Audit Bureau

Speakers

Ian Alwill
Chairman Advertising Standards Bureau
Principal Alwill Associates Business and Marketing Consultancy

Former Executive Director - Group Marketing and Communications
Nestle Oceania to June 2012

Ian Alwill has an Australian and international marketing and advertising background and has worked internationally for major marketing and advertising companies for more than 20 years of his working life.

Ian has been, since 2005, a member of the Nestlé Australia Board
which is responsible for the Nestlé operations in Oceania, and as
a Nestlé Australia Board member he chairedthe internal “marketing risk management” councils in the areas of claims (nutrition, sustainability) management , and corporate reputation management.

He was a member of the Nestle Australia senior management operational leadership group from 1998 to 2012

He retired from Nestle in August of 2012

From 2000 to 2009, Ian was Chairman of the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA). He led its defence, of industry self regulation , against regulatory bans on food and beverage advertising.

He was given the Philip J Warner Award in 2009 by the AANA for his services to the advertising industry

He was, concurrent with his Chairmanship of the AANA, and still holds the Chairmanship of the Advertising Standards Bureau which administers self regulation of the industry via the Advertising Standards Board which is integral to the code administration of the self regulatory system.

In 2010, the Australian Marketing Institute awarded Ian with the Sir Charles McGrath Award for his contribution to the marketing profession and the interests of the business community

 

Louise Barrett
Director of Sales, ACP Magazines

As Director of Sales ACP Magazines, Louise is responsible for revenues across the magazine business as well as creating bespoke integrated sales solutions for advertisers using the Nine Entertainment Company assets.

Louise’s extensive media career spans 25 years and includes magazines, television, radio and online. Louise spent her early years in television at The Nine Network, followed by a stint in magazines at ACP Magazines. Louise then spent 15 years in radio at Bond Radio Sales, 2UE Network Sales and The Macquarie Radio Network, where she held various positions in sales management and the role of General Manager of The Macquarie Radio Network. Louise was responsible for driving 2UE to success as Sydney’s number one revenue station during her tenure there, she then went on to achieve a similar outcome for 2GB in the short space of 18 months. Louise was responsible for developing and implementing 2UE and its affiliate Network’s successful Sydney 2000 Olympic sales & marketing strategy, she was also responsible for winning the Olympic Broadcast Rights for 2GB for the Athens and Beijing Olympic Games.

Louise joined PBL as Director of Group Business Development in February 2005, before returning to ACP Magazines in April 2006 as Director of Sales for ACP’s Men’s, Specialist & Custom Titles. During her tenure at ACP, Louise has been responsible for the successful sales launch of both Top Gear and BBC Australian Good Food in addition to ensuring the smooth sales integration of EMAP when ACP purchased the company in 2007. In March 2009 Louise took on the additional role of Director of Sales for Nine Entertainment Co Integration unit.

Louise has also previously held board positions for The Sydney Festival and The Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation.

 

Mark Crowe
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Marketing Institute

Mark Crowe is the CEO of the Australian marketing Institute. Mark has previously worked in marketing and membership roles with trade and professional associations.
The Australian Marketing Institute is the professional association for marketers and has served Australian commerce, industry and the profession for over 70 years, making it one of the oldest professional associations in Australia.

The Institute offers its members:

• A respected and authoritative voice for the profession
• Strong advocacy of the highest standards
• The opportunity for marketers to achieve career advancement and enhanced credibility in the profession through professional development programs
• Access to the latest information on marketing practice
• Networking with fellow practitioners.

 

Paul Dovas
Chief Executive Officer, ABC & CAB

An economics graduate of the University of Sydney, Paul began his career in the financial services industry before pursuing his passion for publishing and the media.

Paul joined the ABC and CAB in 1998, driving the delivery of new products and services for the digital era. As director of Audit Services, Paul successfully developed and launched new services including digital publication audits, web traffic audits and email newsletter audits. He also represented ABC Australia on international matters, serving as a consultant to audit bureaux in New Zealand, Singapore and Japan on web audit matters, overseeing the introduction of online audit services for Malaysia, and sitting on the Executive Board of the International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Circulations (IFABC).

Paul has also served on the IFABC’s WWW Standards Committee and has been involved in many local and international digital measurement initiatives. He briefly left the ABC/CAB in 2006 to assume the role of publisher and editor of humour publication HA! Before returning as director of audit services in 2008.

Paul was appointed chief executive of the ABC and CAB in August 2010.

 

Simon Davies
Head of Print, OMD

Simon is National Head of Print at leading media agency, OMD. Originally from the UK, Simon has worked on both the publisher and media agency side of the business with stints at ACP Magazines and Murdoch Magazines before moving to his current role. In this position he is focussed on the dynamic and rapidly changing publishing landscape and ensuring that OMD clients are in the best position to take advantage of the developing opportunities in the marketplace. Simon also sits on the Executive Committee of the ABC.

 

David Gaines
Chief Executive Officer, Maxus Australia

Gaines combines his time as chief executive of Maxus Australia with his roles as chair of the Media Federation of Australia’s digital committee and chair of the ABC’s Digital Watchdog Committee.

He started his media career in London, working in trading and strategy before moving to Australia.

