Shock and sadness

Shock and sadness is flowing across multiple industries and from hundreds of colleagues after high-profile and widely regarded chief marketing officer, Lisa Ronson was killed in a farm accident this weekend involving an ATV (all terrain vehicle).

Ronson, who joined Medibank in July as CMO, has held numerous high-profile marketing roles over a career stretching more than two decades including Westpac, Tourism Australia, Coles, David Jones, Telstra and CUB (now Asahi). 

Victorian Police confirmed the accident occurred on Ronson and husband Chris Taylor's private property in Ullina, near Daylesford, Victoria. Investigators have been told a 52-year-old woman was riding the ATV on the property on Clunes-Daylesford Road about 7pm on 23 November. She lost control of the vehicle and crashed. Emergency services were called but the woman could not be revived. 

Ronson is survived by Taylor, her son Ben and family.

Tributes flow

Taylor said in a statement: “I am lost without her. The sudden loss of our beloved Lisa has left us in profound shock, with words falling short of capturing the depth of our grief. Our hearts are broken beyond words. Yet, in our sorrow, we hold onto the memories of her spirit, her smile, laughter, and the love she so generously shared. May her beautiful soul rest in peace.”

Meanwhile, tributes are flowing from industry colleagues.

Woolworths CMO Andrew Hicks both competed with Ronson head-to-head in the supermarket sector and collaborated with her on industry advancement at the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA). 

“Lisa was an extremely successful marketer and a formidable competitor. Whenever we met at industry events, she was gracious, caring and always willing to have a chat. Lisa embodied positivity, had a vivacious smile and a wonderful sense of humour at the ready. Through her curiousity and insight, Lisa built brands that connected millions of people, but I will always remember and cherish the personal connection we had. My heartfelt condolences to Chris and Ben,” Hicks says.

Big ambitions

Tourism Australia CMO, Susan Coghill, worked with Ronson when she held the marketing chief’s post for the national tourism organisation from February 2015 to March 2019 and was part of the team behind the iconic and multiple award-winning Crocodile Dundee Superbowl campaign. It was a job and program of work that saw Ronson recognised as #1 CMO in 2018 in the former CMO50 program.

“As so many in the industry would say, Lisa was much more than a colleague, she was a friend over the years. The outpouring of love for her today is testament to that. She always had big ambitions and she made the journey fun and created opportunities for those around her. My thoughts are with her family and loved ones,” Coghill says.

Woolworths director of brand and marketing, Everyday Rewards Portfolio, Michael Laxton, worked with Ronson at Coles between January 2019 and June 2021, where he was GM of brand and media then GM of brand, design and digital to her CMO.

“My word, what a hole Lisa will leave in the lives of everyone she knew. Professionally Lisa was the best brand marketer I’d ever met: authentic, intuitive, contemporary and impactful. I’ll forever be proud of the work we did together at Coles. Personally, she was like family. A huge heart, a home where everyone was welcome, a soul that both sought out and generated joy. I’ll be raising a champagne to you Lise.”

Never happier

News Corp’s Managing Director, National Sales, Lou Barrett said she was “absolutely heartbroken today. I’ve known Lisa for 30 years, we’d had many wonderful journeys together starting back in the mid 1990’s around the road to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games when she worked for CUB and I worked for 2UE. She was an absolute superstar, a true friend, a trailblazer and one of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. My heart and deepest sympathies go out to Chris, Ben and all her family. She will be truly missed and always in our hearts.”

Ted Horton, the creative behind Coles’ “Down, down” campaign, worked with Ronson at four different companies - David Jones, Westpac, Coles and Medibank – and said she had “appointed me, sacked me and stayed friends with me throughout. In fact, Lisa, Chris and I had enjoyed one of our many dinners only three weeks ago. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her happier. She loved her new role at Medibank. Her son Ben had graduated and was about to take on the world and Chris had worked tirelessly to turn their country property into a real haven for them both. I will miss her. My heart goes out to all her many friends, but particularly to her devoted husband Chris, her son and pride and joy Ben, her wonderful mother Gloria and her sisters. Rest in peace Lisa. We will not forget you.”

Omnicom Media Group CEO Peter Horgan said: “Lisa was a loyal client and friend. She was fully committed in everything she put her mind to. She gave so much to the industry, her role, and her friends. It was an absolute privilege to have been in her circle. Her infectious laugh, sense of mischief, and utter professionalism. It’s just a tragic loss for everyone. My thoughts are with Ben and Chris Vale Lisa.”

