International Women’s Day 2021 – Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala © AFP via Getty Images Happy International Women’s Day! 8 March every year is a day to reflect on and recognise the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future, to celebrate the progress made towards gender...
Rediscovering our way back to creativity in 2021
As 2021 kicks off with all its hopes and opportunities to regain some of our lost freedom, there remains a lot of uncertainty., The roll-out of the vaccine may just be the only gateway ahead of us to truly move forward. Whilst we have been adapting to a new hybrid...
2020 the year that has left us speechless
For the first time in living memory the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) was unable to choose one singular word to encapsulate the year that was, but rather expanded its annual selection to a whole list, describing it as the year that has left us all speechless. Quite...
Why choose a career in financial communications?
When most people picture a career in public relations, they assume it to be associated with glamorous consumer product launches and influencer-endorsed campaigns for prestige industries like fashion, beauty and entertainment. However, public relations in fact...
A face-to-screen hybrid model for client momentum in 2021
If you scroll through your socials, I’m sure you’ve come across many 2020 memes and videos designed to help us find humour in the worst of times. A quick Google search and you’ll find a wrap up of the best. You can even find all kinds of T-shirt designs to make it...
Reflections on my remote Internship
It goes without saying that this year has had its challenges. Bushfires, coronavirus, lockdown, Brexit, a global recession, Prince Harry leaving the Royal Family, and that’s only the half of it! I’m sure none of us could’ve pictured this as we sipped champagne at New...
Mental Health Matters
When World Mental Health Day came around on October 10, its significance took on greater importance this year perhaps more so than other times. Back in July, the Mentally Healthy 2020 survey found that the media, marketing and creative industry’s mental health...
A silver lining to our great WFH disruption
2020 will be a year to remember…or possibly more accurately one to forget, the world has changed and can now be categorised as pre-COVID and post-COVID. We have all been forced to adapt, innovate and as my colleague Natalie previously discussed ‘pivot’ has become the...
A Big Fat Greek Crisis
Fans of the 2002 US rom com My Big Fat Greek Wedding might recall the seminal role played by actor Michael Constantine as father of the bride Toula. His character’s name was Kostas “Gus” Portokalos. Gus was the Windex-toting father who believed the blue cleaning fluid...
Pivot Relations: a new job title for 2020
Like the word unprecedented, pivot has become a bit cliché. But in these strange times of working through a global pandemic, I do believe my job title should definitely include the ‘p’ word. Reacting to change – some of it historic and, yes, unprecedented is a daily...
When life serves you Zoom meetings, make the bed!
Transitioning into full time employment after graduation can be pretty daunting, particularly due to one crucial life skill you don’t learn in university: the nine-to-five routine. Long gone are the 11am wake-ups, rushing to your midday tutorial and clocking off for...
Can women be women in the finance industry?
Could the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic drive deeper reflection and positive action on the issues of equity for females in finance and in the broader Australian community? The picture is quite stark, leading us at Madden to discuss the role of women in...
Women in financial services and diversity
Well before the coronavirus pandemic, many women in Australia faced an uphill equity battle with their retirement savings and simple literacy regarding money. Madden & Assoc. caught up with Financial Advisor and Co-founder of Fox & Hare, Jess Brady to discuss...
Finding the positives within a global pandemic – Through the eyes of a millennial PR
Some of the Madden team's remote working stations. There is no doubt this is a time of great unknown and the upheaval to each of our lives is unlike anything we have experienced before. As a late twenties PR practitioner, if someone had told me this time last...
Contagion, COVID-19 and Communication
History may not help an investor make a safe financial bet, but lessons from the past can help guide our communication response to avert future calamity driven by rumour, fear and panic. In the context of world contagion, like the panic we have seen grip global financial markets over the evolving Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 situation, it is helpful to look back to understand historical lessons…
Can robo fill the gap?
In these days of fractured wealth sector business models, amid the green shoots of ethical, quality financial advice in Australia, does digital advice automation hold the key to a sustainable future built on serving the unmet needs of more advice consumers? Can the...
Coffee with… Gemma Acton, Network Finance Editor, Seven News
A true professional and a pleasure to listen to, Gemma Acton has spent over 10 years in the finance industry, with her career spanning over multiple continents. After moving back to Australia from London, her current role sees her covering business and finance for...
How to navigate a new internship
In my final year of my communications degree, and despite a couple of internships under my belt, I found myself unsure of where I wanted to land in the media landscape. Finance was not an industry I pictured myself in at the beginning of my university career. But come...
Coffee with… Darren Snyder, Managing Editor, Money Magazine
One of the financial services industry’s most esteemed journalists, Darren Snyder moved into the role of managing editor at Money in March of this year, after previously spending four years as editor at the Financial Standard. We sat down to get his insights on the...
