Professional Experience

• The Lifestyle Protector

  Current
  Financial Architect
  Wealth and lifestyle planning for business owners and professionals. Building confidence so you can get to where you...
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  Wealth and lifestyle planning for business owners and professionals. Building confidence so you can get to where you want to go, sooner, regardless of what life has in store.
• MYER

  2005
  Direct Marketing Manager
• Direct Marketing specialist

  2008
  CRM Director
  In December 2000, I moved to Sydney, Australia to work for Wunderman, a subsidiary of Y&R. Wunderman is one of the...
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  In December 2000, I moved to Sydney, Australia to work for Wunderman, a subsidiary of Y&R. Wunderman is one of the largest direct marketing firms in the world focused on data-driven relationship marketing, strategic consulting and online services. As I use to say, "everything from TV to T-Shirts." Important clients included Citibank and Weight Watchers.
  
  In March 2004, I moved from Sydney to Melbourne, Australia and continued the work in the direct marketing field working with organizations like Torque launching Myer's loyalty program MYERone, Telstra Wholesale, Ford Motor Company Business Centre and, of course, Wunderman.
  
  Strategic creative driven by customer data insights continues to be a particular passion.
• Marketing and advertising specialist

  2000
  Marketing Manager and Account Director
  In July 1996, after obtaining a marketing diploma, I made the switch from professional accounting to marketing....
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  In July 1996, after obtaining a marketing diploma, I made the switch from professional accounting to marketing.
  
  The client service and project management skills I had developed in my years with Ernst & Young served me well.
  
  My first role was with Clear Communications, a challenger telecoms brand in Auckland, New Zealand. I worked first in product development and then in strategic marketing. My analytical and data skills were paramount to assisting in the development of the company's first customer segmentation model (leading edge stuff in 1996 given computing and data capture were still relatively new). The information was used to create customer insights to improve promotional targeting and to maximise company profitability.
  
  Part of my strategic role with Clear was managing the strategic relationships with our advertising agencies and after a number of restructures at Clear, in 1998, I took the opportunity to move agency side with Leo Burnett in Auckland.
  
  A key client was AMP New Zealand and a key project was the launch of a new on-line bank. Again, leading edge stuff in 1998. The project helped me refine my direct marketing skills and my strategic branding skills. After the extremely successful launch, the NZ team was shifted to Australia and I was head hunted to another agency.
  
  Fit is an important consideration when choosing a role. The agency that I was head hunted to wasn't a fit for me. I was then introduced by a former colleague at Leo Burnett to Wunderman Sydney's Managing Director and made the shift to Australia in December 2000.
• Business planning

  1996
  Business planning specialist
  In August 1992 I left Ernst & Young to work for Radio New Zealand. A client of E&Y. The radio industry was going...
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  In August 1992 I left Ernst & Young to work for Radio New Zealand. A client of E&Y. The radio industry was going through deregulation and I worked with the CEO assisting in various projects including feasibility studies of different radio stations. She was also the person to encourage me to consider marketing.
  
  After a 6 month contract I moved to another E&Y client, New Zealand Dairy as their business planning manager. I was the bridge between the accounting team and the marketing team working on new market and new product development projects. We also developed the company's first strategic plan. A significant win was project managing the settlement of a significant supplier dispute that resulted in new plant & equipment for the company to develop new products for local and foreign markets.
  
  Having never tried "pure accounting", I was offered the opportunity to work as the financial manager at Tegal Foods. My career had been projects and analysis, not monthly reporting. A good experience but when the opportunity to shift to Clear Communications appeared, I was delighted to make the shift in my career in marketing and continue using my project management skills.
• Ernst & Young

  1992
  Chartered Accountant
  Started as an Accountant and was promoted to Senior Manager throughout my 8 years with Ernst Young.
  
  I qualified...
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  Started as an Accountant and was promoted to Senior Manager throughout my 8 years with Ernst Young.
  
  I qualified with Ernst & Young in London, Ontario. I shifted to Ernst & Young in Mississauga and finally, in 1988, to Ernst & Young in Auckland, New Zealand.
  
  Project manager of various assignments and clients. I was fortunate in my years with Ernst & Young Auckland to work on various business consulting assignments and mergers & acquistion due diligences.
  
  I took a leave of absence in 1989 to travel and work in the UK.
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