WE ARE
A global communications agency built to grow brands through
Our approach to media is underpinned by a simple reality – advertising avoidance behaviours will continue to accelerate as new platforms and technologies emerge. This will result in the continued deterioration of paid media effectiveness over time as brands struggle with the pace they need to stay relevant.
We believe that the speed at which a brand interprets – and responds to – cultural data signals to improve its relevance with consumers is the key to success.
We call this Cultural VelocityTM.
What hasn’t changed in this fresh approach is our promise to deliver transformative business results. We do this by interrogating data and customer insights, stewarding your investments to drive efficiencies and savings with the utmost transparency.
- Why?
- EMOTION
- VALUE
- LOYALTY
We are proud to call the following culture-driving brands our partners around the world.
We are proud to call the following culture-driving brands our partners around the world.
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Mat Baxter
Global Chief Executive Officer
Mat serves as the Global CEO of Initiative. Since taking the reins of Initiative in August 2016, Mat has transformed Initiative’s product and structure to help brands take the initiative in culture. In that time, Initiative has been appointed as global media agency for leading brands like Amazon, LEGO, Converse and Carlsberg. In late 2017, Initiative was ranked number 1 in the global media agency “Success Index” by internationally recognised agency ratings company, RECMA. Previously, Mat served as the Global Chief Strategy and Creative Officer for IPG Mediabrands. He was responsible for expanding the network’s strategic offerings and creative product and marketing. A true veteran of the industry, Mat was a co-founder of Naked Communications and also previously served as CEO of UM Australia. Under his leadership, UM became the country’s highest ranked and most awarded media agency, being named Australia’s “Media Agency of the Year” a record four consecutive years. The agency was also named “Global Media Agency of the Year” at the Festival of Media Global Awards in Rome, Italy, the first time an Australian agency had received this honor. Mat was also named by Campaign Magazine as CEO of the Year. Mat has served as a board member for the International Advertising Association (IAA), Media Federation of Australia (MFA) and as Chairman of the Cannes Young Lions Competition.
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Stefan Burford
Global Chief Strategy Officer
Stefan is an experienced and highly awarded communications strategist who has been working for over a decade on some of the world’s best brands. He started his IPG network life in 2011 as the Chief Strategy Officer of UM Australia and during his tenure won Campaign Magazine Media Planner of the Year as well as the Global Media Campaign of the Year at the Festival of Media. Stefan’s role involves leading the strategic vision of the group, championing creativity and culture, as well as driving innovation for clients.
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Jarrod Martin
Global Chief Data & Analytics Officer
Jarrod makes sense of the incredible amount of data and analytics we have to provide intelligent and globally scalable solutions for our clients. He works to accelerate the shift towards digital, and automate internal processes that enable our agencies to work more efficiently with our partners, clients and the broader Initiative network. As data and analytics, along with the insights they create, are becoming increasingly important to business, Jarrod collaborates strongly with our clients, agency and specialty units leads and is a key member of Initiative's global leadership team.
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Leah Meranus
Global Chief Experience Officer
Leah has a dual role at the agency; she oversees business development, as well as marketing and global initiatives under the experience pillar. This includes the connection of the Initiative global network as well as the consistency and quality of products. Leah also serves as the global client lead for Unilever, providing stewardship to the business across more than 30 countries.
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Stephanie Solomon
EVP, HR Business Partner
Stephanie leads Human Resources for the global network. She has been with Inititiave since 2013, ensuring best practises while the agency continues to grow, expand and hire incredible talent.
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Tom Rothenberg
Global Chief Client Officer
Tom leads the Initiative global client practice; relentlessly focused on ensuring that all our teams around the world are 100% aligned to our clients’ business success. Over his agency career, he has partnered blue chip & fast growth brands to win in almost every major category, helping them to multiple awards including the EACA Effies Grand Prix. After taking a break from life at IPG to run & sell a mobile tech startup, he returned to Initiative to bring all his experience to bear for the excellent companies that we are lucky enough to call our clients.
People are the true product of our agency. At Initiative, we create diverse and inclusive teams that are representative of the world around us, supported by a well-defined and strong culture.
That culture is one of empowerment. Everyone in the company has a voice and a role in developing our values and behaviours. Our culture extends into the way we recruit, train and develop our people, to ensure the best possible talent for our client partners.
CLICK HERE
People are the true product of our agency. At Initiative, we create diverse and inclusive teams that are representative of the world around us, supported by a well-defined and strong culture.
That culture is one of empowerment. Everyone in the company has a voice and a role in developing our values and behaviours. Our culture extends into the way we recruit, train and develop our people, to ensure the best possible talent for our client partners.
CLICK HERE
