while, to see how the world is from the other side of the barricade.

What’s your most useful skill?

I think I’m a good listener. Most of the time when there is friction with someone, it’s just a matter of taking a breath, sitting down and trying to understand each other better.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
I’ve mostly worked from home since joining Locala, so I don’t have a proper desk. But in the room where I usually work, I have 3 Viking shields on the wall.

What do you like most about your job?
Sometimes, working in campaign delivery is like a detective’s job: you have to make guesses and find proof about the issues you’re facing. Only then can you find the right solution. Even with algorithms and super modern platforms, human intuition can make a huge difference.

Who’s your favorite historical character?
He’s probably not really known abroad but I really like the figure of Cavour. He was an Italian king’s counselor and guided Italy to modernity during the age of resurgence and during the reunification of the country. A pragmatic but idealistic man, with a strong sense of responsibility.

And your favorite superhero?
Captain America, because I have a sweet spot in my heart for idealists.

What can we find in your fridge?
A lot of healthy food. And hidden underneath it, some super unhealthy food too. And beer.

Connect with Andrea on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Sarah Hamouda, Legal Counsel

What does it mean to be Legal Counsel?
It means protecting Locala’s interests and ensuring the company complies with all the regulations in force – like GDPR or CCPA to only name the most famous – while helping the business grow.

How would you describe yourself?
I’m an optimistic and joyful person, even if I can be a little shy at times. I also think that I’m pragmatic, which allows me to approach one situation after the other to get out of any problem. This is particularly useful these days, what with the pandemic.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
I’d go for someone from the Marketing team because, for me, it’s a very interesting and complete job. You have to be creative and a good communicator to create the supports, strategic to put forward the company’s vision and even a little bit technical to properly understand the product and promote it.

What’s your most useful skill?

I’m someone who can be counted on and who listens to others, which is why people talk to me openly about all kinds of things. I can be a bit like a confidant. However, I’m not sure to always give good advice…

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
I’d say it’s a hippo-shaped pencil holder. It was a gift at the Secret Santa we organized last year in our Paris office. Thanks Steve! It’s very useful to keep my desk tidy, as things tend to quickly pile up on top of it.

What do you like most about your job?
It’s the variety of subjects I deal with. You never get bored between the commercial, privacy, or corporate needs of all the group’s subsidiaries! Every day is different, and it allows me to be in touch with various teams. Contrary to what many may think, it’s not boring at all!

Who’s your favorite superhero?
Batman! He represents justice without having any superpowers. So, he’s not a classic superhero. Also, Christopher Nolan’s trilogy is brilliant. I’m always happy to watch one of those movies.

What can we find in your fridge?
You can always find cheese because, like any good Frenchwoman, I love cheese. You’ll also find many vegetables, which I try to buy in season!

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Geoffrey Dupeyron, Senior Trading Manager

What does it mean to be Senior Trading Manager?
The main tasks of my job consist in setting-up the campaigns and making sure that they deliver in full, with outstanding performances.

How would you describe yourself?
I’m someone you can always count on if you want to have fun. I’ve always been very curious, and with this pandemic, the only positive outcome for me was that I had more time to develop my professional and personal skills: learning to play piano/music production, data courses through the DataCamp platform, photography/video, etc. I love exploring new countries and new cultures, that’s why I made the choice to live exactly 5518km away from my hometown.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
It would be with someone from the Data Science team. It’s fascinating to see what you can do with data and powerful algorithms. They will not only define the future of our platform, but more globally impact our daily lives.

What’s your most useful skill?

My dancing…no I’m kidding! More seriously, it’s staying calm under pressure. It allows me to stay focused and find solutions. No great results ever came from stressful situations for me.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
Since we’re working from home and I’m sharing my desk with my girlfriend, who happens to work in the wine industry, I have a lot of bottles of wine from all over the world in front of me. Cheers guys!

What do you like most about your job?
What I like is that media trading involves working with different groups of people at Locala. I enjoy the diversity of the discussions depending on who I’m talking to. It can be regarding a creative with the designers or a more technical subject with the support team.

