How Tom McKenna Leads a Global Marketing Team in Delighting New Listeners

Tom McKenna joined Audible in 2017 as VP of Media and moved into his current role as SVP, Global Media and Marketing Operations in 2019. Before working with us, McKenna spent about ten years in advertising agencies, where he worked on campaigns for some of the world’s best-known brands. His interest in tech led him to Verizon, where he spent another ten years directing media and marketing strategies.

Working closely with Audible’s content, brand, creative, and media teams around the world, McKenna oversees a range of marketing operations, from continuing to improve the way we communicate with customers through email and push notifications, to finding ways to reach new and current listeners with innovative campaigns like our sponsorship of Audible the horse in the 2018 Kentucky Derby, and “Call an Audible,” our exciting crossover with Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football. McKenna lives in central New Jersey with his wife and daughter, a high-energy dog, and a “sleeps-all-day” cat.

How would you describe your approach to or philosophy of leadership?

I’d say my leadership philosophy is about guidance and enablement. I always strive to be transparent with my teams and work together to drive decision-making. I’ve been lucky during my career to work for many great leaders, from whom I’ve learned a ton. I keep my favorite leadership nuggets on a note near my desk:

• Understand the shadow you cast as a leader. Everything we say and do not only impacts the outcome of our action, but influences the people around us.
• Lead by example.
• Embrace change.
• Be collaborative.
• Be transparent.
• Take risks/ fail fast / know why.
• Execution matters.
• Always be learning.
• No bad news on Fridays.

What have you found most helpful for balancing a leadership role with your personal life?

Having trust in your team. About 10 months ago, my 13-year-old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It was a huge learning curve for me and my wife. As we learned the scary ups and downs of everyday T1D life, I can’t emphasize enough how important it was to have a strong team that I trusted.

It takes time to build this trust and it needs to be earned both ways. However, once established, it fosters ownership, better communication, better decision-making, better collaboration, and better performance. For me, this makes it easier to not miss a beat when I have to step out for a call from the school, or when I’m at my daughter’s dance competition or family event.

What is something you’ve accomplished as a leader at Audible that you are particularly proud of?

Most recently, I’m really proud of our on-site campaign at the brand-new Terminal A at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport here in our hometown. From construction tours to the official opening, it was exciting to see our marketing, content, and creative teams lean in together for a common goal. It was even more amazing to see our audiobook, podcast, and Originals come to life on Clear Channel’s unique digital screens, elevator wraps, and large-format displays—it’s so cool to showcase Audible right at the moment of travel. If you have a chance to visit Terminal A, take a pic and send it my way!

If you could travel back in time, where would you land?

I’m a big fan of time-travel audiobooks. Ever listen to 11-22-63? Definitely an exciting title about going back in time to change the events of JFK’s assassination. If I were to go back in time, I’d love to meet my great-grandparents and learn more about their backgrounds in a different time.

Lightning Round:

• Coffee or tea? Definitely coffee
• Morning person or night owl? Night owl. I can’t go to sleep before midnight or I feel like I’m missing something.
• Where are you working from currently? Between home in central New Jersey and our Newark hub.
• How long have you been with Audible? Six years in June.
• Who is your biggest inspiration, career-wise? When I was in college, I was a manager in a McDonald’s. The owner-operator was a former Wall Street exec and his knowledge and insights paved the way for me in marketing.
• Dine in or take out? Dine in.
• Favorite outside of work hobby? Can wine be a hobby? If not, I’d say exploring pizzerias everywhere. I might write a review or two.
• Favorite Audible listen, go. I have a few favorites: The Martian, Ready Player One, Artemis, The Ride of a Lifetime.