Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Georgina Rees: Executive director of brand, creative and communications at ICON.
Time in current role:
5 months.
How would you describe what the company does?
ICON is an integrated communications agency that helps organisations and individuals build trust, drive progress, and connect with the audiences or communities they serve. We exist to make what matters.
What do you do day to day?
I work across our brand, PR and creative teams to guide strategy, ideas, storytelling, and to ensure we always keep the bigger picture in our sights. A big part of my day is leading conversations with clients, teams and partners to bring focus, clarity and energy to our work.
Define your job in one word:
Navigator - whether client interactions, building teams, delivering strategy or overcoming challenges, my job is to find the way through the complexity and set the direction.
I got into my industry because:
It was a bit of an accident. I’d always been good with words and critical thinking, but I was a terrible student. I was fortunate to have mentors and role models over the years who pointed me in different directions, and I followed the ones that felt like they made the most sense each time.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Balancing short-term delivery with long-term vision - especially in a fast-paced agency where priorities shift quickly. Making space for creative depth and strategic thinking while keeping the machine moving is a constant juggle.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
Pace. Everything is so fast now, and AI is only accelerating it. The pressure to do more with less, faster is leading to short-term thinking, rushed work, and reactive strategies. Both client and agency teams are so focused on getting things done, we risk losing the time and space needed for brilliance. I don’t know how we slow the train down, but if we don’t protect opportunities to think deeply, challenge ideas and craft properly, everything we love about this industry could be lost.
Who has been a great mentor to you?
I’ve been incredibly lucky with the people I’ve worked with and for over the years, so I couldn’t name just one. That said, I definitely inherited my Dad’s moral compass and work ethic - for better or worse!
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Zoom out, connect dots, and bring calm to complexity. You don’t need all the answers, just ask the right questions and care about the outcome. Care about the people above and below you, and learn something from everyone you interact with.
If I wasn’t doing this for a living:
I’d probably be a scuba diving instructor in Asia, or running a fitness retreat on a tropical island. Basically, I’d be doing something active in paradise.
My philosophy is:
Know what you stand for, focus on the work that drives actual progress, and always make time to support others along the way.
My favourite advert is:
Do people actually have one?! I don’t - but I’m from Shropshire, and since moving to Australia quite a few people have pointed me to the (now very questionable) 90s Moccona coffee ad, so I’ll claim that as meaningful to me.
Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to?
I’m pretty standard - Netflix, Spotify, Disney, Prime. Nothing groundbreaking, but all bases covered.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m not sure if it would surprise anyone, but I’m a big introvert working in a very extroverted industry. I’ve learned how to confidently lead a room, but I’m happiest once it’s done. I do my best thinking while exercising alone, and I value depth over noise.
In five years’ time, I'll be:
Who knows? I’ve never had a five-year plan and don’t intend to start now. But I’ll always aim to do work that matters, surrounded by people who energise me to be my best self.
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