Carole Hayek: The Lateral Shifter

In an unexpected move, Carole Hayek, the former General Manager of Optimedia Beirut recently joined MCN’S Magna for a similar managerial role. In this Q&A, she explains why her decision was necessarily overdue.

Why, after heading Optimedia for over a decade, did you decide to leave? Leaving the company I have established and managed for 12 years felt like abandoning my own baby! However, when I realised the need for a change, the power of detachment pushed me into action. It is not easy to leave your comfort zone, especially without receiving the much deserved remuneration for time spent in service! The motivations based on such a decision vary and usually fit into five categories: looking for more power, better financial packages, appreciation, independence, and/or security. In my case, the move was driven by the desire for new challenges. During my career with Publi-graphics, then with Publicis, I was always moving up the ladder, which changed when in 2004 we established Optimedia as a separate entity from Publicis-graphics. Sadly, within Publicis’ current structure, there no longer was room for me to move up, or even sideways. As a result, my choice was to take a ‘lateral’ move to