Who’s your favorite historical character?
Martin Luther King, because he fought to end segregation and racism in the United States but influenced the rest of the world. It’s sad to see what happened in 2020 and we can see that MLK’s job is unfortunately not done yet, but he showed us the way.

And your favorite superhero?
Thor. He’s portrayed as a very masculine figure but behind all his muscles, he’s one of the superheroes with a big heart – he’s caring and loyal. I especially like his humor.

What can we find in your fridge?
As I’m willing to be a true Canadian, you will always find a can of maple syrup in there.

Connect with Geoffrey on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Laura Weig, Insights Manager

What does it mean to be Insights Manager?
Data is central to my role, which involves highlighting key trends and spotlighting nuggets of information to tell a story. My goal is to show the strengths of our location insights offerings through data visualization for pre- and post-sales efforts. I primarily work with account management for campaigns analysis to help strategize future recommendations. I think of this role like being a detective as I’m “uncovering” the 5 W’s – who, what, where, when, why, and how – which is vital for us and clients alike for learning and future enhancements.

How would you describe yourself?
I’m an eternal optimist, a very calm person, and a team player. As I love to listen and bounce off ideas – please do not hesitate to reach out! I live for organization and planning even if my desktop looks like a nightmare right now! Also, don’t be surprised if you get a message from me super early in the morning – I’m such an early bird and usually wake up before sunrise.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
Definitely one of the designers! While I’m certainly not the most artistic or creative person, I know that it has to feel amazing creating an ad and then actually seeing your work online! I think it’d be interesting to see how I would interpret the brief/proposal and how my ad would look in comparison to a designer’s – which I know they would win hands down!

What’s your most useful skill?

As no one day is the same, being able to adapt and be flexible are key! I love to challenge myself and learn something new – especially as it can always help the team.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
Not sure how crazy it is since we’ve been working from home, but Tide2Go is such a lifesaver and a must-have, with me at all times. Another random object I have is a Matryoshka doll.

What do you like most about your job?
I love the fact that I get to work internally with so many different teams and people. We all bring our own perspective and take when we brainstorm, allowing us to create worthwhile data insights collateral and/or presentations. We’re all great communicators even with us all working from home.

Who’s your favorite historical character?
I don’t have an exact person in mind, but I feel most inspired by those who went against the conventional norms of their time. It takes such strength to think differently and raise questions that make you a leader and not a follower.

What can we find in your fridge?
It depends on what I find at the grocery store and what’s in season, but staples for me are cheese, tzatziki, tons of fresh vegetables, and raspberry jam.

Connect with Laura on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Elijah Zechariah Zhang, Studio Design Manager

What does it mean to be Studio Design Manager?
As a studio creative, I seek to captivate audiences’ attention with my work. It involves conceptualizing something out of nothing, solving day-to-day creative problems, juggling multiple accounts, and being a nuanced individual. As a creative, I draw inspiration from everything around me and I constantly have my head in the clouds thinking of new ideas and creative feasibility. Every workday is different! I live by this quote: “To create is to live twice” – Albert Camus.

How would you describe yourself?
A true blue Libra, a dire fan of karaoke and always coloring outside the lines. I’m very easy-going so please don’t be shy and talk to me, I love making new friends! Outside of work, I like to dabble in both digital and film photography, as well as the occasional film making when I have the chance. My bucket list includes skydiving and visiting New York!

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
Definitely with my account managers. I’m always intrigued by what they do and I think that being able to interact with new people and clients is a really good soft skill.

What’s your most useful skill?

Being able to crack jokes at any given time of day. My friends love my lame jokes as much as they hate to admit it. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
Probably my bottle of melatonin pills, because I constantly find myself struggling to fall asleep!

What do you like most about your job?
I love that every single workday is different and I get to design for brands I love! I also love the sense of satisfaction whenever I complete a campaign, knowing that I’m making an impact, sometimes even if it’s just a little dent 😊

Who’s your favorite historical character?
Lee Kuan Yew. A real-life David vs Goliath story…

And your favorite superhero?
Luke Skywalker. The character and the series taught me that with a little hope, you can change the world.

