ABOUT ME

Connecting fans and brands via passion has been my profession for more two decades.

Working in sports and entertainment in Australia, Asia and Europe, I’ve been fortunate to experience brand, agency and media-owner sides of the industry. I’ve worked with some of the world’s biggest brands across Telco, FMCG, Consumer Electronics, Payments, Insurance, Motoring, and Beverages.

A naturally curious person, I question everything (often to the chagrin of my colleagues) and this instinct lead me into Strategy and Creative Planning. I love working on briefs that challenge ‘conventional wisdom’ and get massive satisfaction from unlocking new insights that solve business problems.

When I’M not working, I’m a husband, proud father of two and working on a VERY average golf swing.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

7:00am – Kids woke me an hour ago. Making breakfasts and school lunches through blurry eyes – “Hey Alexa, Play ABC News in Kitchen”

7:45am – Out the door with kids for school drop off – “Hey Siri, what time is the next train to the office?”

8:30am – In boardroom for Marketing Strategy weekly meeting – Connecting Syd and Melb offices on MS Teams for video conference

9;00am – Review first draft creative concepts for a long standing client’s season launch TVC which landed overnight. A few good (but safe) ideas, one killer concept (bang on brief) and one idea that would get me fired (glad the creative team are still pushing the limits ;))

12:00pm – Lunch with the Management Team to discuss budgets, targets, staffing and other equally inspiring topics – lucky the Pho is hot and delicious

3:00pm – Review creative brief for brand new client. Pushing our guys to really dig into Gemba Insights data (there is over 10 years of it!) to understand what makes fans of Cricket in India unique for a new project

4:30pm – Time carved out to get though todays emails. A note from an old colleague sharing some awesome new work she did puts a smile on my face. Also need to catch up on Timesheets (I’m a bit behind as our ever patient finance folks remind me)

5:30pm – Quick check in with the boss (the work one) to close out the day. Scan LinkedIn (Mark Ritson is kicking ass and taking names – again). Chuck laptop in bag. Earphone’s in. Out the door

8:30pm – Eldest off to sleep, so time for a whisky and feet up. “Hey Alexa, open Netflix”

ABOUT ME

Originally from India, I moved to Melbourne, not only to pursue my Master’s in Data Science but also drawn by the city’s reputation as the sporting capital of the world.

After completing my degree, I was thrilled to combine my two passions—sports and data—by joining Racing Victoria as a Data Engineer. Most recently, I worked as a Data Engineer for a Perth-based product company, Qoria, where I contributed to safeguarding children from the dangers of the internet.

Outside of work, my life is all about sports; weekends are dedicated to playing cricket for my local club, and evenings often hinge on the success of Liverpool, my favorite football team.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:30 AM – My alarm starts blaring, and, as usual, I hit snooze a few too many times. Eventually, I drag myself out of bed, promising I’ll get up earlier tomorrow (even though we all know I won’t).
7:30 AM – I hop onto the tram and settle in for the ride to the office. It’s my little pocket of quiet time to catch up on some reading—whether it’s a book, an article, or even just scrolling through interesting stuff online.
8:30 AM – I make it to the office and start the day by sifting through emails. It’s my chance to get a sense of what’s on the radar before things get hectic.
9:15 AM – Time for the morning stand-up with the D & A team. We check in, set priorities, and figure out who’s tackling what. It’s quick, focused, and sets the tone for the rest of the day.
9:30 AM – After the meeting, I grab a coffee and dive into the first focused work session of the day. For the next two hours, it’s head-down, no-distractions mode.
12:00 PM – When lunchtime rolls around, I wander through the office area, deciding what to eat. There are always plenty of options, so it’s a daily adventure.
1:00 PM – Back at my desk, I check emails again, reassess the day’s priorities, and figure out how to tackle the afternoon.
2:00 PM – The second focused session of the day kicks off. By now, I’m in the groove, ticking things off my to-do list and feeling productive.
4:30 PM – As the day winds down, I review what I’ve accomplished, tackle any last-minute emails, and mentally prep for tomorrow.
5:30 PM – Workday done, I swap the office for an energizing session at the gym, a squash match, or some time on the cricket pitch.
7:30 PM – Post-workout/sport session, I sit down for a satisfying dinner.
9:00 PM – This is my “me time.” I either binge a Netflix series or jump into some gaming—just an hour or two to unwind and have some fun.
10:30 PM – By now, I’m ready to call it a night. I crawl into bed, and snore away, looking forward to doing it all over again tomorrow.

