The Marketing Academy Australia has announced this year’s intake. The highly selective scholarship program is designed to equip the next generation of top talent across marketing, media and agencies to become business and industry leaders.

The program includes one-to-one mentoring with board level execs including Jo Boundy, CMO, Commbank; Suzana Ristevski, CMO, NAB; Eric Thomson, Global Marketing Director, Pernod Ricard; Anubha Sahasrabuddhe CMO, Lion; Brent Smart, CMO, Telstra; Sweta Mehra, CMO, ANZ; Jenni Dill CMO, Arnott’s; Susan Coghill, CMO, Tourism Australia; Peter Horgan, CEO, Omnicom Media Group; Stuart Tucker, CMO, Hipages; Mark Coad, CEO, IPG Mediabrands; and Leisa Bacon, Director of Audiences at ABC.

Scholars are each assigned an Executive Coach and attend three residential ‘Boot Camps’ plus lectures and masterclasses hosted by international experts.

Scholars also receive 10 places for their teams and colleagues to enrol on the online development program ‘The Marketing Academy Virtual Campus’.

“Year after year we are blown away by the calibre of talent in Australia and this year is no different,” said The Marketing Academy Founder & Global CEO, Sherilyn Shackell. “I’d like to thank our selection panel, sponsors, Mentors, Executive Coaches, and speakers for their ongoing generosity."

Emma Terry, CEO South Australian Tourism Commission and Alumni of the Scholarship Program described the program as “life changing … it enabled me to open my eyes, expand my horizons and build my leadership capability to step up from CMO to CEO.”

The Marketing Academy Australia Scholarship Class of 2023:

• Ainslie Williams, CEO Qualie
• Akshay Sardana, Director, Product Marketing, Optus
• Belinda Drew, Chief Client Officer, The Monkeys part of Accenture Song
• Ben Clarke-Groom, Marketing Director - Marvel, Lucasfilm & National Geographic, The Walt Disney Company
• Benjamin Cleary, Manager - Performance Marketing & Audience, IAG
• Bianca Mundy, Acting General Manager – Brand, Digital & Design, Coles
• Daniel O'Brien, Managing Director, Frontier Australia
• David Gatt, Director, Deloitte Digital
• David McDermott, Portfolio Marketing Manager, Mars Petcare
• Edward Hughes, Client Services Director, BMF
• James Peereboom, Executive Manager, Brand Communications, Commonwealth Bank
• Jason Thatcher, Head of Brand & Advertising, Sportsbet
• Jordyn Evans, Founder, Mingle Seasoning
• Kristy Bloomfield, Senior VP Global Marketing, Lyre’s Spirit Co
• Larissa Nery, Global Manager Digital, Mobile & UX, Tourism Australia
• Lauren Small, Managing Director, Carat Australia
• Nick Cook, General Manager Marketing, Mad Mex
• Prue Mahar, Head of Marketing - Customer Content and Channels, REA Group
• Rachael Townsley, Marketing Director, Indeed
• Rebecca Robertson, Managing Partner, Howatson + Company
• Robbie Brammall, Director of Marketing and Communications, MONA
• Rosie McFarlane, Head of Loyalty, Mecca Brands
• Ruth Goumans, Brand Manager, KFC
• Sarah Rosales, National Marketing & Customer Experience Manager, Toyota Financial Services Simon Greally, Global Head of Marketing & Comms, Harrison ai
• Sophie Verow, Senior Strategy & Operations Marketing Manager AU/NZ, Google
• Toby Gill, AAMI Brand & Marketing Manager, Suncorp Group
• Trina Ng, Senior Director, Asia Pacific Marketing, Salesforce
• William Koukouras, National Director, Sport & Entertainment, Publicis Groupe
• Zunilka Whitnall, New Product and Innovation Lead, UNICEF