What can we find in your fridge?
Soy milk, dark chocolate and probably many other dairy free products (the woes of being lactose intolerant…). OH YES! and most definitely, a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc 😉

Connect with Elijah on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Rheem Al Barazi, Account Manager

What does it mean to be Account Manager?
I act as a liaison between clients and Locala to answer operation needs and provide day-to-day strategic solutions that respond to clients’ KPIs and challenges. I collaborate with the sales team on prospecting efforts and proactively uncover untapped opportunities. I work alongside the trading and design teams to deliver best in class RFPs and successfully launch sold campaigns. Although my job focuses mostly on pre-sales efforts, which only has two people (including myself) managing all of the US portfolio, the nature of this fast-growing company also finds me covering post-sales tasks and ad-hoc projects — this makes my job even more interesting!

How would you describe yourself?
I consider myself a stress-free, positive, and glass half-full kind of girl. I’m always willing to help and if I don’t have a solution to the problem, I own up to it and reach out to the right people until we fix the situation. I’m a night owl, always have been and probably always will be! So, don’t be surprised if you see me online at crazy hours of the night! I think anyone who works with me knows I love a good party. I’ve helped organize happy hours, games, surprise birthdays… My motto is pretty cliché but true nonetheless: work hard, play hard 😄

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
Probably a designer. I’ve always been super creative when it comes to art and making up games. I’ve always wanted to learn how to design websites and seeing our studio’s incredible work made me even more interested in graphic design. In my opinion, there’s a sense of freedom when it comes to their job, they get to play with assets and words and bring their vision to life.

What’s your most useful skill?

I’m very good at organizing events/trips. A lot of friends and even acquaintances reach out to me to help them organize parties, birthdays, going aways, housewarmings, etc. I should start charging them, ha!

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
My Google Home. This thing is possessed! It answers questions I never even asked and at the most random times. One time, it did it while I was on a client call!

What do you like most about your job?
I like that I get to work with everyone internally, regardless of the department they’re in. I also love facing clients and getting a sense of immense satisfaction when I help clarify things for them, which in turn grants us their trust and sometimes more business!

Who’s your favorite historical character?
Anyone who was brave enough to fight the system and change the status quo at their time and continues to do so.

What can we find in your fridge?
You’ll find a lot of cheese, Greek yogurt, dumplings, smoked salmon, some greens, mint and other fresh herbs. Anything from Trader Joe’s really, my favorite supermarket!

Connect with Rheem on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Marianne Caron, Account Manager

What does it mean to be Account Manager?
Since I’m doing both pre-sales and post-sales, my days are never the same! My job basically consists of supporting all of our Canadian clients, and helping our sales win new campaigns.

How would you describe yourself?
I’m a traveler and explorer. Whenever I get vacations, I’m always planning and packing for the next adventure. I’m an easy-going person, sociable and very adventurous! If you want to skydive, I’m your girl! Oh, and last thing, I’m crazy about my dog 😄

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
I think it would be with our studio designer. I’m not that creative, but I would love to create something from a brief and then see those ads online!

What’s your most useful skill?

I would say my ability to adapt quickly to every situation.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
Since we’re all working from home, right now it would be my cellphone holder – a penguin.

What do you like most about your job?
Working with so many different people and different teams. Our communication skills must be on point to work with so many people. And I do love my team!

Who’s your favorite historical character?
It’s not a specific character, but I love learning about WW1 and WW2 – so probably everyone who was part of that time.

And your favorite superhero?
I would say Iron Man, but almost everyone in the Marvel series!

What can we find in your fridge?
You’ll find a lot of things, starting with cookie dough, followed by wine, beer and a lot of vegetables.