ABOUT ME

An ex-Designer turned Creative Producer, and now heading up Gemba’s Creative, Production & Events team. After working in London as a freelance designer, I landed a gig at an experiential and sponsorship agency where I got the chance to work on RWC (every kiwi’s dream). It was here I developed a taste for working in the sports and entertainment space.

It makes sense I ended up working for a company that lives for sport and entertainment. From a young age I loved all things sport, playing Kiwi Cricket and Mini Ball to volleyball and netball. Since moving to Melbourne, I’ve carried on playing netty with my new local club, PMC. As for the entertainment side of things, whether it’s the latest podcast, tv series, musical, ballet performance or festivals, I love it all.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5:45am – Rise and shine it’s time to go to the gym

6:00am – Gym. Helps get the brain firing.

7:45am – Train. Enjoy my commute as it gives me time to read or listen to a podcast and get my daily NYT puzzles done.

8:15am – Get the inbox sorted & to-do list prepared for the day.

9:00am – Creative huddle. Get together with the team and prioritise our days and see where we can help each other.

9:30am – Quickly sneak out to grab a Large Batch Brew to keep the brain firing.

10:30am – WIP with one of the team, go through key priorities, problem solve any issues and workout what’s on for the rest of the week

1:00pm – LUNCH. Grab a Salad from the supermarket – Cheap and healthy!

2:00pm – Back to work.

2:30pm – Time for our Marketing Team Townhall, we get together once a quarter to talk about key focus areas, celebrate our big wins, a what’s hot or not list for what’s going on in the industry AND my favourite part – The Grand Slam champion – a peer voted employee of the month.

4:00 – Time for Creative Round table where our ECD and I sit down and spend an hour going through all the work the team is creating!

6:00pm – Whip on my netball gear and hit the netball court for hopefully another win!

7:00pm – Home, then dinner. After that it’s time to wind down. Netflix, a cheeky wine and finish of those darn puzzles.

9:30pm – Bedtime

ABOUT ME

My passion for data started at university, developing my own algorithms before Data Science was ‘cool’. I have been fortunate to have spent nearly two decades working with data across both client and agency side, helping organisations develop the right data and analytics solutions to unlock the value of their data to drive positive commercial outcomes.

I’m a lifelong Chelsea FC supporter, but my sporting interests also include tennis, F1, snooker, pool, and darts. Aside from the joy it brings, what I find fascinating about sports is its ability to bring people together across all walks of life.

Outside of work I’m a husband and a father of two active boys, and after spending time with the family, I try to fit a bit of competitive FPS gaming in or chill with a classic JRPG over the weekend.

Joining Gemba has been a dream come true that allows me to finally combine my passion for data with sports and entertainment to help create better experiences for fans and audiences all across the world.

DAY IN THE LIFE

6:30am – Alarm goes off…one eye opens, then the second reluctantly follows. My kids are early risers so I normally lay in bed hoping the bathroom is occupied so that I can maybe have a few more minutes before I drag myself out of bed. Once ready, grab my morning coffee and something light for breakfast before sorting out my bag for the office.

7:15am – Out the front door to make my way to the office, regret not checking for any delays on public transport so I buckle up and roll with the punches.

8:30am to 8:45am – Arrive at office, drop my bag off, setup my desk for the day ahead. Then I grab a coffee and review my daily planner in Notion to make sure I’m clear on the priorities of the day ahead.

9:00am – Check in with the wider team to see if any support required with data to feed client deliverables, or help investigate any data issues.

10:00am – Work on new Hub builds for clients.

12:00pm – Stomach clock goes off like clockwork. If I didn’t do any meal prep on the weekend for the week, I ponder over the choices for lunch despite knowing there’s an extremely high probability of it being a sandwich of some description.

1:00pm – Refine project tasks for an exciting segmentation mapping and NBA project to make sure I’m fully over any potential gaps and issues that may arise to better plan how we can mitigate any that may become a reality.

2:30pm – Review and tweak our data pipelines responsible for ingesting our proprietary data as well as other digital platforms we require to report on our clients behalf.

5:00pm – Begin to wind down, respond to any client emails coming and quick check-in with wider team before shutting down.

5:30pm – Head home to help sort kids out for bedtime.

9:00pm – Quick look ahead and update my Notion planner so I’m ready to go the next morning. Then decide to either enjoy a little bit of Suits on Netflix or catch up on some reading.

