One team.
Driven by possibility.
Icon's multidisciplinary team works at the intersection of web, creative, PR and communications. We are 60+ individuals from across Australia and the globe, driven by shared values of purpose and possibility.
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.
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 culturally diverse group of creators, thinkers, writers and technologists unified by respect and excellence.
People
60+ diverse professionals
11 nationalities
7 languages
4 integrated teams
Heritage
We've been around the block a few times and are still leading the pack.
Heritage
Proudly Melbourne-born in 2002
Fiercely independent
Founder led
Offices
Headquartered in Cremorne, Melbourne’s digital and innovation hub - with offices in Canberra and Sydney.
Offices
We’re everywhere you need us.
Melbourne
Sydney
Canberra
Global network
Thinking bigger than Australia? Our global network gives you access to over 90 agencies.
Global network
Proud PROI partner
90 agencies
USD $990M fees
6,800 consultants in 172 offices worldwide
Beliefs
With vision and
collective action,
anything is possible.
Today, people expect more from the brands they buy and services they rely on. They want businesses that stand for something; organisations with purpose. We know this because we live it.
Our team view the world with optimism and curiosity, seeking possibility in everything we do. Our belief system, the Pursuit of Possibility, is about asking ‘what if’ and creating ‘what could be’ through the application of creativity, empathy and data.
Founders
Joanne Painter
Group Managing Director
As Group Managing Director, Joanne leads the Icon team across three 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.
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, Digital
Chris heads Icon’s digital division, drawing on his business acumen and passion for all things tech to forge one of Australia’s leading user experience and web development teams.
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.
He is a member of RMIT University's Industry Advisory Committee, a board member of Express Media, and member of the Pause Fest 2020/21 Advisory Board.
Leadership team
Matthew Thomas
Head of PR
With nearly two-decades experience working in marketing, communications and public relations, Matt has worked with leading brands in the not-for-profit, corporate and government sectors.
At Icon, Matt leads on strategy and implementation across earned, owned and shared channels. He excels at helping clients to navigate complex topics and environments, while empowering them to purposefully connect with their audiences.
His clients include technology, finance, government and not-for-profits with a strong focus on behaviour change.
His primary practice areas include media relations, strategic communications and change, stakeholder engagement, issues management, and content strategy and design.
IAPT2 trained, he has a sophisticated understanding of community engagement and outrage mitigation and has deployed this understanding in fields as diverse as infrastructure, planning and social policy. His strong people skills enable him to bring together staff, stakeholders and executive to effectively deliver project outcomes and protect the reputation of the organisations and brands with which he works.
Hazel Tiernan
Group Account Director
Over her 20-year account service career, Hazel has worked with many iconic global and Australian brands including Solo, Sunkist, Starburst, Diners Club, ANZ and Whiskas. In 2006, Hazel drove the global integration of the Pedigree Petfoods brand positioning across Europe, USA and Australia. More recently, Hazel has led our team to launch new integrated creative platforms for the 2017 National Gun Amnesty, Sustainability Victoria, VicRoads, Yarra Trams and Brimbank City Council.
She has a deep understanding of integrated communications, channel planning and strategic brand development, and has an aptitude for managing and producing complex projects and creative campaigns. Her keen eye for detail and creative flair ensure seamless project outcomes for Icon's creative clients.
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 principals. 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.
Ed Bechervaise
Creative Director
Ed is a brand strategy and campaign specialist able to deliver ideation and execution of campaigns across ATL, digital, social media, direct response and event activations. He has extensive experience working across government, not-for-profit, business-to-business and commercial sectors. He has headed agencies in Australia and Amsterdam, and is also a prolific urban artist who brings his love of popular, niche and global culture to bear on his commercial work. His cutting-edge design, art direction and art world contacts mark him out as a style leader in his own right.
At Icon, Ed has taken a leading role in creative brand building, TVC and advertising projects for clients including Sustainability Victoria, Yarra Trams, State Trustees, Vic Roads, NSW Farmers, the Federal Attorney-General’s Department, and the Victorian Department of Justice.
Gerard Roche
Senior Digital Producer
Gerard has over 20 years’ experience managing large scale digital projects and teams. Certified in multiple project management methodologies including Agile and Waterfall, he tailors solutions to deliver projects on time, budget and scope.
His end-to-end knowledge has ensured the successful delivery of complex digital transformation projects for Mondelez, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Department of Defence, the Victorian Bar, the Royal Australian Air Force and the NDIS
With a balance of user-first principals and business acumen, Gerard drives digital projects that deliver for users and client ROI. As a digital native he is continually looking for ways to improve Icon's CX, UX, UI and development approaches.
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.
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.