The Real Media Collective assembled with guests in Sydney this week to celebrate its first birthday.
The RMC also held its AGM. New Zealand’s representative Bernie Roberts, chief executive at Webstar attended along with the other board members
Salmat CEO Rebecca Lowde; TRMC chief executive Kellie Northwood; Craig Dunsford, executive general manager northern region Ovato; Bambra Press owner John Wanless; Australia Post head of mail channel and product Mark Roberts; Ovato managing director and chairman Kevin Slaven; and IVE Group chief executive officer Matt Aitken.
A special resolution notice to members seeking approval of the name, The Real Media Collective, passed and the meeting learned that TRMC has completed its registration with the Australian Department of Consumer Affairs as a corporation and the Australian Tax Office and Australian the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Kevin Slaven has finished his two-year rotation as chairman. The meeting appointed Matt Aitken to replace him. Slaven said, “I’ve been extremely proud and privileged to be the chair of this association, now Collective. I think we have moved mountains in the last two or three years, as an industry we have evolved and as the association or the industry body supporting the industry, we needed to evolve with it.
“Kellie has spent an amazing amount of time coercing, speaking, debating with not just the board but with the industry generally. I think she has done a fantastic job at moving us very quickly to where we are today as the Real Media Collective.
“This industry is not going to stop changing and evolve and all of us need to accept the fact that whilst we are extremely fierce competitors on the field in most cases we are actually very much playing on the same team to the extent that this industry needs a very strong and cohesive industry body and association and collective to support it.”
Northwood also acknowledged the work of Simon Doggett of Ball & Doggett, who has filled the role of treasurer for Two Sides Australia. She also acknowledged Craig Dunsford for his work with Two Sides and Ricoh as the sponsor of the evening.
Aitken said, “We’ve got people in the room tonight who aren’t members of the Collective and hopefully you get a feel of what we are about. How do we do things that are better for our industry moving forward? We represent our members and everything that our members in this industry want. It’s important we have a good strong industry, be a strong employer, that we do very cool things and we enjoy working together in this space.
“I jumped on this board with Phil Taylor back in late 2016, early 2017 and it’s gone through a significant amount of change in that couple of years with Kevin’s leadership at the helm in the chair.
“I’m really grateful for him taking the reins and jumping into that seat as I’ve got to know a little bit more about the catalogue side of the industry and what The Real Media Collective is all about. I’m really excited about the next 12 months and 24 months ahead.”