11:00pm – Bedtime for me to catch those Zzzzzz’s.

ABOUT ME

I have worked in client and agency side sports marketing roles in Australia and New Zealand for over 25 years. I am interested in the nexus where sport and entertainment meet business and how we, as an industry, can all be better. My diverse experience across many sectors ensures my advice is straightforward, solutions-oriented, and actionable.

As Managing Director, I lead teams in Melbourne, Sydney, and London and support client delivery across research & data, business advisory, marketing strategy, and creative services for sport and entertainment rights holders, government organizations, and brands around the world.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5:00am – Out the door to BFT. I prefer to get my daily exercise done and dusted early, it wakes up the body and mind and sets me up for the day ahead. Win the morning, win the day after all, but why is there always an assault bike or box jumps?

7:30am – Breakfast in the office, a quick browse of the news, review of the calendar and draw up the plan of attack for the day

8:30am – Weekly sales meeting with divisional managers, to discuss the sales pipeline, new business opportunities, proposals to get out this week and some pending resource challenges.

9:00am – Client meeting with the Marketing Strategy team to update on a major contract negotiation. Review the Turnstile valuation and update our negotiation strategy in readiness for the first major meeting next week

10:00am – Catch up with Ruby for some calendar Tetris. She is a miracle worker!

10:30am – Meeting with the Gemba strategy team who are working on a range of sports expansion projects. We have a major milestone meeting this week and a potentially unpopular recommendation to deliver.

12:00pm – Lunch in the kitchen for Matt Tan’s very unique quiz format.

12:30pm – Play table tennis. Lose.

12:45pm – New project kick-off meeting with the Insights team, we are helping a NSO understand and design new programs to reposition their sport to increase participation, retention, and satisfaction

2:00pm – Working session with the Data & Analytics team on developing our Venues Data Platform for major sport and entertainment stadia and facilities.

3:30pm – Review pitch deliverable. Our Events team is pitching to deliver major hospitality and activation project at the Australian Open

5:30pm – WIP with Claire, Millsy, and the London team. We discuss the status of the joint Gemba/Turnstile project, developing two commercial strategies for a leading global sports organisation. We also cover a Data & Analytics project we are completing for one of the top Premier League clubs, and debrief on our data and insights work for the ICC on the T20 Cricket World Cup.

6:30pm – Catch up with Erika and the Marketing Steering Committee to discuss company marketing plan for the next 6months

ABOUT ME

I’ve always been on the move. I’d lived in ten different houses in five different countries before I turned 18 but, regardless of where I was, there was always sport. I love its capacity to generate passions and create memories that last forever. As a participant I’ve skied a marathon, won the world’s oldest rugby competition and been down three Olympic bobsleigh runs. As a fan, I’ve travelled to Australia on my own for the Ashes, taken in an NBA game that just happened to have John Legend play at half-time and watched sumo-wrestling in Japan.

Prior to Gemba I worked at a strategy consulting firm and sought out sport projects wherever I could, such as PE investors looking to deploy capital in sport, live event ticketing or OTT streaming. Before that I was a tourist attraction in the British Army and also deployed on operations in Afghanistan. In between I took a cricket tour to Barbados and did a couple of seasons of Nordic skiing. If allowed, I’ll talk for many hours about how brilliant biathlon is.

My role at Gemba is to help our clients answer their knottiest strategic questions, breaking down complex issues into simple choices or solutions – all underpinned by rigorous analysis and the brilliant work of our Data & Insights and Turnstile rockstars.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

06:50 Try not to knock everything off my bedside table while turning off the alarm. Grab a quick shower
07:00 Wake the kids (if I’m lucky) and coax them downstairs for some breakfast. Persuade them that eating breakfast is really important before taking on the challenge of dressing them and remembering a baffling array of after-school clubs, clothing and accessories, and homework
07:55 Head out in convoy with them on bikes and me trundling behind on my Brompton
08:00 Bang down the gate of nursery and drop off #2 kid
08:25 Drop of #1 kid at school then hop on the tube with one of the array of sports business podcasts for company
09:00 Arrive in the office a picture of calm and professionalism, unflustered, on-time and focused on the day and ready to deliver
09:30 Catch up with the team on the crocodiles closest to the Strategy canoes
10:00 Check in with clients and emails, especially if our Australian colleagues have been beavering away overnight
11:00 Churn through some analysis, dipping into our brilliant well of experience and frameworks
12:30 Wander over to the latest sandwich joint – probably the one where the guy forgets my order and blames me
13:00 Stave off the post-lunch dip and catch up with Claire. We’ll look at how our projects are progressing and where there are exciting client opportunities. Avoid talking about Padel
13:30 Head down again on client work, maybe reviewing data we’ve been shared from our research or output from the team
15:00 While resisting the office snacks, I’ll review some applications for the growing Gemba family
17:00 Nip off quickly to get in a quick workout, probably something CrossFit-y
19:00 Open the door to be greeted like a returning hero by the kids before packing them off to bed after a story
19:30 Dinner with my wife followed by another bit of work, ensuring I know where I’m meant to be the next day. Maybe an episode of something.
22:30 Bedtime with a book

