Shad Haehae is the global head of digital acquisition and marketing analytics at Australian online foreign exchange and payments company OFX. An experienced commercial thinker and digital marketer, he is skilled and passionate about developing people, building team culture, and leading inspired teams.
Outside of marketing land, Haehae loves sports, surfing, touch rugby and oz tag, just to name a few, but his real passion is raising his young daughter.
CMOs to Watch, presented by Zenith, spotlights the visionaries leading the charge. This series delves into the strategies and perspectives of CMOs who are setting new standards, pushing boundaries, and driving impact in ways that redefine what it means to be a leader in marketing today.
Let’s dive in!
B&T: What three things would you take to a desert island?
Haehae:
- My mobile phone – it has everything I need!
- A surfboard – nothing more refreshing than surfing the waves when you have nothing else to do.
- An iced tea to keep me refreshed on hot days.
B&T: Favourite album, movie and book?
Haehae:
- Album: Growing up I loved ‘Dr Dre 2001’ but I still remember my first CD ‘Hit Machine 13’ with some classic 90s hits!
- Movie: Top Gun and Top Gun Maverick
- Book: I love autobiographies and seeing the world through other people’s eyes – ‘Richie McCaw, The Open Side’ would be right up there
B&T: What is your passion outside of work? (Think hobbies, sports, etc)
Haehae: I enjoy playing touch rugby and oztag, even at this age. But I love being a dad and spending time with a mini version of me, navigating her through the world and learning more about each other along the way.
B&T: If you weren’t a CMO, what would you be doing?
Haehae: I’d run a bagel and coffee shop – there isn’t enough bagel cafes in Sydney. I can’t go past a good bagel for breakfast or lunch, and top that off with a coffee!
B&T: What was your favourite campaign of all time?
Haehae: Old Spice ‘the man your man could smell like’ – I liked how they rebranded and rejuvenated a brand that was perceived to be dated. The videos were engaging and interactive.
B&T: … Now let’s talk shop. What is your brand’s top priority for the next 12 months?
Haehae: Transformation. OFX is currently rolling out its global money management platform, where we help businesses with global money management including global money transfers, payments and expense management. OFX offers a variety of features and services to help businesses streamline their financial operations such as corporate multi currency cards, spend management, accounts payment automation and integration with accounting software.
B&T: What channel is exciting you the most and how do you split your marketing budgets between long/short and channels mix?
Haehae: LinkedIn is increasingly impressing me with its sales and marketing platforms, especially as it introduces more advanced AI capabilities and seamless technology integrations. We’ve tapped into their predictive audience feature to enhance our ad targeting, leveraging AI to analyse millions of interactions and build reach with high-intent audiences, effectively eliminating much of the guesswork. They’ve also rolled out a new suite of AI tools for our sales team. This includes automated prospecting and scoring, plus an AI strategic advisor that identifies, prioritises, and drafts personalised outreach messages, helping our teams secure more meetings with minimal effort
B&T: What is the biggest challenge you currently face in the marketplace?
Haehae: I believe some of the key challenges in our market, and likely in many others, is volatility driven by inflation, rising interest rates, and geopolitical conflicts, all of which contribute to economic instability and a lack of predictability. The surge in cyber threats currently demands substantial investment from companies to protect customers effectively as a top priority.
B&T: What campaign are you most proud of?
Haehae: Back when I was in marketing at AirAsia, we were promoting New Zealand to get Malaysians excited about visiting. The team sent a production crew to capture New Zealand’s highlights, and they needed a local to guide them. Out of the entire company, there were only two Kiwis, me and one other guy. He passed, so I stepped in. When I arrived, I learnt that I’d be the in front of the camera as the talent, as well as guiding! For 11 days, I was bungee jumping, hiking, and showcasing New Zealand’s stunning scenery. It turned into a mini-holiday since I stayed on to catch up with friends and family. The ad ended up running across TV, cinemas, and YouTube, becoming AirAsia’s most-viewed video ever at the time. I told everyone it was the talent that made it a hit.
B&T: Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Haehae: Ideally, I envision myself as an executive leading customer insights or marketing. Throughout my career, I’ve focused on analysing customer behaviour, understanding why they choose us, identifying their pain points, and pinpointing how we can better meet their needs. These insights not only inform key business areas like technology, finance, operations, sales and marketing to demonstrate ROI but also enable me to drive greater efficiency across processes and systems, ultimately enhancing the client experience at every touchpoint.
B&T: Zenith is the presenting partner of B&T’s CMOs to Watch list. The agency takes a predictive view when it comes to industry perspectives. They’d like to know your prediction for marketing in the next 12 months.
Haehae: I think AI is set to play a transformative role in marketing over the next 12 months. It will enable advanced personalisation at scale, using customer data to deliver tailored experiences across channels, and will drive predictive analytics to help marketers optimise campaigns and allocate budgets effectively. Generative AI will speed up content creation like ad copy, emails, and social posts, and real-time optimisation tools will further refine messaging to boost engagement. Routine tasks, from email workflows to ad bidding, will be increasingly automated, freeing up teams to focus on strategy and creativity. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants will also enhance customer support by offering quick, accurate responses, ensuring brands maintain a consistent presence around the clock.