Connect with Marianne on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Ronit Roy, Product Specialist

What does it mean to be Product Specialist?
For all the ads you see on websites and apps, a part is served by the product that I build with my team here in Marseille. My day’s work involves onboarding new users on the product and bridging the gap between clients’ requirements and then translating them for my product and engineering teams to deliver new features, upgrades and improvements. If you happen to use Fusio and you get stuck, I’ll be that one friend who’ll get you out of that situation 😃

How would you describe yourself?
I’ve been asked this question quite a lot in the past, so I’ll try to answer it differently this time. Situationally, I’m always enthusiastic. I have a lot of energy in me that I need to let out, so you can see me dancing around or head-banging on my desk with loud music in my ears. Professionally, I’m passionate about technology and I love marketing. Over the last seven years, I’ve been at the top of my game from building campaigns for some of the world’s best brands to now building a product that substantiates KPIs for brands. I’m loving it! I’m also addicted to content. In fact, I learned how to speak French from Netflix! So, you can guess my love for consuming content. I love to read and write and produce my own content as well.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
I don’t know who I’d exchange positions with, but the next step I’d like to take is to move into business and company strategy. I’d like to start with business development and establish a new business unit for Locala.

What’s your most useful skill?

Leadership through ownership. I believe we all have a leader in us but taking ownership of our own actions is something that comes with time, patience and confidence. I like to take ownership of my actions and decisions and it has always helped me grow as a person in both my personal and professional life.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
I’ve always had a bubble-making wand on my desk. It’s more of a thinking device for me whenever I have to find a solution to a user problem or I’m ideating on a new feature for Fusio. I use my bubble wand and voilà, magic happens. Call me #HappyPotter (yes, I did).

What do you like most about your job?
I’m a solution-driven person and my daily work feeds my need to find solutions to different problems from trading, to marketing and product-led systems thinking. It’s just paradise. I love finding solutions for my clients, and especially my users as I’m closely connected with them. The most motivating is that WOW effect I get from them when I give them the solution to their problem!

Who’s your favorite historical character?
Well, it has to be Socrates. He said “the unexamined life is not worth living” and I love asking questions to myself and others because, to me, one can learn from everyone and everything around them. Wisdom is a function of observation and, if you observe, you’ll have questions, try to find the answer to them and have knowledge.

And your favorite superhero?
Batman. I know a lot of people don’t like rich capitalists, I just look at it from a realistic perspective – if some of the ultra rich actually tried to help the society, it might just work out!

What can we find in your fridge?
Lots of hot sauce and loads of fruits.

Connect with Ronit on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Emeline Muel, HR Manager

What does it mean to be HR Manager?
It means working on all subjects regarding employees. It’s very diverse: from payroll, recruitment and onboarding to HR development, training, meetings with the work council and answering questions. I support employees and managers in the various issues related to employment, their evolution, and their development.

How would you describe yourself?
I am a food lover: eat and repeat all day! I’m joking – but I do have a personal stash in my office… I like to travel, and all my trips are adventures – road trips and discovering new places, especially parks and nature reserves.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?
To be honest, I’d like to spend a day in each job to really understand and see what everyone does. I’d love to understand how developers code, but also be creative on a design and feel the satisfaction of a salesperson selling a campaign.

What’s your most useful skill?

I’d say it’s my ability to adapt. I can sleep well in a super 5-star hotel bed or in a tent in the middle of the mountains during a hike. It’s the same at work. I can onboard and welcome a new employee using my people skills and, just after, I can audit and control the payroll using compliance skills.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?
A notebook with all the craziest and funny things I’ve heard in my office. It’s nice to read it once in a while, especially after a long day.

What do you like most about your job?
Working on various subjects – it’s never annoying and no two days are the same! I enjoy working in a dynamic and innovative company and, of course, in Human Resources. I appreciate being in contact with everyone and helping as much as I can.

What can we find in your fridge?
Cheese and saucisson! I just came back from my vacation in the Savoie region, so I’ve stocked up for the next few months. I’m ready in case there’s a new lockdown 😄 I also have some vegetables for the days I’m trying to be healthy.

Connect with Emeline on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Veronica Gianni, Account Manager Italy

What does it mean to be Account Manager?

My job mainly consists of managing and supporting all our Italian clients. And also coordinating our internal team.

How would you describe yourself?

I’m a traveler and explorer, for sure! Whenever I get the chance, I travel as much as I can. Plus, most people describe me as a funny girl, always ready for a laugh. How can I disagree with that? But when the situation gets serious, everyone can count on me!

