Leadership Panel

MAT BAXTER
CEO, Universal McCann Australia

Mat Baxter became CEO of UM Australia in December last year. He is formerly Chief Strategy Officer of MediaCom Australia and a former founding partner and CEO Asia Pacific of Naked Communications. He is one of the industry’s most highly regarded strategists and is a sought-after commentator on media communications and consumer issues. His role at UM is across the agency’s four offices which oversee accounts such as Coles, L’Oreal, Microsoft, The Federal Government, Stockland, Panasonic and Sony Pictures.

MEGAN BROWNLOW
Executive Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Megan is an Executive Director with PriceWaterhouseCoopers and an entertainment and media industry specialist. She has over 20 years experience in media ranging from producing ENOUGH ROPE with Andrew Denton to designing cross-media strategies – both content and advertising – for online and traditional media properties. Megan spent eight years with the Nine Network, ecorp and PBL. Her most recent role was as Director of Strategic Integration.

Megan is the editor of the industry forecasting publication, The Entertainment & Media Outlook. The Outlook provides commentary and forecasts on the health and future revenues of eleven entertainment and media sectors, including filmed entertainment.

TANIA CHAMBERS
Screen Producer, ex CEO Screen NSW

Ms Chambers has extensive experience within the Australian film and television industry and in leadership roles at both organisation and Board level. She was appointed Chief Executive of Screen NSW in 2007, following her previous role as Chief Executive of ScreenWest in Western Australia. In 2010 Tania was elected as a member of The International Academy of Television Art & Sciences

Tania previously worked as an Executive Producer and Producer with WA-based RT Films Entertainment and Wildfire Films International, was Director of Business Affairs with Barron Entertainment, Business Affairs Manager at Film Finance Corporation Australia and Legal Counsel at the ABC.

ROBERT CONNOLLY
Writer, Director and Producer

Robert is the writer and director of the feature films The Bank (2001), Three Dollars (2005) and, most recently, Balibo (2009). He is the producer, together with business partner John Maynard, of the award-winning films The Boys (1998) and Romulus, My Father (2007) starring Eric Bana.  Robert has won two AFI awards for screenwriting for The Bank and Three Dollars. In 2007, Romulus, My Father won four AFI Awards including Best Film. As a director, Robert has screened his films in over thirty major international film festivals including Toronto and San Sebastian. In 2010, Robert directed an episode of the television series, Rush (Ten) and in 2011 was one of the featured directors on the acclaimed mini series The Slap (ABC).

Robert received a Centenary Medal for services to the Australian Film Industry in 2001 and was part of the 2020 Ideas Summit in Canberra, 2008. He is also a board member of Screen Australia.

DIDIER ELZINGA
CEO, Culture Amp

Didier Elzinga is the CEO & Founder of Culture Amp – a software company focussed on making organisations better places to work. Prior to founding Culture Amp in 2009 he was the CEO of Hollywood visual effects company Rising Sun Pictures – building the company from a 6 person office in Adelaide into a 120 person global player working on films such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. He also co-founded Anthill Cool Company of the Year and Technical Academy Award winner Rising Sun Research.

Didier is also a non executive director at Tourism Australia, the Atlassian Foundation & Slingsby Theatre Company.

MARTIN ENRIGHT
Executive Director, Warner Bros International Television – Asia Pacific

Martin manages business development activities across Asia-Pacific for Warner Bros. International Television. He sits on the board of the holding company for Warner’s local media and entertainment interests and represents Warner on the board of The Movie Network Channels, a major Australian Pay TV joint venture. Martin specializes in complex licensing deals across all major TV content distribution platforms including Free, Basic, Premium Pay and new media.

Martin has worked in a range of industries including Media, Strategy Consulting, Telecommunications, Entertainment, Technology, Manufacturing, Banking and Law. He has broad experience in business development, strategy and business planning, licensing, joint venturing and alliances, new venture acquisition, sales and marketing, product and services delivery, law and finance. Martin has worked in both Australian and international companies and professional service firms and has held a number of leadership positions.

