S ER C C OO SN S DCAARMY P U S
Alumni Profile:
Mark McDowell, Class of 2008 Nationality: Thai / Kiwi (New Zealand) Current Location: Bangkok, Thailand Years at Bangkok Patana School: 14 Years Favourite memories at Bangkok Patana School My favourite memories are always going to be the times I had with the friends I made at Bangkok Patana School. They say that your best friends are the ones you make at university, quite the contrary. For me it was always the mates made at Bangkok Patana. I’ve spoken with other alumni and they all say the same. It’s the friends that make a place and it is why I love Bangkok so much and my time at school. The Residential Visits were also always a killer time as they provided an opportunity to be with friends outside the school environment doing something different while still learning something new. Who would’ve thought going to the beach was part of school? Also how could I not forget the Christmas assemblies as a kid? Seeing how Santa would arrive was always a highlight. I loved when he came in a helicopter! Where did you go after leaving Bangkok Patana School? After completing my IB, I left to the second most amazing place in the world – New Zealand. Yes, there are a lot of sheep. I enrolled in Otago University in the South Island to do my Bachelor’s degree in Commerce. Afterwards I came back to Bangkok for a brief stint and then to Melbourne, Australia for close to three years of work in the digital marketing industry. I was always looking for opportunities to come back to Bangkok, to be closer to family, friends and to be back in Asia. I was fortunate enough to work at one of the largest digital marketing agencies in Australia. Getting close to three years I proposed to the company that we take the amazing work we do (and the work that I 36
• Bangkok Patana School
love) to Thailand for expansion. So here I am back again in Bangkok heading up Primal, a premier digital marketing agency. Simply put, we grow businesses through online marketing using
social media, display, email and helping businesses get found on Google via Search-Engine-Optimisation.
Are there any experiences/lessons