Learn Faster, Listen Harder and Ask The Dumb Questions with Harsh Kocher
Harsh Kocher is an award-winning advertising professional with a proven track-record across both agency and client-side roles. With a career built at the intersection of brand strategy, creative innovation, and integrated communications, Harsh has led high-impact campaigns for some of the world’s most iconic brands, including INFINITI, Mercedes-Benz, GMC, Kellogg’s, Samsung, du, and Majid Al Futtaim.
His expertise lies in driving social-led activations powered by data-driven creativity, consistently delivering meaningful results. Harsh is particularly passionate about redefining the role of account management, embracing being able to pivot between being a strategist, creative thinker and producer; depending on what’s asked of him.
Among his key achievements, Harsh spearheaded the INFINITI Middle East account win, leading the regional launch of the luxury QX80 SUV car and the development of the brand’s ‘Experience Exceptional’ platform.
Prior to joining TBWA, he played a critical role in renewing key automotive client retainer contracts by elevating campaign impact and providing strategic consultation. His work has earned 30+ industry accolades, including wins at the Effies, MENA Digital Awards, and Dubai Lynx, across categories spanning digital innovation, branded content, and integrated campaigns. Harsh has also mentored emerging talent and played a key role in agency-wide capability building around social, branded content, and creative technology.
Beyond advertising, Harsh is an avid gamer and brings his creativity to the stage as a stand-up comedian. He has performed at over 150 shows across the UAE, Netherlands, Spain, and Japan.
LBB> How did you first get involved in account management and what appealed to you about it?
Harsh> Like most good stories in advertising, it started by mistake. During my internship, I floated between departments trying to figure out where I belonged. I even flirted with copywriting – but after a few humbling brainstorms (a lot of them, really. It still hurts), I realised I could probably become a decent copywriter in an alternate universe, but I might not have what it takes to be a great one. What I did want was to help shape the idea, challenge it, and bring it to life.
With account management, it just clicked. It gave me a seat at the table for strategy, creative, and production – without being locked into any one lane. I could be part of the thinking, the execution, and everything in between.
It’s often said (I’m sure I read it somewhere) that the chaos of advertising is like an orchestra – and account management is the conductor. You’re not just here to keep time or forward emails; you’re meant to make music out of the madness. That sounded important. I wanted to be that.
LBB> What is it about your personality, skills and experience that has made account management such a great fit?
Harsh> I’ve always been curious – annoyingly so. Early on, I hated not having answers to client questions, especially during reviews. If a client asked whether something was possible in a layout or edit, I didn’t want to say, “Let me check with the team.” So I taught myself the basics of Photoshop and Premiere Pro. Not to do the work – but to understand the craft and have the creatives’ backs.
That same curiosity led me to bring more of me into the role. I do stand-up comedy on the side, and honestly, it’s been the best training ground. You learn how to read a room, work with unpredictability, and land a point with timing. It’s made me sharper in meetings, faster in brainstorms, and a bit harder to rattle.
Account management works for me because it values range. You’re expected to speak strategy, creative, production, client, and chaos – sometimes all in the same sentence. That kind of chaos? Feels like home.
LBB> What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting their career in account management?
Harsh> Don’t worry about being impressive. Focus on being useful. That means learning fast, listening harder, and asking the “dumb” questions before they become expensive problems.
Be the person who’s willing to figure things out – not just forward things on.
You’re going to make mistakes – and that’s okay. Just don’t make the same one twice. Ask for help. Speak up. Between you and your team, you’ve probably got decades of collective experience. Someone’s faced a similar challenge before – and figured out how to fix it.
Keep it real, you’re not saving lives. You’re selling cereal. Keep it in perspective.
LBB> Thinking back to some of the most challenging experiences you’ve had in your career, what do you think tends to lie at the heart of the more tense or difficult client-agency relationships?
Harsh> There are a lot of things that can cause tension, but in my experience, it usually comes down to one of two things: misaligned expectations or unchecked ego. Sometimes both. When there’s a disconnect between who’s leading and who’s deciding – and neither side has defined success the same way – it turns into a tug-of-war. The result? The work ends up in the middle, bruised and watered down.
A lot of tension also comes from fear – fear of being wrong, of losing control, or of not being heard. Sometimes people feel the need to say something purely because of their title, not because it adds value. That’s where account management steps in: to cut through that noise with clarity. Clear roles, clear goals, clear communication. That’s what prevents drama from becoming damaged.
LBB> And what are the keys to building a productive and healthy relationship?
Harsh> Mutual respect. Shared ambition. And zero ego about where the best idea comes from.
