Our people, with purpose.
Icon is a diverse team of over 80 people with a common purpose.
We work across creative, digital, web, content, PR and communications to deliver positive outcomes and change behaviours.
Founded in 2002, our model is adapted to the disruptive forces reshaping modern marketing and communications: the declining influence of paid media; direct-to-consumer brand marketing; the rise of ecommerce; and the experience economy.
Icon is a 100% Australian-owned and based SME. Our revenue remains within Australia to support local jobs and innovation.
Snapshot
Strategic and interdisciplinary, we understand the new communications landscape. Our model is purpose-built to create a seamless experience and powerful brand narrative across all channels.
People
A diverse group of creators, thinkers, writers and technologists unified by respect and excellence.
People
80+ diverse professionals
5 integrated teams
Production capabilities
Founder led
Heritage
We've been around the block a few times and are still leading the pack.
Heritage
20 years of growth
People focused
Purpose driven
Locations
Icon has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane
Locations
We’re everywhere you need us.
Melbourne
Sydney
Canberra
Brisbane
Partner network
Thinking bigger than Australia? Our global network gives you access to over 90 agencies.
Partner network
Global PROI partner
LOTE
Able Australia
AMI
YoungBloods
Winangali
Beliefs
When great people and higher purpose come together
At Icon, everything we do, every single day is about people. Because in our agency, people will always come first, whether they are our own or those we work for.
And, with a focus on people, comes a passion for purpose and a promise to have a positive impact on those people’s lives, wherever they are on their journey, and minimise harm to the planet.
We use technology and humanity in equal measure to best serve our clients’ needs and solve complex communications problems.
We are communicative and collaborative which helps us produce integrated, end-to-end results that work.
We're for people, with purpose.
Founders
Joanne Painter
Group Managing Director
As Group Managing Director, Joanne leads the Icon team across four Australian offices, driving the company’s strategic growth agenda while continuing to nurture our purpose-driven culture. Since 2017 she has spearheaded Icon’s national expansion program, opening our first interstate office in Canberra followed closely by Sydney and Brisbane.
With 25 years of experience in communications, Joanne is a recognised leader in Australian public relations, serving on several industry boards and the national Board of the Public Relations Institute of Australia.
With a proven track record in strategic communications, Joanne consults widely to business owners, Directors and the C-Suite on change management, media strategy, creative integration and behaviour change.
Chris Dodds
Managing Director, Growth & Innovation
Chris works with Icon's digital division to help drive strategy, innovation, and client service.
Based in Melbourne, Chris started his career in graphic design before completing a Masters Degree in Digital Media at RMIT University. Since founding Icon in 2002, he has helped build and guide the agency’s integrated service model – combining creative, digital and PR thinking into a cohesive team driven by respect and innovation.
Chris is a member of RMIT University's Industry Advisory Committee, and a board member of Express Media – a NFP dedicated to developing, supporting and promoting young writers.
Leadership team
Michael Knox
Executive Creative Director
Michael is a highly regarded creative with more than 25 years of experience in the advertising and media industry. He currently leads Icon Agency’s Creative team, collaborating with clients to plan campaigns and brands, mentoring key and emerging talent, and elevating Icon’s overall body of work.
Michael is passionate about insight-driven creativity, building sustainable brand and customer relationships, and fostering ambitious, collaborative teams. He is a highly respected industry figure and has won and judged at major award shows including D&AD, The One Show, Cannes Lions and Spikes Asia.
Mat Crompton
Strategy and Head of Change Collective
Mat has 15+ years of experience working in multinational advertising and communications agencies and is a specialist in behaviour change communications. Over the last five years, Mat has developed strategic communications campaigns across key social issues that affect individuals and the broader community, including violent extremism, mis/disinformation, gender equality, aged care, mental health, suicide prevention, food waste, single-use plastics, water conservation and industry superannuation - to name but a few.
Mat is also an expert in addiction, problem gambling and harm reduction.
Qualifications:
- BSC (Hons) Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, UK
Matt White
UX Design Director
Matt is an award-winning UX design lead with two decades of experience in Australia and the UK. With a deep understanding of digital branding and visual design, Matt designs enriched digital experiences based on user-centred principles. He is passionate about helping brands communicate their story online, and believes in building seamless digital products through championing the people he is designing for.
Matt’s design work has received many awards and accolades including the AWWWARDS, CSS Design Awards, AMI and Golden Target Awards. He has led UX design for clients such as the Department of Defence, Air Force, Mondelez, NDIS, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Artbank, ABCC, ASEA, iSelect, Kinetic Super, MCRI, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Sustainability Victoria, and MyGuestList.
David Radestock
Executive Director, Communications
David brings a wealth of experience with some of the biggest technology brands in Australia.
He led the Microsoft account at Ogilvy PR, and has led numerous multi-channel, multi-discipline strategic communications for organisations such as Salesforce, Lenovo, Twitter, Block, CrowdStrike, NBN Co, and Xero.
He pairs deep tech sector knowledge with broad expertise across the full spectrum of communications - corporate and consumer; earned, owned, and paid; government relations; digital; and issues and crisis management.
Mark Forbes
Director of Reputation
Mark is a Walkley-award winning journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of The Age in Melbourne. He has also worked at Four Corners and Channel Seven, in the Federal and State parliament press galleries and as an overseas correspondent.
Mark brings almost 30 years of success at the highest levels of communications practice to his strategic communications services, including issues management, crisis management, interview coaching and media relations.
Specialising in reputation building communications strategies, he has raised the profile of major companies, guided global manufacturers through controversial issues and assisted CEOs enhance their reputations.
Dr Jason Guo
Solution Architect and Technical Lead, Canberra
Jason is a highly skilled solution architect and developer who has been designing, developing and supporting open-source solutions since 2004.
He has extensive experience working in public and private sector organisations as a senior manager, solution architect, technical analyst, developer and electrical engineer.
Jason has managed web operations for both Federal government and private organisations, and managed development teams using agile methodologies. He has been actively involved in Drupal development for government, including web accessibility reviews and solution design.
Gabrielle Gray
General Manager
Gabrielle has 20+ years of experience partnering with creative organisations to drive growth and commercial excellence. Gabi has led teams of CPAs, bookkeepers and coaches as an outsourced finance department providing everything from administration to CFO-level advice.
Gabrielle is responsible for the commercial strategy of Icon, partnering with the executive team to set the growth ambitions and vision while working closely with team and account leads to drive process and operational excellence.
As a people person, Gabrielle has a strong focus on fostering a productive, creative and inclusive culture at Icon, to grow the team of practitioners as the business expands into the future.
Andrew Mackay
Executive Director, Digital
Andrew is a versatile professional with over 20 years of experience leading multi-disciplinary teams delivering large-scale digital, marketing and communication programs. He has held substantive roles across Not-For-Profit, Federal Government, Consulting, and Start-up environments and amassed a broad range of experience around CMS, CRM, and web3 technologies.
Andrew has a depth of experience leading Digital teams in consulting and agency environments, delivering Drupal/GovCMS solutions and web applications for Federal and State Government Clients. His previous clients have included the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Home Affairs, Sports Integrity Australia, Transport for NSW, and ACT Government.
With a passion for innovation and emerging technologies, Andrew has expertise in the start-up community, having worked with brands such as Heavy Metal Magazine in the Blockchain and web 3.0 technology space before joining the team at Icon.