ABOUT ME

I grew up as a third culture kid, born in Australia, spent my younger years in Singapore and finishing school in Hong Kong. From a young age, my love for sports grew, but it was in the realm of swimming where I truly found my one true passion. With countless hours in the pool following the black line, smelling of chlorine constantly, I evolved into a highly competitive swimmer, leaving a trail of triumph and unforgettable memories behind me, when I hung up my goggles in 2022.

My passion for sports and rehabilitation led me to completing a degree in Exercise Physiology and working in the profession for a year. However, the thrill of live sporting events and entertainment guided me to pursue a new journey in the field of marketing, where I can combine my expertise and passions to make a meaningful impact.

DAY IN THE LIFE

7:00AM – Alarm goes off but I hit snooze and figure out how much longer I can stay in bed before being late for work

7:45am – Grab my keys and hit the road

8:15am – Order a coffee and say hello to Con from the coffee shop downstairs before heading up into the office to tackle the day ahead

8:30am – Get up to speed on any emails from the night and organize my priorities for the day ahead

9:00am – Shoottt! Realise I still haven’t picked up my coffee and head downstairs to pick it up, hoping its not luke warm or cold

11:00am – Stomach is rumbling and thinking about lunch

12:30pm – It’s THURSDAY meaning its LUNCH CLUB. Ruby has gathered the troops and we are on our way to get a feed

1:30pm – Catch up with the Westpac team to chat through any future activations for the NRL season and the to do list continues to extend

3:30pm – Quick check in with my team mates on the latest projects, which we usually start to ramble off topic

4:30pm – Swans Hub creative needs updating, finish off a creative task brief to upload on to the QBE Market system for client approval

5:15pm – Check the inbox and finish off any last emails that may have come through

5:30pm – Reflect on the day and enter in my timesheets, wondering what has been done for that day, now that its already 5.30pm

7:00pm – Off to soccer training, boots on and time to unwind

10:30PM – In bed, alarm goes on, time for my beauty sleep!

ABOUT ME

My background is in the Creative/TV Industry. My journey in TV Production has equipped me with a set of operational skills that I wanted to expand and refine in a managerial role. Motivated to challenge myself, I ventured into an industry where my creativity could stand out and possibly offer a fresh perspective where appropriate!

I love to work in dynamic, engaging environments – where no day is the same. Outside of work, I love to be social, attend/do anything arts, music or entertainment related and stay active in the gym.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

ABOUT ME

Growing up in England, sport has always been a huge part of my life. From an early age I was involved in every sport you can imagine, gymnastics, squash, horse riding, netball, basketball, hockey, you name it I’ve probably played it. As I got older I dedicated my time to basketball with the goal of moving to America to play at University.

At 18 this became my reality. I received a scholarship to play basketball for Briar Cliff University in Iowa. Here I was able to combine my studies, Business Management & Marketing with the sport I loved. Whilst there, I was recruited to join the track & field team, so I split my seasons with winter playing basketball and summer running track. When I wasn’t training or playing games, my friends and I would gather around the tv and watch ESPN with copious amounts of snacks. After 4 years I graduated with a double major and minor.

After graduating I interned as an entertainment/events assistant at Hard Rock Casino for the summer, before moving into a full time role in promotions and marketing. As my VISA came to an end in the U.S I decided to make the move to Australia and continue my career in the live events industry. I have spent the last 3 years working at Crown Melbourne in the entertainment department, organising live events for The Palms. Joining Gemba I now get to combine my passion for sports and marketing.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5:30am –Rise and shine! A shot of pre workout and off to the gym to hit the weights!

