Managing Talent: The O2 Approach

You may have a groundbreaking, revolutionary business idea lying anxiously in the back of your mind. If you do, you probably want to pounce on that opportunity before it’s too late.  In the words of Donald Trump, “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyways, think big!” That may be easy for a business mogul like Trump, but for most business entrepreneurs finding the right channel by which to inject an idea into the market can seem overwhelming.

While the idea of “talent management” has traditionally been applied to the human resource sector, it is the responsibility of agencies like O2 Network to advise businesses with talent on how to turn their ideas into the next big thing.

Take the example of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (one of O2’s recent clients).  Formerly known as e-TQM College, the organization sought to reposition themselves in the regional education field. Nermin Habib, Creative Strategist for O2 Branding, worked to identify major themes and developments that set the university apart from its competition.  After several consultations (known in O2 as “Oxygen Sessions”), the client agreed that the repositioning campaign should recognize the organization’s expansion of educational programmes, strong Emirati identity, and simple enrolment procedure. 

“Articulating what your company is and where you want it to go is not an easy first step,” comments Ms. Habib.  “It all begins with one simple idea; KNOW YOUR MARKET FIRST™.  Once you realize who you’re talking to and what is relevant in the lives of your stakeholders, organizations can capitalize on the unique talents that make them valuable industry brands.”

O2 Branding applies these same principles to its own staff, which is why individuals like Nermin Habib continue to be involved in regional conferences and education forums.  Recently, Nermin spoke at Brand Summit 2009 in Dubai—the most powerful platform for the industry to reveal new insights, discuss collective challenges, and clarify standards across the global branding community.  Nermin is also pursuing a Master of Fine Arts from the Arts University in San Francisco.