Anna Forde’s win at this year’s Media Awards is more than a trophy for an individual – it is a reminder of how adtech and accountable leadership are reshaping careers in Irish media. The Buymedia client success manager, described by the judges as possessing “passion, drive and ambition” and as “unquestionably a star of the future,” used her acceptance as a platform to underline process, ownership and the practical application of AI in everyday media work. (adworld.ie)
Rising star, rooted in process
Anna Forde frames her Rising Star victory as validation after years of deliberate upskilling and relationship-building. She credits moments that forced her out of her comfort zone for the fastest parts of her development, and she is candid about the very human side of early success – imposter syndrome and the pressure of rapid promotion. Those remarks, and the judges’ praise for her willingness to own both process and outcome, point to a simple lesson for employers: reward initiative, but give emerging leaders structure to scale it. (adworld.ie)
Scaling operations – and expectations
Forde’s most concrete example of thinking beyond her role came as Buymedia expanded into the UK market. She led a review of client success operations to streamline processes across account management, planning, buying and reporting so systems could scale with the business. That type of operational leadership is exactly what fast-growing adtech firms say they want – staff who can pair strategic thinking with the rigour of repeatable process. Buymedia’s own platform and growth story underline that ambition. (adworld.ie)
AI as tool, not takeover
Perhaps the most timely part of Forde’s interview is her measured take on AI. While acknowledging the anxiety around generative tools and role displacement, she positions AI as an efficiency accelerator that allows junior talent to move to strategic work sooner – provided humans remain in the loop to steer, interpret and decide. Her hands-on collaboration with Product and Engineering on AI media tools gives her perspective weight: the technology can reduce manual load, but it amplifies the need for ethical, well-governed deployment and for staff who understand both data and storytelling. (adworld.ie)
A practical agenda for employers and policy
Forde’s trajectory exposes a gap between rhetoric and practice in the Irish media sector. Companies boast of innovation but often lack formal onboarding, career frameworks or cross-functional exposure for junior staff. Her approach – leading by example, asking the hard questions and instituting process around campaign management and onboarding – should be standard practice, not an exception. Media organisations such as Mediahuis, which helped set the awards’ context, also have a role to play in recognising talent while backing structural supports that make that talent durable. (mediahuis.ie)
What this means for the market
For a compact market like Ireland’s, Buymedia’s international push and investment plans are significant. The company’s platform-led model and recent expansion activity point to a wider shift: Irish adtech is moving from domestic proof points to exportable products and services. That creates opportunities, but also raises questions about skills pipelines, regulatory clarity on data and adtech practice, and how public policy supports rapid scale-ups versus protecting consumer interests. Industry leaders should be clear-eyed about balancing growth with standards. (adworld.ie)
Advice with teeth
Forde’s guidance to newcomers is refreshingly pragmatic: do not panic about what you do not know, get into different areas to see how the ecosystem fits together, and value interpersonal skills as much as technical competence. For younger professionals and for managers hiring them, that is a useful checklist: recruit curiosity, invest in cross-training, and design roles that allow early strategic responsibility without dropping the ballast of mentoring and process.
Looking ahead
If Forde’s ambitions – to work at the intersection of media, marketing, technology and fashion and luxury – come to pass, it will be further proof that Irish adtech talent is exportable and adaptable. Her interest in social impact, articulated through Buymedia’s Advertise for Good activity, also shows a sector ready to marry commercial intent with civic purpose. For readers who want the full interview and context, see AdWorld’s coverage of Forde’s Rising Star profile. (adworld.ie)
Source: AdWorld. (adworld.ie)
