A new mentor program designed to help marketers get the most out of their agency relationships launches today.

With an impressive list that reads like a who’s-who of Australia’s  advertising Legends & Leaders has more than 90 mentors on hand to run “intimate mentoring sessions” for individual marketing teams.

Founder Adrianne Nixon (pictured) said there is “much room for improvement” when it comes to business integrity and leadership in client/agency relationships as evidenced by a recent Communications Council and Media Federation of Australia report.

The report found that the amount of time spent managing agency relationships was a concern and revealed a number of discrepancies between what clients and marketers viewed to be integral in effective business relationships.  

“This was one of the catalysts for the Legends & Leaders concept. Marketers simply don’t have access to structured, independent, customised mentoring and advice that can really make a difference to their business,” Nixon said.

“The goal is to create teams that are united, engaged, enthused and firing.”

The program is tailored to individual client teams with 20 modules built around the different disciplines, including digital, finance and inter-agency relationships, on offer.

Clients will able to choose their modules and then select a mentor from within each chosen module.

Mentors lined up for the program include consumer psychologist Adam Ferrier, Malcolm Auld, Phil Hayden, Alwill Associates’ Ian Alwill, Jane Caro and Tom Moult.

Margaret Zabel, The Communications Council CEO, said: "The Legends & Leaders initiative presents a unique opportunity for clients to strengthen not only their agency relationships but significantly improve their marketing and business results. The bespoke approach can build team capability and unlock new opportunities by leveraging the insights and experience of experts in the industry.”

STW Group CEO Mike Connaghan added: “Any investment in helping client and agency teams achieve a better result is welcome. We have a saying at STW, ‘experience is usually a thing you get just after you need it’. Leaning on the experience and knowledge of this group seems invaluable.”

Full list of Legends & Leaders mentors:

Ian Alwill, Principal, Alwill Associates

Andy Antonini, Marketing Director, Onthehouse Holdings

Malcolm Auld, Principal, Malcolm Auld Direct

Alicia Beachley, CEO, April5

Mike Beckerleg, Co-founder, Hatch Solutions

Simon Bellamy, Senior consultant

Stan Bennett, Senior consultant

George Betsis, Creativity Director, VCD

Grant Blackley, CEO, Four Seasons Media; Founder & Director, RGM Artists Group

Sophie Blue, Founder & Managing Director, Blue Planet PR

Alex Boyall, Head of Sales Engineering, Temando

Jon Bradshaw, Director, Brand Traction

Jeremy Brook, Global Head of Digital Strategy & Media Innovation, Heineken

Rochelle Burbury, Principal, Third Avenue Consulting

Glen Campbell, Managing Director, Brandheart

Roger Camplisson, Senior Consultant

Jane Caro, Author, Novelist, Lecturer, Mentor, Social Commentator, Award winning copywriter

Murray Chenery, Executive General Manager, Brand, CPA Australia

Damian Damjanovski, Co-Founder, Common Ventures

Mark de Teliga, Psychologist & Psychotherapist

Rowan Dean, Columnist, satirist, panelist and media commentator

John Doumani, Senior consultant

Suzanne Dutton, Owner, Onion

Russell Easther, Director, digital brief

Jeff Estok, Managing Partner, Navigare

John Fawcett, Managing Director, Balucate; Chairman, Headstrong Cognitive Fitness

Adam Ferrier, Consumer Psychologist, Chief Strategy Officer, CumminsRoss

Brian Fine, CEO, Australia Online Research; Chairman, Quality Online Research

John Finkelsen, Senior consultant

Errol Flanagan, Strategy & InnovationDirector, The Holla Agency

John Gerrie, Managing Partner, KN3W IDEAS

Kara Geyer, Founder/Partner, The Media Hut

Anna Godfrey, Innovation Facilitator, RAW Innovation

Donna Hampton (Svanberg), Founding Owner and Executive Producer, Capitol Productions

Phil Hayden, Senior Consultant

Ashadi Hopper, Executive Creative Director, Soap

Ross Howarth, Partner, Kinesis Media

Brett Howlett, Co-founder, Hatch Solutions

Martin Kellard, Senior Consultant

Dr. Ralph Kerle, Global Strategic Innovation Specialist, "Leading Change Through Creative Insight" Fergus

Kibble, Founder & Managing Director, F4 Consulting

Andrew Knox, Senior Consultant

Neer Korn, Director, The Korn Group

John Lamble, Founding Partner, VisionVault

Jan Mathews, Founder, Magthews Consulting

Carolyne "Caro" McCourtie, Owner, Double O Marketing Consultant

Tim McDermott, National Sales Director, V8 Supercars

Andy McKeon, Global Customer Marketing Lead, Facebook

Preya McMahon, Owner/Chairman, Zing

Allan Medforth, Partner, Kinesis Media

Barry "Baz" Milas, Producer, Fresh Produce

Lisa Miles, Director/Principal, Ahead by Miles

Robert "Bob" Miller AM, Senior Consultant, Speaker, commentator, adjunct Professor, Macquarie University

Chris Mitchell, Co-Founder, Chris+Geoff

Joe Moujalli, Executive Producer, Little Mou Productions

Tom Moult, Principal, Walker Moult

Douglas Nicol, Creative Partner/Owner, The Works

Jane Neale, Managing Director, Hattonneale

Nerida Newman, Owner/Director, Cat Bird Seat

Sandy Oldham, Owner, Sandy Oldham People

Sharon Parker, Senior consultant, currently Head of Media and Digital, GlaxoSmithKline

Tim Parker, Senior consultant, currently MD Publicis Mojo

Jason Penrose, Principal Consultant & Managing Director, Jamecam Consulting

Rob Pyne, Founder, X or Y Decisions

Carolyn Reid, Principal, Buyology Lab

Peter Resanceff, Founder & Principal, Resanceff Research & Planning Pty Ltd.

Martin Rippon, Senior consultant

Alan Robertson, Partner, Kinesis Media

John "Skippy" Rogers, Senior Producer, Director

Vivian Rowden, Director, Through the Looking Glass

George Saada, Producer/Execitive Producer, Get George

Mike Satterthwaite, Chairman, Pegasus Systems

Robyn Sefiani, Founder & Managing Director, Sefiani

Chris Sewell, CEO, The Gaia Partnership

Philip Sheldon, Founder, Storymining

Jeff Simpson, CFO Consultant

Sharon Skeggs, Senior consultant

Simon Skidmore, Founder & Managing Partner, One Partners

Ian Smith, Partner, Heidrick & Struggles

George Stent, Founder, the stent partnership

Joe Talcott, Chief Creative Officer, CREATISM.IS

David Thomason, Senior consultant

Neil Travers, Senior Consultant

Brent Wallace, CEO & Founder, Galileo Kaleidoscope

David Westgate, Principal, Westgate + Friends

Jenny Williams, Managing Partner, Ideagarden

Kathryn Williams, Owner, Kathryn's Mint

Rick Wilson, Director, Advantage Australia

Colin Wilson-Brown, Founder, The Clinic

Glenda Wynyard, Founder, Chaos Media

Mike Zeederberg, Managing Director & Joint Owner, Zuni