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

I’d switch with someone from the studio team, since I have always been interested in the creative world.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?

Working from home, that would be a powered panda solar pal.

What do you like most about your job?

First, I love the atmosphere that we have created in the Italian office, but what I like most is being able to help all the team – from the presales stage to the end of the campaign.

What can we find in your fridge?

Veggies, cold cuts, beer and all the ingredients to make Spritz!

Connect with Veronica on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Gadea Rodriguez, Head of Customer Success Spain

What does it mean to be Head of Customer Success?

I get to coordinate different departments to make sure Locala clients are as happy as possible.

How would you describe yourself?

I’d say I’m passionate about the things I do, I’m always happy to help and ready for a laugh!

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

It would be with my beloved Ricardo, our Design Manager. He’s so full of art and creativity. I’d love to experience life through his eyes.

Who’s your favorite historical character?

Nefertiti. Her name speaks for itself 😊

And your favorite superhero?

Jessica Jones.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?

A “Free hugs” sign.

What do you like most about your job?

Being able to get a transversal knowledge of the company and all its products. This is priceless.

What can we find in your fridge?

Very colorful vegetables and cheese.

What’s your most useful skill?

Always finding a suitable solution.

Connect with Gadea on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Sherbin Shamsuddin, Insights Manager

What does it mean to be Insights Manager?

It means creating insights to support and help Locala strategies. This is mainly about understanding client audiences, their behavior and connecting them with geolocation.

How would you describe yourself?

I’m a curious storyteller, wannabe statistician, foodie and mother packed in one!

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

It would be Caroline Sajas, our Head of Operations UK – for all the versatility. She’s just one person but is taking care of strategy, project management, sales, human resources and pure management like a seasoned juggler!

Who’s your favorite superhero?

It’s such a cliché answer – but I do think common people are superheroes. In the current context, if I have to choose one name, it would be Captain Tom Moore.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?

At the moment, my kitchen table is my favorite work-from-home spot so you can find used tea bags piled in a bowl – I’m saving them for my roses. Usually, it would be some sort of artwork or craft item made by my daughter 😊

What do you like most about your job?

Being able to have a direct impact on strategy and the freedom to innovate on the insights side. I like doing deep dives to understand audience motives and presenting it as a story for the benefit of brands.

What can we find in your fridge?

Buttercream frosting leftover from my last bake!

What’s your most useful skill?

Talking ‘Data Stories’. I think my most useful skill is the ability to create insights from data. Being a ‘hybrid’ in insights terms enables me to easily combine number crunching and storytelling to answer business questions.

Connect with Sherbin on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Quitterie de Langautier, Head Of Customer Success Benelux

What does your job involve?

First, I’d just like to say I’m very proud to have set up the Belgian Locala office alongside Ruben, our Country Manager. As for my job, I’m in charge of the operational teams and I also take care of Account Management for our market. This means I’m the link between our customers and the company – from day-to-day client management to campaign monitoring.

How would you describe yourself?

I’m generous and positive but I can be a little of a perfectionist. I’m also quite sociable and adventurous!

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

I think I would exchange with Michelle, our designer, because I like creating things with my hands. I draw, make mosaics and pottery… so I love to design in general.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?

I could make the grocers jealous with my collection of tea, cakes and sweets at the office!

What do you like most about your job?

My wonderful and lovely team, of course!

What can we find in your fridge?

To be honest, half of it is wine and the other is cheese. My French side maybe?

What’s your most useful skill?

My humor and irony.

Connect with Quitterie on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Michelle Lim, Trading Manager APAC

What does your job involve?

To make it brief, setting up and optimizing online ad campaigns and managing them daily to ensure KPI delivery!

How would you describe yourself?

I’d say I’m a nice person – most of the time 😄 I’m a dreamer and a doer. I live to fulfil my dreams.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

Maybe one of the designers! It’s a skill I’d like to learn.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?

I’m a minimalist at work so I only have the necessities on my desk! If it’s at home, I have plenty (about 15!) of beer bottles turned vases for my dried flowers.

What do you like most about your job?

