Pursuing an MBA was a strategic and intentional step for this accomplished alumna of HELP University’s Business Administration degree. With a rapidly expanding regional role as an Insights Director, Ho Paik San recognized the need to complement her hands-on experience with structured, cross-functional business knowledge. Her motivation was twofold: to deepen her strategic and financial acumen and to broaden her leadership capabilities, enabling her to drive impact at a regional level.

Today, she works at the intersection of data, communication, and strategy—leading high-performing teams and advising clients across Southeast Asia in industries ranging from finance and technology to consumer goods. The diversity of her client base continues to encompass diverse cultures and sectors, demand agility, holistic thinking, and a sharp ability to deliver insights that resonate across borders.

While Paik San had already built strong expertise in analytics and media intelligence, she understood that excelling at the regional level required more than technical knowledge. The MBA experience significantly broadened her perspective, exposing her to the interconnectedness of business ecosystems—from finance and operations to organisational behaviour and strategic leadership. More than academic learning, the programme helped hone essential soft skills such as critical thinking, adaptability, and cross-cultural collaboration—skills that now underpin her work in a fast-evolving, globally integrated market.

Her career journey began with a first-class honors degree in Business Administration from HELP University, where she originally envisioned a future in marketing. Drawn to the creativity, strategy, and tangible business impact of brand communications, she immersed herself in courses like market research, consumer behaviour, and strategic communication. These subjects not only shaped her academic interests but also planted the seeds for a deeper curiosity about how data informs decisions and drives meaningful outcomes.

Early in her marketing career, Paik San was particularly fascinated by the intersection of data and storytelling—how businesses could move beyond superficial metrics to truly understand the “why” behind consumer behaviour. This curiosity soon became the foundation for a pivotal shift towards insights and analytics.

While the move into media intelligence was unplanned, it was a natural evolution. When offered the chance to transition into this field, she embraced it. The role combined her marketing background with new frontiers in analytics, strategy, and advisory work. Though her path wasn’t linear, each phase—from academic training to marketing execution, and ultimately to regional leadership—built upon the last, creating a robust foundation for the impactful work she leads today.

In her current role, she heads a regional team responsible for delivering high-impact media and reputational insights to clients across Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Her work spans developing custom measurement frameworks, advising C-suite stakeholders on brand perception, campaign effectiveness, and risk exposure, and ensuring that insights are aligned with broader business objectives. She also contributes to regional strategy, talent development, and the ongoing innovation of insights offerings to remain competitive in a rapidly transforming media landscape.

Paik San’s day typically begins with responding to high-priority emails, followed by reviewing strategic project reports and aligning with insights leads across various markets. Collaboration is key. From commercial discussions on measurement pipelines to client-facing presentations, she plays a hands-on role in ensuring insights are not just data-rich but also actionable and strategically framed.

In addition to external client work, she manages operational responsibilities such as budgeting, resource planning, and workflow optimisation. A strong advocate for innovation, she actively drives the adoption of AI tools to improve efficiencies and elevate the quality of insights delivered. While no two days are the same, her focus remains consistent: empowering clients with evidence-based insights that guide smarter, more strategic decisions.

Her team uses a blend of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Quantitatively, they assess metrics such as media exposure, sentiment, audience reach, and message pull-through using advanced monitoring tools. Qualitatively, they dive into contextual analysis, competitor benchmarking, and alignment with communication objectives. Increasingly, AI plays a role in enhancing trend detection and deepening sentiment analysis, offering faster and more predictive insights.

She shared a striking example of a client struggling with reputational challenges due to recurring service breakdowns. By triangulating media and social data, the team revealed emerging themes of consumer frustration and eroding trust. They recommended a reframed communications approach, centred on transparency and customer empathy. Post-implementation, sentiment scores improved, negative commentary declined, and engagement with the brand’s content increased—demonstrating the tangible impact of insight-driven strategy.

As a keen observer, Paik San observes several key trends shaping the future of the industry: a rising demand for integrated, real-time insights across all media channels; increasing scrutiny on ESG-related communication; and growing expectations for predictive, not just retrospective, analysis. Data fragmentation across platforms remains a major challenge, but she sees promise in smart integration strategies and ethical AI adoption.

When asked what it takes to succeed in her field, she emphasizes a balance of analytical rigour, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence. “You need to be comfortable with data,” she explains, “but more importantly, you need to know how to ask the right questions, tell a compelling story, and influence decisions.”

Her advice to students and early-career professionals is clear: Stay curious. Build a strong foundation in both data and communication. Seek real-world experience through internships or projects, and don’t hesitate to ask bold questions. “Technical skills matter, but your ability to connect the dots and build relationships across functions is what will truly set you apart,” she says. “Also, build your network early. Some of your future mentors or collaborators may already be in your classroom.”

Her journey is a testament to the power of adaptability, lifelong learning, and strategic curiosity. From marketing graduate to regional insights leader, she exemplifies what it means to navigate a dynamic career with purpose, resilience, and a relentless drive to add value.