Gaines briefly left the country to work as head of strategic planning for Unilever and IBM across Asia Pacific before returning to Australia in 2001. In 2005 he started Maxus in Sydney and in 2009 was part of the team that relaunched the brand globally.

 

Michael Gencher (MC)
The Business Lifesaver

Michael Gencher is a Sydney based – Corporate/Business Trainer, Business Coach, Professional Speaker and MC. Michael specialises in working with individuals and teams to improve effectiveness and efficiency in delivering tangible outcomes and solutions. Michael’s approach is aligned with the famous Albert Einstein quote "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." In other words; if you want different - do different!

A certified, accredited trainer and facilitator, Michael capitalises on his ability, intuition and experience as a Lifesaver and business owner, and has become the ‘Business Lifesaver’TM. Using lessons and analogies from his experience in lifesaving, he delivers workshops, in-house training, strategic planning, team building, sales and marketing coaching and consultation for wide range of individuals, teams and businesses.

Michael is the former Marketing & Communications Director of Two Tin Cans, and the former Managing Director of MGE.

 

Ed Harrison
Commercial Director, Fairfax Metropolitan Media

Ed Harrison commenced as Commercial Director, Metro Media in May 2011. Ed is responsible for delivering revenues though Metro Media’s assets, which include: The Sydney Morning Herald; The Sun-Herald; The Age; smh.com.au; theage.com.au; as well as Fairfax Media’s classified and transactional websites. The Commercial team consists of 250 staff in advertising sales, strategy, operations and trade marketing. Previously divided into three separate geographic and platform-specific divisions, Ed’s role has required him to integrate this group into a single, national, cross-platform team.

Previously Ed was Commercial Director, Fairfax Digital. Taking on this role in early 2009, Ed realigned the digital division’s commercial resources and achieved substantial growth and market share gains against the major online publishers.

Prior to this, Ed held the position of General Manager of JCDecaux, the local subsidiary of the world’s largest outdoor advertising company.

 

Kate Mills
Editor, BRW

Kate Mills has been a financial and business journalist for 14 years in Australia and the United Kingdom. On BRW, she has a particular interest in the professions, superannuation, managed funds, corporate finance and corporate governance. Kate has worked on publications including CFO, ALB (Australian and Asian editions), Investor Weekly, Business am (a daily finance newspaper in Scotland) and Legal Business in the UK.

 

Nicole Sheffield
Chief Executive Officer, NewsLifeMedia

Nicole Sheffield is chief executive of News Limited’s lifestyle division NewsLifeMedia, News Custom Publishing and news.com.au.

Ms Sheffield is responsible for developing and directing business strategies across the NewsLifeMedia network and also for news.com.au, Australia’s leading made-for-medium online news brand.

With a strong background in marketing, sales, digital and brand building Ms Sheffield came to News from XYZnetworks LifeStyle Channels. Appointed in 2008 she was the general manager of XYZnetworks LifeStyle Channels with responsibility for The LifeStyle Channel and LifeStyle FOOD. While in the role she launched two additional channels – LifeStyle YOU in 2009 and LifeStyle HOME in 2011.

Ms Sheffield began her career in 1995 in Telstra. In her six years with the company she worked in a number of roles in its multimedia division. After 18 months as general manager of Tias eCommerce between 1999-2000, she joined PMP Communications as general manager of Pacific Online, the online division of the magazine company. Following the sale of Pacific Magazines to Seven in 2002, Ms Sheffield was promoted to the role of group publisher of the lifestyle and youth titles. During this time she launched three magazines – including the weekly magazine FAMOUS and expanded the division significantly.

Ms Sheffield has a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws (Macquarie University) and a Masters of Business (UTS).

 

John Sintras
Chief Executive Officer, Starcom MediaVest Group

John Sintras is CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group Australia. He chairs the network’s Global Product Committee, sits on its Global Management Group and is a respected industry leader. John also sits on the boards of the Australian Association of National Advertisers, Advertising Standards Bureau and OzTAM, is an executive committee member of the Media Federation of Australia, general committee member for the Audit Bureau Circulations and on the editorial advisory panel for ABC Australia network. He is also on the board of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.

 

Kim Williams AM
Chief Executive officer, News Limited

Kim Williams heads News Corporation’s Australian operations and investments as Chief Executive of News Limited.

News Limited is Australia’s biggest publisher of newspapers and one of the largest online and magazine publishers. It is the largest company by advertising sales in Australia. The company also has significant interests in subscription television through a 25% ownership of FOXTEL and a 50% interest in FOX Sports and other digital assets such as REA.

Mr Williams was appointed to the role in December 2011 after ten years as Chief Executive of FOXTEL.

Mr Williams has had a long involvement in the arts and entertainment industry in Australia and internationally and has held various executive positions including as Chief Executive at each of Fox Studios Australia, the Australian Film Commission, Southern Star Entertainment and Musica Viva Australia and as a senior executive at the ABC.

Mr Williams has held numerous Board positions (with numerous Chairmanships) in commercial and public life over the last 35 years including as foundation Chairman of the Australian Film Finance Corporation which he founded in 1988 and most recently as the Chairman of the Sydney Opera House since 2005.

He was appointed as a Member in the Order of Australia in June 2006. In October 2009 he was awarded a Doctorate of Letters (Honoris Causa) by Macquarie University for his contribution to the arts and entertainment industry both in Australia and internationally.