Home coming
Returning to his homeland after a decade in overseas roles, Lucy Clark catches up with Jon Chadwick as he settles into the top chair at Maxus Australia.
After 11 years building a high-flying media career around the world, it was in Istanbul in 2011 that Jon Chadwick suddenly realised he wanted to come home.
On a business trip while he was working for Mindshare managing its Nike account, Chadwick had what he calls his “Istanbul Epiphany”. “I was in a great hotel in the middle of one of the most amazing cities in the world, and I just had a feeling that I didn’t really want to be there,” he recalls. “It was a moment where I realised that all the travel and adventure I’d been doing was coming to a natural end in terms of my desire to do it.”
Chadwick returned to Australia last October, taking over from David Gaines as CEO at Maxus Australia. He brought more than a decade of international insight with him.
“My perspective has changed,” he says. “When I was five, I remember riding to my grandparents’ house about a kilometre away and I thought it was the distance of Sydney to Melbourne. My perspectives on the industry have changed, like they did back then, in terms of geographical depth and breadth. I think I have a more pragmatic view of where Australia sits in the world.”
Chadwick left Australia back in 2001, bound for the role of media director at JWT in Vietnam. “The move to Vietnam was the biggest shock of my career,” he recalls. “I was young, working in a market that was under-developed and culturally very different. I hadn’t even left Australia before – I was 25 and didn’t even have a passport.”
From Vietnam, where he helped launch Mindshare into the market, he moved to Mindshare Singapore. Then in 2007, he moved to Europe as managing partner at Mindshare in central and eastern Europe and Russia, tasked with growing the agency’s local network.
In 2008, he took on the job of leading Mindshare’s global relationship with Nike. He says: “Another seminal moment of my career was moving to London right in the crash of 2008. It impacted on the industry immediately and was very challenging.” The Nike work took him to the States in 2010 to set up a Mindshare hub in Portland, Oregon, near Nike’s HQ.
As a result of these global roles, Chadwick sees importing and exporting as vital to Australia’s advertising market – and the rest of the world’s.
“There is a huge amount of opportunity for Australia,” he says. “There is a very rich talent pool and a very good penetration of technology here, so I think we have a good opportunity as an export market. There is also a natural hunger for Australian-based talent to travel because we are so far away from the rest of the world.
“But we should continue to import and diversify our talent pool. Diversity is key to creativity.”
Working with Nike, Chadwick experienced a new meaning to ‘innovation’. He explains: “Innovation, back in the day, was about idea development. But in the US I experienced innovation in terms of actually making things, such as Nike’s Fuel Band. Companies see digital not so much as a way of enhanced communications, but as building meaningful utilities that change people’s lives.”
Returning Down Under with a fresh perspective, Chadwick says there is a hint of nervousness in Australia – and a lot more competition. “I’ve noticed there is a natural cautious nature in the market,” he says. “It’s very competitive now. You can have great client relationships and happy staff, but you can be sure that there’s a competitor out there trying to take your business.”
Despite what others might say, Chadwick is adamant Australia’s adland is not behind other countries. “Looking at the work being done here on data, I’d say we’re one of the strongest in the world,” he says. “And if you look at Australia’s share of global expenditure versus our share of global awards like Cannes, we do very well.”
Taking the Maxus reins, Chadwick spent his first three months listening and learning, then the next three months strategising and planning. He is now busy executing his plans.
“The strategy for us this year is bringing the right people to the right roles, then we’ll shift into a more aggressive behaviour,” he explains.
This has seen Chadwick grow the Maxus headcount by 20% already, including Claire Taylor-Rowe as Maxus’ first chief strategy officer.
The agency has three objectives: to be the strongest Maxus office globally, to break into the top 10 agencies in the market, and to be seen as one of Australia’s most innovative agencies within three years. Chadwick’s plan to achieve these goals? People. “You get the right people delivering the right product and everything else follows.”
Sydney born and bred, with an inherent love of all things Aussie, especially the sport, Chadwick is enjoying being back in Australia – but admits he hasn’t ruled out overseas work for good. “That travel, that nomadic bug, is very difficult to shake,” he comments.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Latest News
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
General Motors has announced the appointment of Heath Walker (lead image) as the new marketing director for GM Australia and New Zealand, effective April 23, 2024. Walker brings a wealth of marketing and communications experience gained from working across various industries, including IT, sporting, and auto – notably Tesla, Nissan and most recently, Scania in […]
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Carsales Strikes With Another Storm-Based Team
Think our hacks are living their sports journalist dreams vicariously through B&T? Confirm it with this reporting.
Commission Factory & AGL Energy Ignite Strategic Partnership To Empower Australian Energy Consumers
Concerned by global warming yet ran the fans non-stop over summer? Add to the guilt with this read.
Allied Nabs Nicola Gold From Pico International Dubai
Seasoned marketer relocates from Dubai to Sydney. Says the shopping's not as good but at least you can get a drink.
Nine’s Push For Gold, Silver & Bronze Ad Opportunities Could Break New Ground In Broadcasting
Nine insists that AI won't dominate its Olympics coverage. And not merely because Bruce McAvaney doesn't understand it.
TV Ratings (16/04/2024): Toxic City Girls Too Much For Farmer Bert
Fans calling out toxic behaviour on Farmer Wants A Wife, seemingly unaware that's the very premise of any dating show.
Kaimera Wins Afterpay ANZ Media Account
Have couriers even started to mention you're overdoing the online shopping? Probably best to avoid this Afterpay news.
Industry Reacts: Stuff Group Swoops In To Save 6pm News After Newshub Closure
As you'll read here, New Zealand's media's in a right state of flux. And nor have they forgotten 1981's underarm.
a2 Milk Launches “Only a2 Will Do’ Brand Platform In First Work From BMF
A2 milk drinkers tend not to bother everyone with their gut health issues & it's a lesson for vegans & the gluten-free.
Can You Recite It In Under 4 Seconds? Maccas Relaunches Iconic Competition With Modern Twist
Do you know what would make a fantastic ad? Drunk people at 3am trying to recite the ”two all-beef patties"
‘Liar, Liar’: Lehrmann Exposed As High Profile Defamation Case Comes To A Close
Having exhausted all avenues in his defamation case, is there only one option left for Bruce - reality television?
MECCA & Fendi Among Premium Advertisers For oOh!media Woollahra OOH Network Launch
If you've not been to the snooty suburb of Woollahra, the locals would like to thank you again for staying well away.
Yahoo Academy Announces Class Of 2024
This academy is strictly for "emerging leaders". Courses don't include 'sleeping at your desk' or 'bunking off early'.
Top 35 Media Leaders Announced For 2024 TikTok Agency Accelerator Program
Despite the ban threats, TikTok keeps marching on. Cementing its reputation as the Julian Assange of the tech.
AiMCO Announces First-Ever Diversity Webinar To Explore Inclusion In Influencer Marketing
Think influencer marketing's a little on the white side? This free webinar's for you. Sadly, it's not given TV ideas.
Anthony Ellis Promoted To CEO Of Publicis Media Exchange
Anthony Ellis takes the opportunity to thank the office fern in his press photo following recent work promotion.
Indigenous Stars 3% & Jessica Mauboy Fuel New Supercars Campaign Via WILDCARD
Jessica Mauboy brings the tunes to new Supercars campaign. Meanwhile, Shannon Noll promises a revenge best served cold.