Impact legacy

Likewise from Paramount-Ten Chief Sales Officer Rod Prosser: “Lisa was one of Australia’s most accomplished and respected marketers, a true example of professionalism, class, and integrity. Beyond her remarkable career, she was a devoted mother to Ben and a loving partner to Chris. On a personal level, Lisa was a dear friend to me—someone I deeply admired and will miss greatly. She had a genuine warmth, and her support meant the world to me. I’ll always remember how much she cherished her time at their property and her days in Melbourne. Lisa’s passing is an immense loss to all who knew her, both professionally and personally. I am still in shock and thinking of both Chris and Ben in these overwhelmingly difficult times."

The board and staff of the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) said in a statement they were devastated: "The AANA Board, staff and community are truly devasted to hear of the tragic passing of our good friend and colleague, Lisa Ronson, taken from us way too soon,” the AANA statement said.

“Few have impacted our industry and its people more than Lisa. She leaves behind a legacy of outstanding work, talented teams, and strong friendships across the industry.  Lisa was a tireless advocate for marketing, our industry and building up the people around her.   Her passion for developing talent is legendary.  She invested countless hours educating, mentoring, coaching and speaking at events to share her knowledge and passion for marketing with young talent. 

“Her wicked sense of humour, contagious laugh and the ability to find a kind and constructive way through any situation, made her a favourite and close friend to so many. Lisa’s enormous contribution to the AANA Board over so many years is a testament to her dedication and commitment to the industry that she cherished so much. Our thoughts, love and support are with Lisa’s husband Chris, her son Ben, and her friends throughout the industry. In memory of an exceptional life well lived. Farewell, Lisa. You will be deeply missed.”

Creative, her teams, next gen marketers

Karen Ganschow was another who worked with Ronson and noted her dynamism - the pair overlapped initially when working at Telstra in the early 2000s, then again at Westpac between 2011 and 2014, when Ronson was GM of brand and advertising. Ganschow was GM of CRM and digital at Westpac from 2011 – October 2016, then moved onto multiple marketing and data leadership roles for NAB and most recently, Aware Super, before retiring.

“Lisa was an iconic marketer championing for the customer insight and then delivering in a bold and creative way. She has left a significant imprint on the Australian marketing landscape,” Ganschow said. “Her rebranding of Westpac, absolute obsession to keep the Westpac helicopters when there was a strong push otherwise,  the iconic reprise of Crocodile Dundee to again put Australia on the priority of global must visit destinations. More importantly, Lisa was a wonderful friend and colleague. She would champion and care for her teams as much as she would champion for great creative work. Lisa invested time to nurture the next generation of marketers whilst maintaining strong authentic connections with her industry colleagues and friends. The world is better place for her being here and there is a huge void in her too early departure.”

In a statement shared on behalf of several of Ronson’s wider pool of former Westpac colleagues, Westpac group executive of customer and corporate services, Carolyn McCann, expressed great sadness at the passing of the loved industry professional and friend.

“Lisa worked at Westpac from 2011 to 2014 and was a much loved colleague and friend. Lisa brought joy, happiness and an enormous amount of energy to work. She made everyone feel special and we all loved working with her,” the statement read.

Never a bad word

Former McDonald’s CMO, GroupM chief and founder and CEO of the Global Mentorship and Strategy organisation, Mark Lollback, said Ronson was his first port of call for a mentor when he set up his new business, because of her dynamism, giving nature, professional stature and role modelling of what a modern marketing leader should be.

"I am deeply saddened by the news regarding Lisa and her passing. If there was anybody in our industry that was a perfect representative of what we should stand for, what we should look up to and what we should admire to be seen as, it would be Lisa. She was generous. She was creative. She was brave. She was inclusive. She was a wonderful human being. Lisa was a smart, great marketeer, a great leader and somebody who was generous with her time for everybody in the industry. She never said a bad word about anybody. It is a loss to us as friends. It’s a loss to the industry. I just feel for her family. Sorry you have left us Lisa. You have left an amazing impression and memory for all of us to hold onto.”

Interested, curious about everything

Business consultant and ADMA board member, David Morgan, connected closely with and worked with Lisa over the years, as a marketing peer, then advisor / mentor in the industry. Morgan most recently had been a scholarship mentor alongside Ronson at The Marketing Academy.

"Lisa was a great marketer and more – she never hesitated in helping others, supporting her teams and the community with wisdom, enthusiasm, and fun. She was also my favourite companion and great friend. Truly tragic – we miss you,” Morgan said.

Mutinex co-founder and CEO Henry Innis recounted Ronson taking a cold call from him in 2020 for which he wanted to run his early business model past her for a litmus test.

“She didn’t know me, took the time, validated the idea and in late 2021 organised a meeting where we were put on an RFP list for Coles,” Innis said. “She took time out on multiple occasions after that just to see how we were doing. She was so interested in everything. So kind about everything. She was truly one of the good people.” 

Vale Lisa Ronson.