Martin is qualified B.A., LL.B. (Otago), LL.M. (UNSW), M.B.A. (AGSM/LBS), Grad. Certf. (AFTRS), M.A.I.C.D. and will undertake further post-graduate leadership studies at Oxford University in late 2011. He is admitted as a Barrister & Solicitor in New Zealand and as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia. Martin completed his Graduate Certificate in Media Studies from AFTRS in 2010.

STEFAN GILLARD
Chief Mechanic – CEO, StudioEngine Pty

With more than 20+ years in visual effects, technology design, strategy and production & operations management, Stefan’s experience encompasses deep management & operations expertise in technology, consulting, high-end sales, strategic marketing, project management and team-building. He has worked with numerous international brands and companies including Mazda Motor Corporation, SAS, Rockwell, Mercury Interactive, Toyota, IBM, Microsoft to name but a few, and he has an impressive client experience with mostly Fortune 500 companies over his extensive career.

Stefan is the CEO of recently founded StudioEngine Ltd. Offering Studio as a Service via a 4900 sqm production facility spanning 2 locations in Sydney Australia. Available to studios, studio teams, producers and production teams of Media & Entertainment properties. Launched in early 2011.

Stefan is also the original Founder and Equity Partner of SteamEngine, a 4000 node / 2PB High Speed Storage HPC Cluster in Australia that services the Oil & Gas, GeoScience, BioMedical, Pharmaceutical, Financial, Animation and Vfx industry in Pan Asia.

Stefan previously held the positions of both General Manager of Technology for the Omnilab Media Group of companies, as well as CTO of DrD Studios, a JV between Omnilab Media and Kennedy Miller Mitchell, developing the sequel to Happy Feet, Mad Max 4 as well as a number of other George Miller properties.

RICHARD HARRIS
CEO, South Australian Film Corporation

Richard Harris was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the South Australian Film Corporation in July 2007.
At the time of his appointment Richard was named by film industry magazine, Variety, as ‘one of twenty film executives to watch’.

In 2010, Encore Magazine‘s readership voted Richard as one of its ‘Power 50’.

Since relocating from Sydney to Adelaide, Richard has introduced a raft of initiatives to reinvigorate filmmaking in the state, including FilmLab, which allows emerging writers, directors and producers to develop and produce low budget feature film projects in SA with the assistance of experienced practitioners.

Richard headed the Australian Directors Guild for nine years before making the move south.

Prior to that he held positions at the Screen Producers Association of Australia and at the Australian Film Television and Radio School. He has taught media policy at Sydney University and is the author of the book Film in the Age of Digital Distribution.

PAUL McCARTHY
Business Development Manager, Australian Centre for Broadband Innovation

Paul is an entrepreneurial senior executive with 20 years experience in establishing and running digital media and services enterprises. He has a strong and abiding interest global business, technology and the media and their happy coalescence in Australia in this early part of the 21^st century.

Paul is currently a senior executive in NSW Government’s Information Technology Group where he has been responsible for a number of innovative statewide digital media initiatives.

Paul is co-founder of Australia’s leading online services awards — the AMBERs as well as longstanding chair of the prestigious and long running Annual AIMIA Awards – Australia and NZ’s peak Online and Digital Media Awards.

DAMIAN TREWHELLA
CEO, Australian Film Institute & Australian Academy of Cinema & Television Arts

Background in economics and law, commercial and not-for-profit organisations, mainly abroad before returning to Australia in 2005. Joined the AFI as CFO in 2006 and CEO since 2008. Key achievements include the transformation of the AFI’s professional membership and programs into the recently minted Australian Academy of Cinema & Television Arts, a development designed to increase visibility and opportunities for our talented screen community nationally and internationally into coming decades.

DEB VERHOEVEN
Professor, Media and Communication, Deakin University

Deb Verhoeven is Chair and Professor of Media and Communication at Deakin University. Deb was the inaugural Deputy Chair of the National Film and Sound Archive (2008-2011) and CEO of the Australian Film Institute (2000-2002). She is currently President of the online film journal Senses of Cinemaand an honourary life member of Women in Film and Television.Deb is an active film critic and member of the Australian Film Critics Association and the Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique (FIPRESCI) and she appears as a regular commentator on industry developments in the Australian media.