The strongest relationships I’ve built weren’t based on polished decks – they were built in late-night calls, messy live decks, WhatsApp voice notes, and honest conversations that made things clearer, not prettier. You don’t earn trust by performing; you earn it by showing up prepared, staying consistent, and owning it – especially when things go wrong.
Clients care about clarity – not cleverness. If your work doesn’t help solve a real problem, it’s just decoration. When you focus on what matters to them – not just what you’re proud of – that’s when it stops feeling transactional and starts feeling like a true partnership.
LBB> What’s your view on disagreement and emotion – is there a place for it and if not, why not? If so, why – and what does productive disagreement look like?
Harsh> Disagreement is essential. Emotion is human. The goal isn’t to avoid either – it’s to manage them well. Some of the best ideas I’ve seen came from someone saying, “I don’t think this is working,” and the room leaning in instead of shutting down.
Productive disagreement happens when people are challenging the thinking, not each other. And if someone pushes back and you don’t have a solid reason, why not? Smile, say “You’re right,” and move on – because the next version is probably going to be better anyway.
Sometimes feedback – especially in fast-moving conversations comes through more emotion than precision. That’s when good account managers dig a little deeper: is it the tone of voice? The treatment? The casting? Nine times out of ten, it ends with, “It’s too [something]” or “It’s not [something] enough.” The job is to translate that into something creative teams can actually work with.
Emotion is fine – but it needs a translator. That’s where we come in.
LBB> Historically, account management has been characterised as the mediator in an adversarial client and creative relationship – what do you make of that characterisation? Is there any nugget of truth in that, or is it wildly inaccurate?
Harsh> That version of account management is outdated – and honestly, a little sad. The running joke is that account managers just forward emails, schedule meetings, and act like DHL between client and creative. And that perception won’t change… unless account managers do.
Yes, we’re collaborators, translators, and enablers of the work – but that’s just the surface. A great account manager is also the brand guardian. The creative sounding board. The strategist’s sparring partner. The producer’s first call when something goes wrong – not to point fingers, but to figure out what to do next.
And frankly, if you need your creative on every single call to take feedback or explain decisions, something’s broken. That’s how people burn out. That’s how clients start wondering why you’re in the room. Your job is to absorb, decode, and protect – not delegate that pressure to someone else.
You're not in the room to babysit. You’re there to shape the work, protect the vision, and keep the chaos moving forward – without letting it burn anyone out. And if your client and creative team feel like they’re on opposite sides, you don’t need to referee the fight – you need to remind everyone that they’re wearing the same jersey.
LBB> These days, agencies do so much beyond traditional campaigns and as account management you’re pulling together creative, experience, data, e-commerce, social and more – and that complexity can often be mirrored on the client stakeholder side too. What’s the key to navigating (and helping the client navigate) that complexity?
Harsh> The work has evolved – and so has the role. Account managers today need range, empathy, and a low tolerance for ambiguity dressed up as “fluidity.” When everything’s moving fast, the real value isn’t in managing timelines – it’s in managing context.
You don’t need to be an expert in everything, but you do need to know how it all connects. Creative, media, social, influencer, e-comm, analytics – each one speaks its own language. A good account manager speaks just enough of each to translate, spot gaps, and keep the machine moving without losing the plot.
And honestly, a big part of the job is shielding your team from chaos fatigue. When the brief changes five times, it’s not a drama – it’s Tuesday. Your role is to stay calm, filter the noise, and help the client see a way forward even when everything’s shifting under their feet.
At the end of the day, it's not about having all the answers – it's about knowing who to bring in, what to ask, and when to push. That’s how you build trust on both sides.
LBB> What recent projects are you proudest of and why? What was challenging about these projects from an account management perspective and how did you address those challenges? What was so satisfying about working on these projects?
Harsh> The Infiniti QX80 launch and the rollout of its ‘Experience Exceptional’ platform. It was more than a campaign – it was a reintroduction of the brand’s tone, attitude, and point of view. We weren’t just marketing a car. We were building desire, prestige, and emotional pull across every touchpoint.
It was a big moment for the brand. Just being in the room for a brief with that level of ambition and intention was something I didn’t take for granted. Not everyone gets to work on projects like that – and I knew it.
What made it complex was the scale. It required constant coordination, fast decision-making, and a very steady hand, especially when the moving parts started moving faster than expected. All without compromising on the client’s ambition.
What made it so satisfying was the clarity around how it all came together. The trust we built with the client. And the fact that even under pressure, the process never felt robotic. It felt like a team effort that actually lived up to the idea of ‘Experience Exceptional’.
