Matthew Hart
Director
At BBS, Mathew has managed the media relations activities of high-profile national clients, including Eagle Boys Pizza, Delfin Lend Lease, Early Learning Services and Retail Food Group. This work has required the implementation of media relations, executive profiling and promotional activities under comprehensive communication strategies.
Matthew is also a key member of the BBS media training team and has trained executives from the likes of Stanwell Corporation and Griffith University on the art of handling positive and negative media inquiries.
Areas of Expertise
- Media relations and Media Training
- Crisis and issues management
- Financial and investor relations
- Corporate communications
- Government lobbying
Key Achievements
Media Relations
- Developed and implemented media relations strategy Eagle Boys Pizza, resulting in national coverage in web, television, radio and print media
- Generated widespread media coverage of the Queensland Caravan, Camping and Touring Holiday Show to help attract a record crowd of 80,000 at the event
- Increased the profile of Hutchison’s Child Care Services in the lead up to its $10 million IPO on the Australian Stock Exchange
Crisis and Issues Management
- Ongoing management of potential media issues for Eagle Boys Pizza
- Ongoing management of potential community and media issues for Delfin Lend Lease and eight developments in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales
- Managed the stakeholder communications and media relations for the restructure of Royal Queensland Bush Children’s Health Scheme
Media Training
- Conducted media training for senior executives at companies, such as Citect, Delfin Lend Lease, Stanwell Corporation, Griffith University and Eagle Boys Pizza.
Finance and Investor Relations
- Managed the media relations and communications for ASX listing of Domino’s Pizza Australia New Zealand ($75 million IPO), Hutchison’s Child Care Services ($10 million IPO), Retail Food Group ($36.5 million IPO), and Early Learning Services ($34 million IPO).
- Ongoing management of Campbell Brothers, Early Learning Services and Retail Food Group’s key investor relations activities, including AGM, annual report and results reporting
Corporate Communications
- Developed the communications strategy for the Centre for Military and Veterans Health
- Developed the communications strategy for Ingeus Australia
- Developed and implemented communications projects for the newly-formed Queensland Department of Child Safety
Government Lobbying
- Successfully lobbied the Queensland Government in April 2005 to reduce caravan park land tax on behalf of Queensland Caravan and Trades Association
- Developed and implemented government relations campaign to progress Yarrabilba development in South-East Queensland
Background
- Certified IAP2 practitioner with certificates from International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) in Planning for Effective Public Participation, Effective Communication for Public Participation and Techniques for Effective Public Participation
- Media relations tutor at the Queensland University of Technology
- Former journalist at Queensland’s daily metropolitan newspaper, The Courier-Mail, covering rounds such as business/finance, health, local government, police and property
- Worked in freelance communication roles, including writing a chapter for a Queensland Government book entitled: Queensland: Australia’s Dynamic State
- Bachelor of Arts (formerly Bachelor of Business Communication), majoring in Journalism, from the Queensland University of Technology