Building the businesses behind great media
Introduction
I’m Huz, Founder and Managing Director of Optima Strategy, building the businesses behind great media.
I’ve spent my career on both sides of the table: as a media operator and as an adviser to companies and investors. At CNN International, I led the business development team, building new revenue across advertising, FAST, subscriptions and strategic partnerships, while also being trusted to advise editorial leadership on special projects such as TV programming and digital audience growth.
Earlier in my career, I advised private equity and corporate clients at EY-Parthenon and Accenture on strategy, M&A and operational improvement.
I started Optima in 2023 because I believe media is already in a new era. Content is increasingly commoditised, and short-form and AI will accelerate that shift.
Our belief is that media companies have an opportunity to build long-term, value-creating businesses around meaningful relationships and experiences with their customers.
That is what our team helps media companies do: build great businesses around great media
Our services
Transformed Editorial Operating Model
Transformation
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Global Digital Newsroom
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Multiple teams were working to their own targets, with no shared way to prioritise effort or investment across them
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Built OKRs, North Star metrics and a mission model, then a content investment model mapping each vertical's cost, revenue and audience performance to run reallocation scenarios
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Delivered a shared operating rhythm across teams, with an estimated profit increase from reallocating investment across content areas
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Launched a Profitable Events Business in Y1
Events
- Pan-African business events company
- Client wanted to create a top tier public sector convening but had no programme, sponsors, or program management behind it
- Optima built the programme from bottom up - supporting outcomes in program development, sponsorships, production etc.
- Profitable at launch, repeated in year two with all sponsors renewed
Assessed a New B2B Market Opportunity
B2B Growth
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UK News Organisation
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Wanted to build a new Defence B2B subscription vertical around a new product
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Led discovery interviews, sized the opportunity and developed the proposition, packages and top line economics
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Delivered a market-ready proposition and commercial model, ready to launch
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Launched a Profitable DTC Subscription Service
DTC
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Global news broadcaster
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Client wanted to launch a low-lift UK subscription product built on the live stream
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Stood up the paywall, pricing and commercial model, then optimised the trading strategy away from ineffective paid marketing towards on platform acquisition
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Launched a profitable paid web product
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