Whether you are an artist or a professional working in a corporate setup, there’s no denying that an award winning project in any field calls for a performance beyond the ordinary. This month we speak to a select club of women who have recently garnered laurels, nationally and internationally, about their motivation and passion.
A Happy Medium
The marketing manager for Ferrari in Bahrain, Meher Parakh is basking in the glow of a prestigious accolade she picked up in Dubai recently. Meher was adjudged Ferrari Marketing Manager of the Year 2012 in the Middle East, Africa and India region.
While the award means a lot to her, it is by no means an individual attainment, she insists.
“It feels good to be acknowledged, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the support and contribution of every member of the Ferrari team here. A part of the award is based on personal dedication to the brand, and luckily for Meher, Ferrari is a brand that one can easily get passionate about!
“I’d spent over 20 years in the marketing and branding functions, but it was with Ferrari that I learned what the term “power-brand” really meant. My first visit to the factory in Maranello was where I witnessed first hand the passion that drives this phenomenal marque,” she enthuses.
Behind the glamour, however, hides the grind and this mum-of-two has lost many a night’s sleep worrying about the last minute details and deadlines for a major event, but things always seem to fall into place on the night of the event.
Meher arrived in Bahrain over 20 years ago with a Gulf Air assignment and she went on to set up and run the airline’s Frequent Flyer Programme and was manager of brand and product development during the airline’s massive rebranding exercise of 2003, before serving as the international marketing manager from 2007 to 2009.
The transition from aviation into the world of motoring was a steep learning curve, but with support from Euro Motors and the Ferrari Family, she was able to prove her mettle.
Meher is blessed with a supportive husband, George, who’s also a hands-on dad to their sons, Rayan and Daniel, enabling her to focus on her career.
“Like most mothers, I always have a niggling feeling of guilt about time spent away from my children, especially when they were young, but despite the juggle and the struggle to find a balance between both my professional and personal life, I have no major regrets. The boys are fine, independent young men and we are very proud of them.”
