John Ford

I am a brand strategy specialist with 20 years experience in marketing and multidisciplinary creative company leadership.After completing a B.A. at Sydney University, I joined Macquarie Bank as a global equities dealer. Discovering life wasn't so glamorous in banking, I joined DDB Sydney as a trainee strategy planner.I went on to become Australia’s youngest Head of Planning and hold senior roles and partner positions in some of the world's most creative advertising networks, including Batey and TBWA.In 1999, I established The One Centre to concentrate on brand strategy and multidisciplinary creativity for the purposes of marketing innovation.Over the last decade I have led local and global branding and marketing innovation projects for some of the world’s leading brands, including Audi, American Express, Accor, McDonald’s, Crown, Coca-Cola, Woolworths, Nakheel, PwC and GE.I have been involved as a speaker and facilitator with a number of international marketing and innovation initiatives, including the Global Leaders Forums. I have been named one of AdNews 40 under 40 ‘rising stars in marketing’ and was the founding chairman of the APG in Australia.I currently serve as CEO of my Sydney-based multidisciplinary brand agency The One Centre, which unites visionary strategic thinking with cutting-edge creativity to help brands break new ground in the way they come to life and connect.I am the creator and Publisher of online publication, Branded Arts Review, which provides a penetrating review of leading branding ideas from around the world.I sit on the board of AIMIA, Australia's peak digital industry body and am completing an MBA (Executive) with the Australian Graduate School of Management.