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Ben White
Engineering Manager at Nine
Professional Background
Ben White is a seasoned engineering manager with over a decade of experience enhancing newsroom operations for both small-scale and large media enterprises. His background in technology and design has shaped him into a professional with a unique ability to streamline processes, elevate team dynamics, and drive innovative solutions across various media platforms. Currently serving as the Engineering Manager at Nine, Ben plays a critical role in leading technical teams to optimize product development and operational efficiency in the ever-evolving landscape of digital newsrooms.
Before his tenure at Nine, Ben honed his expertise in engineering management at Fairfax Media, where he also served as Engineering Manager. His time there provided him with invaluable insights into the media industry and the challenges it faces, thus equipping him with the skills to implement processes that enhance collaboration among product owners, technical directors, and design teams.
Earlier in his career, Ben served as the Head of IT & Product Development at Mamamia.com.au, where he was instrumental in driving technological initiatives that improved user engagement and the overall digital experience. His role involved working closely with a diverse range of stakeholders to ensure that product development met the strategic goals of the organization. At Allure Media, he not only held the position of Technology Manager but also contributed creatively as a Digital Designer and Video Editor, reflecting his broad skill set in both technical and creative domains.
Ben’s earlier roles further include being a Web Designer & Developer, as well as a Video Editor & Motion Producer at eBrands, demonstrating his versatility and in-depth knowledge of both design and development aspects of media. He started his journey as a Flash Animator & Developer and even worked as a freelance designer and video producer, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit and adaptability in various environments.
Ben has a passion for engaging with different teams, explaining the rationale behind technological decisions, and making complexities easily understandable. His collaborative approach has not only improved workflows but has also fostered an environment of mutual respect and creativity, resulting in innovative outcomes in the newsroom experience.
Education and Achievements
While specific details about Ben's formal education are not mentioned, his extensive professional background and the variety of roles he has taken on suggest a strong foundation in both technology and design education. With significant contributions across various companies and teams, Ben has consistently demonstrated leadership, technical expertise, and an understanding of how to marry technology with media effectively.
His achievements include successfully leading engineering teams through transformative projects, resulting in streamlined processes that enhance efficiency in news production and delivery. His strategic initiatives have been recognized within the organizations he has been part of, resulting in improved team collaboration and innovative solutions during challenging times within the media industry.
Ben is known for his proactive approach in guiding teams, ensuring each member understands their role in the bigger picture, which in turn drives better performance outcomes.
Achievements
- Successfully led engineering initiatives at Nine, enhancing newsroom operations and team collaboration.
- Developed innovative technological solutions at Fairfax Media that addressed key challenges in product development.
- Played a pivotal role in product development and IT strategy at Mamamia.com.au, significantly improving the user experience and engagement.
- Guided teams at Allure Media through creative processes, integrating technology into design and production workflows, thereby enhancing the quality of digital content.
Notable Contributions
- Demonstrated excellence in leadership by improving operational efficiencies and fostering a culture of collaboration.
- Engaged with diverse teams to align technical objectives with creative aspirations, creating well-rounded media products.
- Contributed to various organizations in roles that demanded both creativity and technical prowess, underscoring a versatile skill set amidst changing media landscapes.
Passion for Technology and Media
Ben White's passion for technology and media shines through in every endeavor he undertakes, making him a respected leader in the field. His enjoyment in explaining the 'why' behind technological decisions stems from his dedication to ensuring that every team member feels valued and understands their contribution to the organization's mission.
Outlook
With a forward-thinking perspective on media technology and an investment in team development, Ben White is well-positioned to continue making impactful contributions within the media landscape. His experience not only highlights his exceptional capabilities but also his commitment to improving the newsroom experience as the media industry continues to evolve.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Clay encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Clay work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Clay is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
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