Andrea Janjua
Andrea is an experienced marketing leader with ±18 years’ experience, within Europe, Middle East, Africa, Pakistan and India, leading diverse and multi-functional teams on billion-dollar brands and multi-million-dollar businesses.
She has a thirst for thinking differently, changing the game, using an acute entrepreneurial mindset to build brands, grow businesses and nurture highly motivated and performing teams, agency partners and suppliers in a world of constant change, volatility and digital disruption. Her favorite quote is from George Bernard Shaw “You see things and you say ‘Why?’, I see things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’”; this quote being her mantra both in her personal life and also professionally.
Andrea comes from Romania; she is married and has a 6-year-old daughter. She lived and worked outside Romania since 2011, living in Geneva, Switzerland and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Andrea has a master’s degree in Project Management from the “National School of Political and Administrative Sciences” in Bucharest, Romania and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the “Romanian American University” in Bucharest, Romania. Andrea also holds several executive certifications from Harvard University (on Disruptive Strategy and Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets), Kellogg University (on Artificial Intelligence, Strategies to Lead Business Transformation), Cornell University (Digital Marketing), University of California Berkley (Mindfulness and Resilience at work) and INSEAD (CMO Academy).
She is a life-long student, developing consistently both her personal passions (Yoga & Nutrition, Mental Health, Fine Arts, Piano, Languages) and her professional skills.
Andrea’s role model is her mom. She was a single mom, widow, in a society that was not yet supportive of single working moms. She worked 2 jobs, by day she was the Finance Director of one of the biggest textile companies in the country, by night she was doing Accounting for several SMEs. She never gave up, she never stopped, failing for her was never an option. She worked hard and did the best she could to ensure her daughter would grow up strong and fearless just like her. She showed Andrea that she can be and do whatever she dreamed of, there is no limit to her capabilities!
Andrea is now the Chief Marketing Officer at Fine Hygienic Holding, managing a portfolio of hygiene and wellness categories globally, from tissues, diapers, disinfectants to supplements. Fine Hygienic Holding is the largest paper manufacturer in MENA with +3000 employees, headquartered in Dubai, UAE. She previously worked in marketing at Procter & Gamble for ±12 years, where she managed mega-brands like Always, Head & Shoulders, Ariel, Tide, Bonux, Downy, Pampers, Gillette, Febreze at a local, regional and global level.
Andrea started working at Fine Hygienic Holding in 2018 as the Chief of Tissues Category, and in 2020 she was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer, managing all categories, and leading a team of young and passionate marketers and multifunctional team members, through the storms of a pandemic. In the last 12 months, under Andrea’s leadership, FHH launched 20 product innovations and expanded its footprint across the globe. Andrea was recognized by the professional community in the region as one of the key Women Leaders in the Middle East in 2020 and she was awarded CMO of the Year in 2021, on top of several awards received for her innovative products, designs, marketing approach and outstanding results. She is a passionate coach and mentor, especially for young female professionals, establishing the first Fine Women’s Network where several inspirational female leaders (as Senator Pia Cayetano of Philippines) are invited as guest speakers to share their journey, tips and encouragement to achieve greatness.