SBM Industry Spotlight Series: Careers in Marketing, Comms and Digital Media

When: Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Where: Online

Curious about where a career in marketing can take you? Join us for the next SBM Industry Spotlight event to hear from alumni working in marketing, communications, and digital media across a variety of sectors.

Our panellists will share their career journeys, insights into their industries, and practical advice on the skills and experiences that helped them succeed. Whether you’re interested in brand strategy, digital marketing, corporate communications, or creative storytelling, this session will give you a real-world look at how to build a successful career in this dynamic field.

• When: Wednesday 12 November 2025 - 4pm - 5pm (Online)
• Hosted by: Susan Smith - Careers Consultant (Queen Mary University of London)

Note: For the School of Business and Management students only

Speakers:

Whitney Nasanga - Digital Campaigns and Marketing Consultant - World Wide Generation 

Whitney Nasanga is a strategic marketing professional with over 7 years of experience driving growth across financial services, sustainability technology, and retail sectors. Currently serving as a global resource within the Growth Team at a UK-based sustainability fintech firm, Whitney operates at the intersection of marketing and business development—managing strategic partnerships and channel management across the GCC, Europe, and APAC regions.
Her career began in financial services, where she was part of the team behind award-winning integrated marketing campaigns that earned multiple accolades including Grand Prix and Gold awards at the MSK. Whitney has expertise in omni-channel customer acquisition, CRM strategy, digital transformation, and brand building, with a proven track record managing enterprise client accounts and multi-million dollar marketing budgets. Her work spans brand strategy development, content marketing, performance analytics, SEO/SEM, and cross-functional team leadership across multiple markets.
Whitney holds an MSc in International Marketing and Business Strategies from Queen Mary University of London and a CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing. She combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution, specializing in translating complex business objectives into actionable marketing strategies that drive measurable business outcomes across digital and traditional channels.

 

Alisha Hasan - Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Helsinki Film Lab 

Alisha Hasan is an internationally experienced producer, marketing strategist, and the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Helsinki Film Lab, a new creative hub for film, TV, gaming and literary professionals which focuses on cross-industry education, 1:1 curated Film x Game x Book matchmaking and international transmedia networking events.
In 2024, Alisha introduced a slate of standout initiatives at the industry event Finnish Film Affair, including Finnish Weird, a curated showcase celebrating genre-defying storytelling from Finland, and a pioneering Film x Game matchmaking event that connects game developers with screen creatives to transform original IP across formats.
With 16 years of experience across Finland, the UK, and Malta, Alisha has led creative and strategic efforts in both production and marketing. In Malta, she specialised in producing branded short-form content, building and scaling a multilingual in-house video department at Game Lounge that served 37 sites in 26 languages. At Gutsy Animations, she managed global marketing for Moominvalley and worked on licensing collaborations with major brands including Reima, Huawei, Rovio, and Macmillan.
Alisha holds a BA in Film and TV Production from Anglia Ruskin University and an MSc in International Business and Politics from Queen Mary University of London.

Sandeep Saib - Senior Business Development Executive - CMS UK 

Sandeep Saib is a powerful voice in mental health advocacy, drawing from her own lived and living experience as an “Expert by Experience.” Between 2012 and 2016, she battled Anorexia Nervosa, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and survived a suicide attempt. Nine years on, she has transformed her journey into a mission—educating, empowering, and supporting others while championing equality, diversity, and inclusion in the mental health space.
Sandeep is a qualified Mental Health First Aider and actively collaborates with a wide range of charities and organizations, volunteering her time and expertise to drive meaningful change. Her dedication was recently recognised with the prestigious SBM Mentoring ‘Long Service’ Award, honouring her long-standing commitment to mentoring and community engagement.
A proud alumna of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), where she earned her BSc in Business Management (2007–2010), Sandeep remains one of the university’s most engaged graduates. She serves on the SBM Advisory Board, mentors through both the QMentoring and SBM Mentoring programmes, and regularly contributes to university initiatives - from speaking at Industry Spotlight events to supporting Open Days, the Festival of Communities, and various media campaigns.
Professionally, Sandeep is a seasoned marketer with over a decade of experience across diverse sectors including legal, education, environmental consultancy, mobile advertising, and the charity sector. She currently works full-time at CMS, a leading international law firm, as a Senior Business Development Executive. In addition to her corporate role, she serves as a Mental Health and Wellbeing Network Committee Member and Wellbeing Ambassador at CMS, helping to foster a culture of openness and support around mental health in the workplace.

 

Maria Mercado – Head of Brand and Marketing at Premium Credit

Maria Mercado is Head of Brand and Marketing at Premium Credit, where she leads brand strategy and integrated marketing initiatives for a leading premium finance provider. With over 15 years of experience spanning luxury brands like Fendi and Nespresso to major corporations including Capital.com, Walgreens Boots Alliance, and Sodexo, Maria has built her career on combining data-driven insights with creative execution to deliver measurable business results. She holds an Executive MBA with Distinction from Henley Business School and is fluent in English, Spanish, and French. A passionate advocate for mentorship and innovation, Maria has led teams across multiple continents, championed award-winning campaigns, and believes in empowering the next generation of marketers to navigate ambiguity with clarity and confidence.

Host 

Susan Smith - Careers Consultant (Queen Mary University of London)

With nearly 30 years in careers consulting, Susan has worked with business schools at the University of Technology Sydney and managing the careers service at the University of Sydney Business School. This included coaching MBA clients in addition to developing teaching and learning within the curriculum. Susan has also worked in the corporate world including British Airways and learning and development with Apple. Currently, Susan works as an employability lecturer within the School of Business and Management and a content creator for Careers and Enterprise.