Mark van Aken

Mark van Aken

I am a media, marketing and communications professional with more than a decade of experience across a host of diverse businesses and environments.After starting my work life in the subscription television industry with Foxtel and then finance with NAB/MLC and Mercer, I formally moved into the communications area in 2004 as Media Manager with South Melbourne FC and shortly after on to Football Federation Victoria. With an initial brief to direct the organisation's media and communications strategies, I graduated to working across all areas of commercial operations including marketing, sponsorship and events.During this period I worked as the matchday reporter for SEN's Hyundai A-League coverage and Sportal at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.I moved into the role of editor with Soccer International magazine in 2008 directing the editorial, design, branding and marketing of the publication while also serving as Travel Editor for Golf Magazine and contributing to Inside Sport, Sports Business International and the Australian Radio Network at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.In November 2010 I founded Lekker Communication working primarily with Concave and Cycling Australia on a broad range of marketing, design and communication assets, including an in-house stint with the latter as Marketing Campaign Manager.Back in the driver's seat at Lekker work has focused on broadening our suite of services including marketing planning & activation, copywriting, media, graphic design to current clients Tixstar, Hodges Real Estate, GGA Destination Management, FC Select, TropOut & Urban Wordsmith.Specialties: Copywriting, editing, public relations, event planning, marketing activation, business development, editorial formulation, brand management, marketing planning and execution, Master of Ceremonies duties, Social Media, e-marketing.