Being autonomous. The freedom to manage my day and my tasks, and go about them in the way that suits me best.

What can we find in your fridge?

A loaf of bread (usually sourdough) and all kinds of nut butter spread!

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Caroline Sajas, Head of Operations UK

What does your job involve?

My role is to ensure the smooth running of operations in the UK – including managing the ops team, ensuring we reach the highest level of quality for our clients and that all processes are followed. Alongside Rose, Head of Sales, our role is to ensure the constant and healthy growth of the UK office.

How would you describe yourself?

I’m mostly easy going, and love to travel sooo much! People who work with me will say I’m a bit OCD (still need to get that “PROCESS” t-shirt done) but really, I just like quality and for everyone to do their best 😄

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

Can’t decide… So many departments that are all really interesting. I’d start with Product and Partnerships, then Insights to finish off with Marketing to loop the loop!

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?

A blue pony with rainbow hair. It keeps people happy!

What’s your most useful skill?

My sense of direction. Nahhhh just kidding. I can’t even follow a GPS! Probably my empirical thinking that got me through life.

What do you like most about your job?

Being able to set the direction on where to go based on where we were at years ago, and being able to set the steps to get there! I love being cross-functions and knowing how all departments interact with one another.

Who’s your favorite historical character?

All the people who were part of the resistance during WWI and WWII. I’ve always been amazed that people were willing to risk their life for what they believed in and for the greater good.

And your favorite superhero?

Storm, from Xmen!

What can we find in your fridge?

Mostly cheese. And maybe some coke to go with some whiskey.

Connect with Caroline on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Francisco Lasa, Senior Sales Director

What does your job involve?

I build media agency and client relationships with LATAM agencies in Miami and LATAM local, and present the capabilities and tools of Locala’s platform. Throughout this process, I try to keep strong relationships with existing clients, prospect new ones, demo our offerings, provide thought leadership on why mobile and Drive-to-Store are the new and best option for brands and clients, and ensure that clients’ needs are met and exceeded. Wow, that’s a lot!

How would you describe yourself?

I’d say fun, outgoing, and good vibes – it’s my motto for my personal life. For the workplace, I’d go with dedicated, passionate, thorough, but most importantly having fun while performing and achieving goals.

If you could switch positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

Oh, definitely James Rogers! I’d love to discover the APAC market and find the similarities with the LATAM market since both are huge but different in spending power. Also, to learn how to reach the right people, since both markets deal with many different cultures. And I’m not against experiencing life at the other side of the world! That would expand my travel bug and increase my knowledge of different cultures.

What’s the craziest object you have on your desk?

A rooster. It’s small and it was a gift. So, why not?

What’s your most useful skill?

I’d have to say my “outgoingness”. I’m always up to interact with people, no matter the situation.

What do you like most about your job?

Mmh… Interacting with different people and educating/convincing them that Locala’s the new way for brands and clients to spend their dollars. Yep.

Who’s your favorite historical character?

I actually have two and they’re very different. The first one’s from my homeland of Puerto Rico – Roman Baldorioty de Castro. He shaped what Puerto Rico is today and is one of the main people who ended slavery in our island. For world figures – Alan Turing. He was highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science, providing a formalization of the concepts of algorithm and computation. He’s widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and AI.

And your favorite superhero?

Iron Man. The genius “self-made” inventor who used his strengths for the greater good.

What can we find in your fridge?

Cold Pizza, beer (lots of it), juice, fruits and if we count the wine fridge then a ton of wine.

Connect with Francisco on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Nadine Ferraro, Accountant & Office Manager

What does it mean to be an Accountant?

It means a lot of things. I’m in charge of examining our financial records and making sure they’re accurate, preparing financial reports about our profits and losses. And the very important task of making sure we file and pay our taxes on time!

What is the craziest object you have on your desk?

It’s not crazy. Not crazy at all really – but it’s a nice little candle with my name engraved on it. It was a gift.

If you could exchange positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

Someone in a junior position. To feel young again haha! But at the same time, I don’t feel like starting my career all over again. So, I’ll just stay where I am, thank you very much.

