Denice

An interview with DENICE by the BALITANG ATIN, Official Publication of The Nielsen Company (formerly ACNielsen Philippines)

3 things that other people don’t know about you:

1.) I have an insatiable curiosity. That’s probably one reason why I enjoy working in the field of research: the job of finding out — what’s new with the market at a certain point in time, what works and what doesn’t — and then mining valuable insights out of it.

2.) I’m a big fan of European films, particularly Italian and French. I used to attend all Cine Europa festivals held here in Manila before I gave birth because the critically acclaimed films being featured are watch-worthy. They transcend time albeit the amazingly small cast, and it wouldn’t take high tech special effects for the viewer to come out of the theatre with mouth hung open in the air, wondering how the film could to tell a whole lot — and as powerfully — out of a very simple plot. Primo Nuevo Cinema Paradiso (Italy), Hasards ou Coïncidences (Chances and Coincidences – France), and Y aura-t-il de la neige a Noel? (Will it Snow for Xmas - France) are some of those that have left me haunted long after I’ve stepped out of the theatre.

3.) During 4th Grade, I dreamed of becoming President of the Philippines so that during my term, basic utilities (electricity & water), public transportation and tuition fees would be free, and that every Filipino citizen would be guaranteed P1 million cash retirement gift from the government upon reaching 60 years old (employed or unemployed). Several nightmares after, this naïveté finally woke up to find that there are far better avenues than being in a grandiloquent position to reach out and make someone’s world a little better place to live in, one little good deed at a time. And one of which is in anonymity.

Who are the persons who have influenced and inspired you the most and why?

My mother’s strong faith in our Heavenly Father Yahweh has a significant influence in my Spiritual foundation. Above all things, she has taught me to acknowledge Him in everything I do, and to have the Bible as an indispensable roadmap to a life worth living.

My husband’s kindness, great sense of humor and his being a caring father could be parts of his X factor I have unearthed. My son Kyle David inspires me to be more grateful to our Heavenly Father Yahweh for every single day, and to take both life and work with optimism, drive and passion.

I also admire my two sisters’ aptitude, sense of purpose and 24-hour availability especially when I’d need a sounding board and honest critic. Of course, there are a lot of other people within and outside my family that I also look up to and they are too many to mention.

An embarrassing or humorous experience that you have experienced in your career (at ACNielsen):

I still remember the first UAI presentation I did for an overseas-based client — also the first time for me to experience having every English statement I’d make to be translated in Japanese by our key client contact who also served as translator to some 5 other Japanese senior officers present in that meeting. There were no issues raised and everything went well, except that the presentation lasted for nearly 5 hours (OK, that’s roughly 4.5 if we excluded the 15-minute sumptuous merienda courtesy of their local ad agency), because every question that the audience would have had to be translated back in English to me. J

What legacy would you like to impart to Nielsen?

As a market research professional, it would be a customer-centric approach to addressing the marketing issues of our clients and obtaining solutions from their point of view, as they impact not only the company but also the industry. As an employee, I would be happy to be an active participant to the league of those who demonstrated with commitment and teamwork the Nielsen’s vision, core values and purpose.