6:45am – Quick scrub a dub in the shower and get ready for the day

7:15am – Jump on the tram and listen to some tunes (Try not to miss my stop)!

8:30am – Arrive at work and go through any emails that may have come through overnight… next stop, make a priority list for the day and allocate focus time in the diary

9:00am – Catch up with my manager Jess and talk about all the ‘to do’s’ for the day ahead

10:00am – Most likely in a meeting chatting either AFL, Motorsports or one of my favourites, TCMF!

10:30am – MONSTER ENERGY time, not being a coffee drinker means I have to find the boost elsewhere

12:00pm – Lunch time and usually a stroll with Ally along the river! We are both deep in AFL Finals so we use this as a mini catch on all things creative for Live Site

1:00pm – Check through my to do list and most likely adding lots more to it!

2:30pm – Jump into arvo meetings for motorsports to discuss a content piece that will be shot at Bathurst, and of course the return of the 86 Series End of Year Awards Dinner

4:00pm – Focus time is on and smashing out either a campaign brief, report or getting leverage budgets and masterfiles up to date!

6:00pm – Finish up for the day and respond to any urgent emails before the laptop gets closed for the evening! Sometimes even finish off with shots into the mini hoops ring

6:15pm – On the tram home, music at full volume and planning out dinner for the evening

ABOUT ME

Sport has always been my passion, fuelling both playing and spectating. From playing rugby and cricket at weekends to celebrating Brighton’s rise to the Europa League, I live and breathe it.

My natural curiosity led me to research, starting with my teenage years in Qatar and Adelaide, culminating in a Politics, History & IR degree at Loughborough University. Post-graduation, I developed my research skills in the FMCG industry, involved in projects for clients such as Coca-Cola, Mondelez, and Pernod Ricard through an array of focus groups, online and in-person studies.

When not diving into data, you’ll find me on the rugby pitch with Battersea Ironsides or exploring London’s hidden gems on foot!

I bring a blend of sports passion, research expertise, and global experience to Gemba, with an enthusiasm to contribute to its growth in the UK and Europe.

DAY IN THE LIFE

7:00am- Alarm goes off. Jump out of bed. Shower. Grab a bite to eat (and check the latest sport headlines). Out the door. Time to conquer the day ahead.

8:00am- Ride the Northern Line in all of its glory to Tottenham Court Road listening to a podcast whilst being extremely grateful I’m able to grab a seat on the tube most mornings.

8:25am- Brisk walk through to the office via the historic Drury Lane.

8:35am- Arrive at the office, check emails and begin to plan out the day ahead whilst attempting to create (and often failing) a barista-style coffee in the kitchen.

9:00am- Check in to see how our latest piece of research has progressed overnight in fieldwork.

10:00am- Team stand up time to update the rest of the wider Gemba EU team on the status of ongoing projects.

10:30am- Data time. Whether it be a sponsorship effectiveness piece for Fulham FC or helping the ICC understand who the American cricket fan is, diving into Q to pick out insights for reports is always a fascinating time of the day.

12:30pm- Lunch. We’re spoiled for choice around Holborn so the majority of this time is spent wondering around trying to pick something to eat! Paninis, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Sushi, the list goes on…also the chance to catch up with some of the Turnstile crew!

1:30pm- Back to the desk. Feeling refreshed from lunch (before the afternoon slump hits) I jump back into the report I’m working on.

3:00pm- Update clients on fieldwork progression and emerging key topline insights

4:00pm- Touch bases with Linford and Hollie on the latest questionnaires we’ve been writing.

5:30pm- Start to wrap up for the day, making a mental list of tasks to focus on tomorrow.

5:45pm- Before leaving the office, a quick session of office cricket is a must- managed to survive a whole over from Darren on this occassion !

6:00pm- If not heading to a pub on a Thursday, I head home, ready to chill for the evening to attempt a new recipe for dinner and flick through Netflix for the next series on offer (unless its a Tuesday and I head straight to rugby training!)

ABOUT ME

I love making things, and I’m lucky enough to have been hands-on doing stuff in sport & entertainment for more than twenty years. I started out as a designer and art director in adland, then as a writer and director in the TV production world, making TVCs, branded content, animations, docos and even a feature film. Now, I’m still making stuff on a daily basis, and trying to help others to be as creative, passionate and effective as they can.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:05 am – Up and about. Time for a run. What day is it? How far?

