So... That's me

Here you can learn about what I've done, what drives me and why we should work together.

Brief background

I am an internationally experienced, award-winning brand and foresight strategist. I am also a public speaker, lecturer and have written a number of articles for the trade press, mainstream media, academic journals and authored Foresight in Marketing and Marketing Research (Routledge), all of which contributed to the appointment as an Agenda Contributor to The World Economic Forum. I began my career in Intellectual Property Law in my native Brazil and progressed as a high-tech military consultant in Israel before pivoting towards senior marketing, media, innovation & foresight across the UK and Australia.

What is great brand strategy?

The development of great brands relies on outstanding insights, intellectual curiosity and the ability for seamless connection between strategy and execution. Great strategists are able to draw on multiple and diverse sources, make often unseen connections and translate these into distinctive and compelling ideas able to achieve short and long-term objectives. I work in the intersection of culture and technology, where I apply the nuanced sensitivity to address consumers' unarticulated desires.

Where does foresight come in?

The future is ours to create and not to predict. Therefore treating the future as an asset and not a guess is the best way to anticipate potential risks, opportunities and calibrate the preparedness required to stay ahead of the curve. For brands, it becomes a matter of projecting cycles that are bigger than their annual reviews and rather than focusing just on getting better at their game, decide what is the game they want to play to gain disproportionate advantage and deliver breakthrough innovations.

Body of Work:

My brand marketing experience spans across sectors as diverse as Education, Entertainment, Automotive, Tourism, FMCGs, Finance, Government, Non-Profits, Arts & Culture, Tech, Fashion, Tourism, Food and Beverages, Retail, Alcohol and more. I have led the revitalization of the Australian Grand Prix brand, the first to ban grid girls from its circuit. The global repositioning of HSBC, the creation of the Gates-Cambridge Scholarship, the enterprise-wide strategic purpose of AGL, the rebrand of Melbourne’s beating heart, Federation Square and most recently a re-definition of cult fashion brand, State of Escape.

Passion and Impact

Beyond technical skills, I am committed to developing teams and individuals. I aim to be the leader that can make a lasting difference in their lives and, ultimately, society. This commitment can be verified through my 2016 induction into the highly esteemed Marketing Academy, where I was recognised as one of the industry's most influential and original marketing strategists, which was followed by my appointment as inaugural Chair of the Alumni in Australia.

To fully be the change I want to see in the world, I am engaged in reframing marketing communications from the promotion of conspicuous consumption to becoming a regenerative force in the economy of cities through an approach I coined Urban Brand-Utility (UBU). Besides its publications and keynotes, UBU is also a practice I brought onto the nano-consultancy I founded, SURGE, where the full-range of strategic brand marketing communications, innovation and employee engagement is also offered.

In the disciplines of media and communications, I led the strategy function at P&G's global business unit, across the beauty and feminine care categories. I have actively contributed to Officeworks' winning of two consecutive Effies by establishing a highly collaborative and organised process with partner agencies.

I have also designed the communication strategy of several campaigns for the likes of Qantas, Kraft Heinz, Levi’s, Industry Superfunds Australia, Tourism Tasmania, MYOB, Mazda, Seek, Bupa, Oakley, Dulux, RMIT, 7-11, Red Cross, Mecca, ME Bank and Village Roadshow, among many others. Interestingly, I've led the strategic development of the TasInvest brand, content marketing program, media partnerships and conference welcoming the unprecedented visit of the Chinese President, his excellence Xi Jinping, and a delegation of 600 top tier investors to Tasmania.