Be a Thought Leader, Not a Thought Loser – Part 3. Deployment
In the first two parts of this blog, we discussed key issues to consider in the conception and execution stages of thought leadership, to maximise your potential ability to break through the clutter and ensure that your voice is heard effectively. In part three, we...
Be a Thought Leader, Not a Thought Loser – Part 2. Execution
In the first part of this three-part blog, we discussed why attempts at creating ‘thought leadership’ can actually undermine your ability to cut through the clutter and ensure that your voice is heard effectively. In part two, we discuss the key issues to consider in...
Be a Thought Leader, Not a Thought Loser
Part 1. Conception ‘Thought leadership’ offers many benefits for organisations and individuals. Executed well, your intellectual capital can generate awareness of your capabilities, expertise, and values, bolster brand awareness, create new conversation opportunities...
Madden boosts team with two key appointments and expands client portfolio
Specialist financial and corporate communications counsel Madden & Assoc. (Madden) today announced two new senior hires, an internal promotion, and several new key clients. Carlotta Vittori joins the firm as Senior Account Manager, with scope to provide counsel...
Thought leaders run dry
As the nation’s political strategists and pollsters begin unpacking lessons from a quite remarkable weekend federal election result, many with leadership aspirations in the financial sector might now think about popping their heads above the parapet. Even without the...
Coffee with… Wouter Klijn, Director of Content, i3 Insights
Wouter Klijn is a veteran of the institutional investor space in Australia, having spent much of his 20-year editorial career working for specialist media titles including Investor Weekly and The Insto Report. We sat down to get his views on the financial services...
Hayne’s 76-point vintage uncorks a beginning, not an end
After a year of testimony drawn from 130 witnesses, made over seven public hearings, based on 10,000 submissions, the Hayne Royal Commission into Misconduct in Banking and Financial Services ended on Monday with a resoundingly modest point score just shy of 80. That...
How to use social media if you donut know
One of the most common questions asked of us by clients is: what do we do about our social media? Unlike comms industry colleagues working with luxury brands, or fast-moving consumer goods, the highly-regulated world of financial services offers fewer opportunities to...
There’s an art to being stuck in the middle
As a PR consultant, sometimes we get caught between what the journalist wants and what the client wants. Unfortunately, their two needs aren’t always the same. Enter the middle woman/ man. Your role is essentially to manage the process of lifting the media presence...
Lunch with… Jason Spits, Senior Journalist, Risk Info
One of the financial services industry’s most respected trade journalists, Jason has worked in finance media and communications for around 20 years, including roles with Money Management and the Financial Planning Association. We sat down to get his take on the impact...
Embracing change in the new financial landscape
The Russians have a word that describes the close relationship and interplay between learning and teaching. That word is obuchenie. If I have this right, the word describes the developmental output of the process of teaching and learning. Or, if you like, a word to...
Making the switch from journalist to the PR person journalists don’t hate
As published in Mumbrella: After deciding to make the switch to PR, Sarah Kendell promised herself she wouldn't become one of the PRs she used to hate. Here, she details exactly how she did it. Earlier this year, I made the move from journalism to PR, which...
Defining our MAX factor in an issues-rich world
Our growing business is in the running as a finalist for ‘Public Relations Company of the Year.’ How good is that? It’s a significant honour for our passionate team of consultants, and especially poignant given the current enormous public focus on the reputation of...
Beyond the “Terrible truths” “Haemorrhages” and “Scandals”: what now for the reputation of the wealth sector?
Details emanating from the past fortnight of the Adele Ferguson-instigated banking Royal Commission had the nation’s headline writers and cartoonists stretched to keep pace with an extraordinary run of revelation, confession and a collapsed witness hauled...
Madden continues expansion with latest recruit
Specialist communications counsel Madden & Assoc. (Madden) continues its growth ascension with Amy Boyce joining the firm in the role of Account Manager, effective immediately. Her addition to the Madden team highlights the expansion opportunities across the...
Benchmark Media’s Sarah Kendell Joins Madden & Assoc.
As seen in B&T: Specialist communications counsel Madden & Assoc. (M&A) has announced the appointment of former industry journalist Sarah Kendell as a senior account manager. Kendell (pictured above) is the former editor of Benchmark Media’s Financial...
Financial Media Services Rebrands to Madden & Assoc.
As published in B&T: Specialist communications counsel Financial Media Services (FMS) has announced it has rebranded to Madden & Assoc. (M&A). The new brand reflects the company’s deep financial sector heritage and points to an expanded future...
Judges, pigs and lip gloss. A modern day reputational conundrum
One of the least surprising revelations to come out of last week’s Turnbull Government announcement regarding a Royal Commission inquiry into the banking sector was the fact that the big four banks had requested it. There was no other choice but to support...
