Hypepotamus got to catch up virtually this week with Sharon Harris, Atlanta’s latest transplant.
Harris is Chief Marketing Officer at Jellyfish, a London-based AdTech and MarTech digital agency focusing on providing technology, strategy, and training. Jellyfish already has a presence in 20 countries across 40 offices, but Harris is ready to build up the Atlanta office.
“The pandemic has made it clear that you can live and work from anywhere. And I’m fine traveling to [Jellyfish’s] New York or Baltimore offices, but when I think of what’s next, what’s the emerging cities for technology, for culture, for art — and just for creating more differentiated customer-based experiences — it’s Atlanta,” said Harris.
“From having a world-class airport to a growing technology-based community, to a thriving startup industry, there is a lot of energy and momentum…and it’s great that there is a lot of representation of people of color in all of those places.” She also laughed adding that as someone born in Louisiana, “it’s nice to be in a place where sweet tea is always on the menu.”
Harris, who joined Jellyfish as Chief Marketing Officer in September of 2020, brings over twenty years of AdTech and MarTech experience to the C-Suite.
While she started her professional life in the investment banking world, she was an early employee at Sirius Satellite Radio and the startup Jumptap. Harris also worked at Microsoft as the Global Sales Strategy Lead for Windows and Windows Mobile. Harris said she learned about Jellyfish during her work at Deloitte, where Jellyfish provided training services for the global consulting firm.
“For me, the cornerstone of my career has been about general curiosity. Always being open to new experiences. My career has certainly not been a straight line to the C-Suite. I’ve had a lot of divergent hiccups in the process. But I think anyone aspiring for that C-Suite role has to have that curiosity. Explore new paths. Be persistent. Seek out people who can share their experiences, their knowledge, and coach you. Whether it’s a career in AdTech or MarTech or just technology in general, I think it is something that is really accessible for women today.”
Harris told Hypepotamus that she was drawn to Jellyfish’s culture and team. “I thought, ‘wow, this is an awesome company that no one has ever heard of before!’”
And while Jellyfish might not be a household name, their work is deployed by some of the most recognizable brands, such as Nike, Spotify, and Bank of America.
As Jellyfish scales around the world — and ultimately in the growing Atlanta office — Harris is looking forward to growing the next iteration of her career in Atlanta and expanding the office in the city. “We’re truly a full-service agency. We provide everything from media buying, brand performance, and creative. So if you’re a search expert, if you’re someone who is very steeped in the platforms of Google, Facebook, Amazon, or Salesforce, we have tremendous opportunities.”
