I’ve always been inspired by the words of Audrey Hepburn: “Nothing is impossible — the word itself says I’m possible”. This concept underpins my approach to my craft and my belief that creativity should never follow a so-called “best practice” formula. Instead, it should redefine the norm by challenging what’s possible.

My love affair with storytelling began while working in a comic store. Soon after, I studied to be a fine art painter. And when I finally put down the brush and picked up the mouse, there was no looking back. And so a career in Advertising was born.

I’ve had a career that’s had me traveling around the world from day one. As I’ve moved from overseas shoot to global conference to international award show, I’ve been given golden opportunities by various industry leaders to develop an eclectic range of skills, particularly during the rise of online advertising, which taught me the true transformative power of digital.

Along the way, I’ve also been fortunate to work with several brands and talented people who’ve helped me break new ground, whether it’s jumping a man over the Great Wall of China, revolutionising the local dance scene, earning a thrift shop 4 million dollars, helping find missing people through YouTube, wiping spam from social media, co-inventing a smart outdoor smoke detector network that reduces the impact of bushfires for Australians, embedding a message in an adult film to teach young men to self-check for testicular cancer, or building an epic graveyard to honour a TV show, or hijacking ad breaks to sell a new Golf.

While there’s been some heavy metal along the way, my loudest achievement has been helping to transform agencies’ cultures. Because this is the true measure of a leader’s impact: not individual awards, but agency-wide change. And when each of my leadership efforts has helped win Agency of the Year, that has been the real music to my ears.

I’ve also enjoyed the sweet sounds of all charities making money — organisations I’ve given my spare time to help through creative solutions for their brands over the years. And while I don’t pick up the paintbrush as much as I should, if I one day hear ‘You’ve been selected for the Archibald Prize’, well, the concerto will be complete.