The Fishbowl: Dara Nasr, WeTransfer
The Fishbowl
The Media Leader’s interview series asks the media industry’s top salespeople 10 revealing questions, drawn from our fishbowl. The questions will be drawn at random and contain some tricky posers set by the commercial chiefs themselves.
This week: Dara Nasr, vice-president of global sales, at WeTransfer.
Nasr joined WeTransfer to lead its global advertising proposition in 2024.
He is perhaps best known in the industry for his time at Twitter, where he spent more than 10 years. Nasr joined as UK head of sales before eventually rising to UK managing director. He left the company towards the end of 2022, soon after the acquisition by Elon Musk was completed.
Notably, Nasr also had a long tenure at Google, most recently as head of YouTube and display.
Why are you passionate about media?
Why wouldn’t you be? It’s dynamic, creative, impactful but, most importantly, the people are generally great humans.
What is coming up in conversations with clients?
As with nearly every industry, we are having more conversations with brands that want to know how AI can make their advertising more effective.
A positive observation to note is we are also seeing more clients consciously wanting to make a difference and innovate in the space — a trend that is on the up in light of the market becoming a little tougher and it being more important than ever to stand out.
Who is the smartest person you know?
Frank my dog is right up there, but based on a low dog benchmark. Human-wise, Bruce Daisley (a pioneering thought leader on the future of work), ex-Twitter companion David Wilding and fellow WeTransfer colleague Irina Dima.
What are three words that people often use to describe you?
He’s actually alright.
Which actor would play you in the film of your life and why?
Not for me to say, but someone tall.
Describe three qualities that make a brilliant salesperson.
Someone who cares about what they do, takes the time to listen to those they are engaging with and, quite crucially, doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
What podcast do you regularly listen to and why?
Podcasts are what I listen to in my downtime, so I generally like anything that’s funny or football-related. The current podcasts I have on the go are The Overlap and Stick to Football, plus anything Brucey D does.
Peer question: What would you tell your younger self about if you could?
Don’t spend your time worrying about trying to emulate others; concentrate on being the best version of yourself.
Question from: Richard Bon, UK managing director and Europe commercial lead, Clear Channel
Peer question: What interview question do you always ask anyone looking to join your company and what answer are you looking for?
What are you proudest of outside work? I ask this because it makes the candidate think but also they become more passionate or animated. It’s a window into them.
Question from Dan Durling, managing director, Alight Media
Peer question: What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made and what did you learn from it?
I have made loads of mistakes in my career, but I have learned more from a common tendency we are all guilty of: making negative assumptions.
At a previous job, there was an instance when two teams within the company were going back and forth on email (for all to see) about a missed opportunity, with each group blaming the other.
The CEO then said that, before pointing fingers or jumping to conclusions, always assume someone is trying to do their job the best way they know how. A mindset like this is more likely to drive quick resolution, collaboration and long-term trust.
Question from Tom Streetley, director of commercial, Dax Audio, Global
Read more Fishbowl interviews here and see what media’s top salespeople say about working in the industry and what concerns their clients. To suggest an interviewee, contact [email protected].