Andrea Martin, BComm 83, president of ADT Canada | Photo courtesy: Andrea Martin
Martin left Reader’s Digest in 2010 and over the next four years occupied several top-level positions, including president and CEO of Biocean Canada and managing director of Data Services with Royal Mail Group in the United Kingdom. She became president of ADT Canada, based in Toronto, in January 2015.
Concordia recently spoke with Martin about her career and the value of her university studies.
Concordia: What was your path into quantitative methods and marketing?
Andrea Martin: “I had started off studying accounting at Concordia but had to take courses in statistics and found out I loved it. In the beginning I wasn’t that great academically and had difficult classes, but the more I advanced the better my marks became. I realized I was passionate about it and changed my major.”
What were the first steps in your career?
AM: “My first job out of Concordia was at Reader’s Digest. I had graduated in quantitative methods with a minor in marketing and that’s exactly what I did — I was part of their analytical statistical group.
I put a lot reports on the computer that were previously done manually. I would go see my boss and say, ‘I’m finished doing this’ or ‘I’m finished doing that,’ and he was always impressed by how quickly I did it. So I moved quite rapidly in the company.”
What did you learn from your time at Reader’s Digest that supported your career advancement?
AM: “People think Reader’s Digest is just a magazine, but most of the profits come from selling different products such as insurance, vitamins, music, books, videos and even wine in some countries. Working there really helped me learn about a lot of different industries. For example, to sell insurance you need to know and learn how the insurance industry works.
I love change and transformation, so when the publishing world changed, forcing us to change from direct mail and publishing to a digital content and multi-platform marketing approach, that was rewarding. I was lucky to lead a team that made Canada the number one country at Reader’s Digest as far as performance.”
You continued your education with certificates and programs at McGill University, Queen’s University and University of Oxford. What role did that play in your achievements?
AM: “The fact that I continuously learned by going back to school, and also made sure that I surrounded myself with good people, was really the basis for my career success. My mother was surprised that I went back to university multiple times because when I was younger, I wanted to drop out.”
Can you describe the secret to your success in one word?
AM: “People. You can have the greatest strategy, the greatest vision or the greatest brand, but if you don’t have a strong team then that strategy, that vision, that brand, is not worth anything. The combination of people is also important. It’s a little bit like a hockey team or a football team. You need people who play different roles and have different personalities.”
What lessons do you take from your past that helped bring you where you are today?
AM: “My very first job was at McDonald’s and there was quite a lot of competition. The manager looked at how much we cashiers passed through in an hour and put the name of whoever had the highest cash influx on an internal billboard. I learned quite a lot at McDonald’s — a lot of discipline and rigour. I would say it was one of the best training grounds for me before the work force. It was a great job.”
How would you characterize your connection to Concordia?
AM: “Now I’ve got a great connection to Concordia because my son is currently a student there. When I was a student, I was lucky to have met teachers who inspired me and motivated me to move forward. Since I didn’t like school when I was younger, Concordia was my saving grace.”