Former Crown chief brand and corporate affairs leader, Danielle Keighery, is set to become the new c-suite marketing and corporate affairs chief at Optus as a new structure the telco says is designed to simplify its business model comes into fruition.

Mi3 has confirmed Keighery as the incoming new MD of marketing and corporate affairs at Optus, with a direct reporting line to Optus CEO, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin. She officially takes up the post in early 2024. 

Duel marketing and corporate affairs roles are rare in blue chip companies - Commonwealth Bank's Monique Macleod and Nestle's Anneliese Douglass are others with similar remits.  

The role is an indirect and elevated position compared to that held by former VP of marketing (CMO), Mel Hopkins, who had been reporting into MD of consumer marketing and revenue, Matt Williams, prior to joining Seven as chief marketing and audience officer earlier this year. Keighery’s appointment comes as the telco also introduces a new integrated product business unit, dubbed Customer Solutions, led by Williams.

“Optus’ vision is to be Australia’s most loved everyday brand with lasting customer relationships. To achieve that, we need to be easy to do business with and this requires simplification of our operating model,” Optus told Mi3.

“We have created one integrated product business unit, Customer Solutions, led by Matt Williams, that brings together our consumer and mass business product teams together, strengthening our operating model and delivering end-to-end solutions for customers with greater efficiency and effectiveness.” 

Keighery comes into Optus off the back of a big year at Crown as its chief brand and corporate affairs officer. She’s had to navigate the troubled casino and entertainment operator through a tumultuous 2023 that included a whopping $450 million fine for historic breaches of Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws, as well as shedding more than 100 staff.

2022 was also choppy: Having joined under its former ownership, Keighery had to swim through similar reputational waters as Blackstone completed its $8.9 billion acquisition of Crown Resorts in what was dubbed the largest transaction for the private equity firm in Asia-Pacific to date.

Most recently, Keighery was responsible for spearheading a brand repositioning campaign (by The Monkeys, which have just exited a 15-year relationship with Telstra) which debuted in late September in a bid to restore a positive image of Crown in the market. News of Keighery’s resignation from Crown first broke in September through a memo by CEO, Ciaran Carruthers.

Prior to this, Keighery was chief customer officer at the Bank of Queensland, for just over a year, with responsibility for group customer strategy, corporate and regulatory affairs, brand, marketing, community investment and the office of the CEO. She previously spent 10 years with Virgin Airlines and 16 years with Virgin in total, rising from external public affairs and corporate affairs management to chief experience officer.

Wirth 'not heading to Crown'

Meanwhile, rumours circulating that outgoing Qantas Loyalty CEO, Olivia Wirth, is set to replace Keighery at Crown Resorts are unfounded, Mi3 can confirm.

Wirth has been CEO of the frequent flyer division since 2018 and has spent the last 14 years with the airline. With a strong corporate affairs background, Wirth’s role throughout her tenure at Qantas up until 2018 saw her retaining leadership of the corporate affairs function.

As reported by M3, Wirth finishes up at Qantas in February 2024. While her final destination isn’t clear, Wirth joined the board of Myer earlier in October as a non-executive director.

Crown Resorts appointed former Diageo and Domino’s marketing chief, Adam Ballesty, as EGM of brand and marketing in April 2023.