It is with immense sadness that Advertising Council Australia (ACA) has announced the passing of Jo Libline – a much-loved and respected member of the local advertising industry.
Jo had been fighting illness for about 18 months but lost her battle earlier this month and passed away peacefully.
Jo was the driving force behind signature events such as The Effies, The Work Behind The Work, AWARD Awards, and more recently This Way Up: Australia’s Advertising Festival of Creativity.
She made many friends over the 15 years she spent with ACA and took enormous pride in her work, always making it look easy. Yet overseeing everything from entries and judges to venues, presenters and more took a huge amount of work, tenacity and diplomacy.
The CEO of ACA, Tony Hale, said: “We are all devastated. Quite simply, Jo loved the industry. The Effie and AWARD communities were like family to her. She was admired for her unflappable professionalism and loved for her colourful, wicked sense of humour. Her contribution was incomparable. She knew just about everyone in agency land, film production companies and the marketing world. Her absence leaves a void for everyone.”
Jo’s contribution has been recognised by so many of her colleagues and friends, whose messages have been warmly received by both her family and the ACA team.
At an appropriate time, a tribute will be organised to acknowledge her friendship, professionalism and her outstanding and far-reaching contribution to the industry.