“Account Management Gave Me a Seat at That Table and Once I Got There, I Knew I Wasn’t Going Anywhere”
Áine Neenan is a senior account manager at TBWA\Ireland and a 2025 IAPI Female Futures Fund recipient. Known for her calm clarity and people-first approach, she brings care, momentum and meaning to every project.
She’s helped deliver some of Ireland’s biggest campaigns for Barry’s Tea, GAA, eir, EBS and Deep RiverRock. Áine believes listening is a superpower, kindness is strength, and that a well-written contact report can go a long way!
LBB> How did you first get involved in account management and what appealed to you about it?
Áine> I actually started out in production. I talked my way into the industry post-covid with more ambition than experience and was lucky enough to land somewhere that gave me a shot. Production was the best training ground. It taught me how to stay calm when things move fast, solve problems on the fly, and value every part of the process.
But I kept finding myself pulled into the ‘why’ behind the work. The strategy, the relationships, the bigger picture. That’s where I lit up. Account management gave me a seat at that table and once I got there, I knew I wasn’t going anywhere.
LBB> What is it about your personality, skills and experience that’s made account management such a great fit?
Áine> I have a strange love for untangling chaos. I’m not the loudest in the room but I listen closely and move deliberately. People matter to me – not just the work, but how it gets made and how everyone feels along the way.
I’m steady. I keep going. I don’t chase the spotlight, but I’m always thinking a few steps ahead. Because I started in production, I understand what it takes to bring ideas to life and I carry that respect for the craft and the people behind it into everything I do.
LBB> What advice would you give to someone just starting out in account management?
Áine> Presence over perfection. Show up. Be in the room. Be curious. That matters way more than knowing everything.
Don’t rush to fill the silence – that’s often where the gold is. Let people think. Let things land. And while you're doing that, take solid contact notes. Honestly, they’ll save you more times than you can count.
Get to know what everyone else does. Ask the creative how they think, the planner what keeps them up at night, and the client what they’re really trying to do.
And just be kind. There’s no fee involved, and it makes all the difference!
LBB> What tends to lie at the heart of difficult client-agency relationships?
Áine> Most problems don’t come from clashing opinions. They come from what’s not said out loud. When people aren’t aligned on what success looks like, things unravel fast.
The fix is simple but not always easy. Have the conversations, and don’t let issues fester. Clear beats clever every time.
LBB> What are the keys to a productive, healthy client relationship?
Áine> Respect – for the work, the people, and yourself. I’ve worked with clients who’ve pushed me and others who’ve taught me. The best relationships are the ones where you meet each other human-to-human, not just role-to-role. You each have a job to do, and you trust each other to do it well.
LBB> What’s your view on disagreement and emotion - do they have a place in our work?
Áine> Absolutely… Disagreement means people care – it’s energy, not conflict, as long as it’s channelled right. Same with emotion. We’re in a creative industry. If the room’s not feeling it, we can’t expect our audience to either. That said, timing matters. Emotional intelligence is knowing when to speak and when to hold back. It’s not about your ego, it’s about the work. And the best account managers know the difference.
LBB> Account management has long been cast as a go-between in client-creative tensions. Is that fair?
Áine> Not really. We’re not messengers. Our job isn’t to soften blows; it’s to bring clarity and connection. We live in both worlds – client and creative – without getting lost in either.
Some days, we’re translators. Other days, diplomats. Often, we’re the quiet glue holding the idea together while the room debates it.
That’s not middle ground – it’s essential to making great work happen.
LBB> Agencies today do so much more – strategy, data, e-comm, social. Clients are just as layered. What’s the key to navigating all that?
Áine> Start with clarity. When things get noisy and complex, you need a clear anchor - a shared ‘why’ everyone can come back to. That’s how I work: zooming out, connecting the dots, and simplifying so we’re not just busy, but moving in the same direction.
I’m also lucky to be in an agency where everyone pitches in. There’s a real team mentality and that makes a big difference.
And then there’s empathy. Not the soft, fluffy kind – the useful kind. Empathy for the team who’s stretched thin. For the client dealing with internal politics. For the pressure behind the brief. Empathy builds trust. And trust builds momentum.
LBB> What recent work are you proudest of – and why?
Áine> It’s hard to choose!
They’ve all come with their own stories, curveballs and high-fives.
Barry’s Tea ‘You’re Home’ will always be close to my heart as I’m borderline obsessed with tea.
I’ve never laughed as much as I did working on the EBS Mortgage People/ and Deep RiverRock ‘That’s Better’ platform campaigns. Proper fun, but also great examples of teams pushing for better, not just more.
The GAA Championship was a staple in my house growing up. It’s rare that your day job overlaps with your Sunday telly – in a good way!
And eir has been a journey in the best sense. I came in just after the account was won, and I’ve learnt a ridiculous amount since.
Learning is the biggest win for me. When the work stretches you and you come out the other side a bit smarter and a bit steadier.
At the end of the day, it’s a proud feeling seeing something land in the real world – and getting a text from my mom saying, ‘Is that your ad?’. Honestly, I think my family is still figuring out what I actually do!