What do you like most about your job?

I’d say accounting in and of itself. But I also love taking care of others and being helpful when I can.

How would you describe yourself?

That’s a tough one. And I’m rubbish at this. Raincheck!

What can we find in your fridge?

Veggies and yogurt. Classic.

Locala Stars – Christophe, Head of Delivery

What does it mean to be Head of Delivery?

Basically, it means that I’m in charge of monitoring and optimizing our trading efficiency. We need to be great and we need to be fast.

What is the craziest object you have on your desk?

A nude figurine that looks like a mix between a child and an animal. Please, don’t ask me why…

If you could exchange positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

Alexis Bonneau! He’s our Studio Manager in Miami. I just want to live like a movie star for a little while.

What do you like most about your job?

Finding solutions for and working around any type of issue. You know that feeling, when you successfully solve something that’s been bugging you for a moment? I get a kick out of that.

How would you describe yourself?

Let me think… A guy with a constant struggle about where to eat at noon. Yes, that’s it!

What can we find in your fridge?

Some kind of cheese.

What’s your most useful skill?

Excel! It has saved me in a lot of situations.

Connect with Christophe on LinkedIn.

Locala Stars – Daria, Sales Manager

What does it mean to be a Sales Manager?

Well, as you can imagine, it means that I sell things! So, I’m usually on the phone with my clients to talk about what they want and how I can help them achieve it. I also spend a lot of time studying the best strategy to meet my clients’ requests. But it’s not all just work. I get to go to media agencies to meet with planners to do some networking and to update them on our latest news.

What is the craziest object you have on your desk?

It’s not really crazy but I have a sea stone. It’s a souvenir from Normandy.

If you could exchange positions with a colleague, who would it be and why?

Definitely designers! I’ve always been interested in arts, design and photography. Since my first job experience in a creative agency actually. I just find designer and copywriter jobs so mind blowing…

What do you like most about your job?

Studying new strategies and pitching the best one to the client. I love the networking part, too!

Who’s your favorite historical character?

Cleopatra. All the way.

And your favorite superhero?

Wonder Woman, of course!

What can we find in your fridge?

At the moment, some falafel, vegetables and eggs.

What’s your most useful skill?

I’d say empathy. It’s helped me a lot connect with people and it’s dead useful when you’re directly in contact with the client.

Connect with Daria on LinkedIn.

Category: Locala Stars

Locala Stars – Janis Ramos, Head of Customer Success Americas

Locala Stars – Arnaud Taffo, Support Account Manager

Locala Stars – Tomás Gowland, Senior Trading Manager

Locala Stars – Aurélie Guérit, Regional Account Manager

Locala Stars – Ludovic Garnier, Knowledge Base Content Manager

Locala Stars – Sarah Moortgat, Sales Manager Benelux

Locala Stars – Giulia Demontis, Design Manager

Locala Stars – Giuseppe Mastrolonardo, IT Technician

Locala Stars – Andrea Marchini, Head of Trading Italy

Locala Stars – Sarah Hamouda, Legal Counsel

Locala Stars – Geoffrey Dupeyron, Senior Trading Manager

Locala Stars – Laura Weig, Insights Manager

Locala Stars – Elijah Zechariah Zhang, Studio Design Manager

Locala Stars – Rheem Al Barazi, Account Manager

Locala Stars – Marianne Caron, Account Manager

Locala Stars – Ronit Roy, Product Specialist

Locala Stars – Emeline Muel, HR Manager

Locala Stars – Veronica Gianni, Account Manager Italy

Locala Stars – Gadea Rodriguez, Head of Customer Success Spain

Locala Stars – Sherbin Shamsuddin, Insights Manager

Locala Stars – Quitterie de Langautier, Head Of Customer Success Benelux

Locala Stars – Michelle Lim, Trading Manager APAC

Locala Stars – Caroline Sajas, Head of Operations UK

Locala Stars – Francisco Lasa, Senior Sales Director

Locala Stars – Nadine Ferraro, Accountant & Office Manager

Locala Stars – Christophe, Head of Delivery

Locala Stars – Daria, Sales Manager

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