Australia and New Zealand’s largest experience marketplace, Big Red Group, has announced the appointment of Paul Connell as its chief marketing officer to lead the business through the next stage of growth.
Connell will be based at Big Red Group headquarters in Sydney and focus on delivering impact across the group and its stable of experience brands including RedBalloon, Adrenaline, Experience Oz, Local Agent and Lime&Tonic.
Big Red Group is currently working through an incredible digital transformation, and with the reopening of Australia, is excited about the next chapter of the travel and tourism industry, and how they can support their thousands of experience providers across Australia and New Zealand with their scale, expert marketing and state-of-the-art technology solutions.
Listed in the top 50 CMO’s for three years, Connell brings over a decade of experience to the role, including senior positions at Unilever leading their Homecare & Refreshments portfolios, and leading a number of Unilever’s B-Corp scale-ups including Pukka and Ben & Jerry’s.
Most recently, Connell was CMO at Naked Wines where he helped build teams and ideas to transform the brand’s growth and bring positive disruption to the wine industry.
Connell is also a firm supporter of the broader marketing industry, and mentors and supports growing talent through Marketing Academy and The Trenches. He is also a board member at UnLtd’s social enterprise arm – Mood Tea.
Big Red Group co-founder and CEO, David Anderson, commented: “We’ve been hard at work for the past five years enabling the experience market’s growth, and we’re excited by the momentum behind our business, and the broader industry. Following significant fivefold growth, we are at a watershed moment in the company’s growth that requires the stewardship and experience that Paul brings in scaling from an already large market leading position to winning on a global scale. We’re thrilled to welcome Paul to the team, leveraging his rich experience to help craft the story & strategy for all our brands during this pivotal moment.”
Paul Connell commented: “Since the formation of Big Red Group, I have watched the team go from strength-to-strength across the experience marketplace, as they encourage Aussies and Kiwis to create memories, over choosing material possessions & endless stuff.
“I’m incredibly passionate about businesses, brands and people’s ability to do great by doing good, so this role is a gift – with a huge opportunity, not just to to shift the way people experience life but also to deepen our partnership and impact with our thousands of experience providers at such a key moment in time for the tourism and travel industry”
“It is so rare to find a company that is truly purpose led, has big ambitions for growth and – being a privately owned Australian business – the backing and autonomy to make it happen. I’m excited to be joining the team and can’t wait to get going”
