Matt Houltham has spent more than 20 years building businesses and winning awards across four countries. His career spans Naked Communications, Mindshare and now the top job at Starcom Australia.
In this week’s Fast 10, B&T’s very own Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham and Matt Houltham unpacked career highlights, what it really takes to keep clients happy, and why karma is the best advice he’s ever received.
1. You’ve had a brilliant career, from your early days at a research agency, then Mindshare in the UK/Europe, to now CEO of Starcom Australia. If you had to pick, what would be your career highlight so far?
Matt Houltham: Championing communications planning and doing fun ideas like ‘Steal Banksy’ when Managing Director at Naked Communications.
Also, returning to the Publicis fold for the second time to lead the amazing team at Starcom Australia.
2. I love your discipline and focus on client metrics. What are the client metrics that really matter and drive growth?
MH: We obsess over the same things our clients do – business results. Penetration, sales, revenue and market share.
3. COMvergence ranks Starcom #1 in the APAC region. How are you going to put your leadership stamp on the agency in Australia?
MH: By setting clear direction and giving our very talented team the room and responsibility to deliver.
4. As a young boy, what did you want to be when you grew up?
MH: A pilot, and then a sound engineer. Never quite made it.
5. Starcom Australia’s client retention is first class at 100%, plus you recently won HBF. What’s the number one factor that truly embeds clients with Starcom?
MH: In the words of the band Faith No More, ‘We care a lot’. We work very hard to become an extension of our clients’ teams, cutting through the complexity to share their challenges, successes, and ultimately drive growth.
6. In the media/marketing industry, what’s one thing you would change to make us all better?
MH: Less apocalyptic rhetoric, more collective nurture of our people. Human creativity has never been more important. Right now, the industry needs to work together to demonstrate that tech and AI can be a force for good when used to augment and enhance our talent.
7. In challenging times, please share a recent example of how you are driving client business outcomes.
MH: We’ve helped Miele grow faster than the market for the last five years, through a data-powered transformation that enables them to target their most valuable customer segments at scale.
8. What’s the best career advice you’ve ever been given?
MH: Karma is real.
9. What’s one thing that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?
MH: I’m mad for salty liquorice. Absolutely love it!
10. Important last question: Do your parents really know what you do?
MH: Thankfully, they no longer think I’m personally responsible for ‘all the annoying ads on the internet’. But beyond that, no, they don’t.
