You are a member of the JFD Club, which promotes sisterhood and boldness. What do these values mean to you in your career as a leader?
For me, boldness means having the curiosity to explore new avenues, accepting to step outside your comfort zone and moving forward even when everything is not yet defined. I see sisterhood as active solidarity between women: supporting, inspiring and valuing each other. But I don’t like it when it becomes restrictive or exclusive. I believe it is stronger when it is open to all those who share and contribute to these values. In my career, these values translate into the conviction that innovation and impact are built collectively, by sharing knowledge, networks and experiences.
You have worked for communications agencies, large real estate groups and logistics companies. What led you to create SOXH, your own agency?
SOXH was already established for several years when I joined the venture and became a partner. I saw an opportunity to bring a strategic vision and new momentum to accelerate its development. My goal: to combine creativity, performance and innovation to grow the business and support our clients in ambitious projects. This role allows me to connect vision and execution, creating strong and lasting partnerships, while promoting synergies between players from different backgrounds to generate an impact beyond the projects themselves.
How does SOXH stand out in the highly competitive world of brand strategy and audiovisual production?
SOXH designs and implements global digital campaigns where creativity and strategy go hand in hand. We combine strategic consulting and integrated production, with a studio capable of designing and producing all the content needed for a campaign. This end-to-end expertise allows us to tailor each project to the specific challenges of our clients, whether they are innovative start-ups or large corporations. Our ambition: to create memorable experiences that inspire, engage and directly serve our clients’ objectives — brand awareness, new customer acquisition, growth and profitability.
What is your view on the widespread adoption of AI in the fields of communication, branding and production? Do you see it as a threat or an opportunity?
AI is profoundly transforming communication: it opens up new possibilities for generating ideas, testing messages and optimising campaigns in record time. At SOXH, in video production for example, it speeds up rushes, subtitling and the creation of variants, freeing up time for our strategic and creative thinking. It is a powerful ally, but it remains a tool: for the moment, nothing can replace the human vision, sensitivity and intention that give meaning and direction to a project. The advances are impressive, and I look forward to seeing how these developments will enrich the way we conceive and tell stories that inspire, mobilise and strengthen the ecosystem in which we operate.
Do you see AI as a threat or an opportunity for creative talent, particularly for women in these professions?
I see it as an opportunity, if used with a clear purpose. AI can save time on technical tasks, allowing us to focus on vision, meaning and innovation. It also democratises access to powerful tools, paving the way for greater diversity and equality in creative professions. It will inevitably facilitate collaboration and the sharing of expertise between women and men, strengthening the impact of projects and contributing to the collective dynamic that is so dear to JFD.
What advice would you give to a woman who wants to start an entrepreneurial project in the creative industries today?
Move forward with conviction, but never alone. Whether you are starting a business or choosing to join an existing venture, surround yourself with people who share your values, draw on the strength of your network, and maintain the desire to create meaningful projects that reflect who you are. Creative entrepreneurship requires vision, agility and the ability to bring together different energies around a common goal. Diversity of perspectives and collaboration are your best allies for innovating, turning an idea into concrete success and contributing to the growth of an entire ecosystem.
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Déborah Sturm, CEO of SOXH and JFD Member
Déborah Sturm runs SOXH, an agency specialising in brand strategy and audiovisual production. After starting out in an agency, she spent more than ten years managing communications for a real estate company on the advertiser side. She then took charge of the strategic management of a logistics group in transition, supporting it at a key moment in its history: repositioning, restructuring and then sale. With nearly 20 years of experience, she has developed a global vision of brands, rooted in operational realities and the dynamics of transformation. She approaches each project as a lever for impact, with creative rigour and a deeply human-centred approach.
