‘Planning succession through training & mentorship is crucial for empowerment’

‘One needs to go beyond the safe cocoon and take the plunge into challenging projects, thereby creating a learning graph’, believes Sonia Huria, Head of Communications, Amazon Prime Video, India.

Sonia started out as a PR professional and then donned the hat of a marketeer. With a career spanning around two decades in the entertainment and the consumer space, she has a proven forte in building brand communication strategies, implementing them at scale and bridging internal communication across geographies. In her current role, she brings in her extensive experience in entertainment and corporate communication.

At Amazon Prime Video, she is directly responsible for driving the PR narrative while leading communication and reputation management for the platform across the media spectrum.

In today’s feature of ‘Women Achievers Series’, Sonia Huria opens up about her professional journey, thoughts on inclusion and diversity, the pandemic and more.

Edited Excerpts:-

Tell us about your journey in the comms industry.

I have always believed in forging my own path, and am grateful for the rich tapestry of experiences that shape my journey as a communicator. I began this journey working in PR consultancy firms, which laid the foundation for my career and fueled my aspirations to make a meaningful contribution to the industry. 

I then went on to join the communications team at Viacom18, where I was part of the team that launched the flagship channel COLORS. A pivotal moment in my career came when I took additional responsibility for the network’s corporate marketing efforts, which also included shaping the sustainability agenda across its 5 lines of businesses.

In this role, I had the unique opportunity to redefine the role of communications within the organization, by designing meaningful and creative social impact campaigns that truly created a positive impact. 

I have always believed that communications can be a powerful tool in influencing behaviours and galvanizing change - and this was demonstrated in our results whether it was consumption of entertainment or inculcating values of cleanliness and hygiene. Today, the possibilities to make a difference are limitless. With the emergence of diverse communications channels and platforms, the ability to influence change can now also truly achieve scale. 

What challenges did 2020 pose for you professionally and personally?

In 2020, amidst the lockdown, I also made a truly life-changing decision -- taking on the mantle of leading communications at Amazon Prime Video in India. I am excited to bring my experience as a change agent to the company, at a time when the OTT industry is scaling new heights and is at an exciting inflexion point in India. 

However, navigating a new workplace especially under the extenuating circumstances of 2020 and an entirely virtual working experience has come with its own set of challenges. 

As a communicator, my role cuts across functions -- a collaboration among various internal and external stakeholders -- and is critical to carve out the right strategies and ensure seamless execution. 

While the significance of in-person meetings can be underscored enough, I have realised that forging connections and building relationships can happen virtually when approached with empathy and patience. 

How is the communications industry unique with its largely female workforce?

I am immensely proud to be part of an industry that demonstrates every day that women can be powerful and empathetic leaders. We are a testament to the many benefits a diverse workforce can bring -- from new perspectives to fostering creative ideas to building resilient organisations. 

In fact, all regional Originals leads at Amazon Prime Video are female, as is the Head of Amazon Studios. Every day my peers and counterparts prove that it is not impossible to have it all -- a common myth that has been perpetuated for decades. 

We are a cohort that recognizes the value of being present at the moment, of channelling emotion and scaling new heights through collaboration and teamwork. And, I am looking forward to continuing my growth journey while also nurturing young talent in this industry.

What are the steps that you would take to support other women in the industry?

I think a critical factor in helping more women shatter stereotypes is building confidence among them. For talent that shows potential, I think it is very important to go beyond mentoring and actively champion them – get them good projects, opportunities and job roles that will shape their career. 

It is important to fuel more conversations on the issue. It is also critical to remain cognizant and make conscious decisions to ensure representation from recruitment to retention.

I would also like to add that as women, we usually tend to be quite shy to showcase our work and achievements openly. This must change. To all the young professionals today – you should be confident of what you bring to the table and have a strong voice to stand up for yourselves. Learning from peers, seeking mentorship, actively upgrading skills are some of the things we can do to help empower ourselves.

A key component also is to plan succession. This requires commitment from leaders to train, mentor and champion young women. 

What are the three adjectives that define you as a communicator? 

Through the course of my career, I have come to appreciate the true meaning of having nerves of steel! Excelling as a communicator requires tenacity, agility and persuasiveness - qualities that I have acquired and honed throughout my journey. Being able to build consensus internally, and influence change externally is critical to ensure a campaign comes to fruition.  

What does an organization have to do to build its culture and work ethos to promote gender neutrality?

Now more than ever, in the midst of such sweeping change, companies have an opportunity to embed greater diversity, equity and inclusion in workforces. In our field (like any other) innovation or creativity demand that businesses are powered by diverse opinions, skill sets and life experiences of their employees.

It is not enough to hire diverse workers and get them in the door. Once they are in, we need to make them feel as though they belong and are free to bring their authentic selves to work.

Secondly, a wide base of women enters the PR and communications workforce every year. We hear very few of them earn a seat on the board or leadership teams in their organisation. I think onboarding men to be allies and champion, should be the second port of call.