7:10am – Breakfast with the family. Compare notes on the day ahead. Be reminded of something important I’ve forgotten.. ie: youngest daughter’s skateboard needs a service

8:00am – Write morning pages. Check email. Write to-do lists. Find random distractions that lead down rabbit holes that could be interpreted as research. Or not

8:30am – Creative Huddle via Teams. What’s on today? Some print to dispatch, an edit to approve and couple of ideas that need tweaking. Oh.. and a shoot with some superstar athletes. You’re late!

9:30am – On set (virtually) with an AFL/NRL/W-League/WBBL star. All hands on deck as we try to squeeze a season’s worth of compelling communications out of a 15 minute player appearance..

10:30am – Coffee and reset. Where’s that to-do list? Let’s go again with the next star athlete. Get some tips on how to improve my leg break. Watch an old highlights reel. Vow to make another comeback to park cricket

12:30pm – Crash the lunchtime quiz. Marvel at the useless pop-culture trivia my brain retains whilst managing to forget the most basic of daily necessities

1:45pm – Creative review. The team present some fresh thinking/ideas/designs/carpet swatches. We bang them around a little; poking, prodding, expanding. Exciting… let’s get them in front of client!

3:20pm – Step away from the machine! Headspace clearing walk/skate/hoop-shoot

4:30pm – Creative regroup (Teams) – Where the hell did that day go? What have we missed?

5:29pm – Change bearings to get the wheels spinning on my daughter’s skateboard a little smoother. Try to get her as intrigued in the basic mechanics as I am. Fail.

7:12pm – I wonder if new wheels on that old deck would make it easier to ollie?

ABOUT ME

Sports has always been a huge part of my life. Growing up outside of Philadelphia, Sundays were always what time the Eagles game kicked off followed by when the Phillies started the first inning. Freshly living in London I’ve also been a lifelong Chelsea fan.
While pursuing my degree in university, I fell in love with digital analytics. I am fascinated with how data tells a clear story and provides great actionable insights to multiple different teams in a company. With over seven years of experience working across many different markets Gemba seemed like an absolutely perfect opportunity to bring my two passions together.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Coming soon…

ABOUT ME

My passion for data in sports began as a teenager after watching the film “Moneyball”. I realised I could combine my love for mathematics with sports and potentially never experience another football heartbreak again (A girl can dream!). This led to me studying Mathematics at university, followed by a masters in Data Analytics.

I started my career in the NHS, analysing local population demographics and health behaviours. I believe this experience will be useful here at Gemba for analysing the demographics of fans and their behaviour. I was keen to step into the sports sector and subsequently joined the Football Foundation. I left the Foundation to advance my career and take on new challenges, which led me to Gemba!

Outside of work, I’m usually watching the Arsenal – both the women’s and men’s teams. Normally, at least one of them wins, bringing some joy to my week! I also play 5-a-side football and enjoy playing tennis when the weather is warmer. Besides sports, I love discovering new music and going to gigs.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

7:15am – Wake up fresh and ready for the day.
7:25am – Actually wake up fresh and ready for the day.
8:05am – Leave the house after spending 5 mins searching for the perfect soundtrack for my commute.
8:45am – Arrive at the office, catch up on emails, and plan my tasks for the day.
9:00-11:30am – I spend the first part of the day exploring datasets, trying to identify any data quality issues that I need to be mindful of when creating queries later.
11:30am – Start writing queries and building data views that make life as easy as possible when it comes to visualising the data in Power BI later in the afternoon.
12:30pm – Finally lunchtime! After promising myself I would bring in lunch today, I scour Holborn for the best it has to offer. Normally a panini or pasta is the winning choice.
1:15pm – The fun part begins. The rest of the afternoon is spent creating visuals and metrics in Power BI for client dashboards.
5:45pm – Leave the office and head straight to play some 5-a-side. I play up top, so I prepare myself for 40 mins of non-stop goals.
7:30pm – Head home after 40 mins of hitting the post and everywhere but the goal.

ABOUT ME

Since completing my bachelor’s degree in Communications Advertising, I have been working full-time in agency life, embracing everything the industry has to offer. I love actively researching what’s happening in the world and keeping up to date on the latest trends.

When it comes to entertainment, to say I absolutely love music would be an understatement and my Spotify Wrapped agrees. I will jump at any opportunity to see a band perform live. Being a true Melburnian I of course follow the footy and am a huge Pies supporter. Growing up I always loved to stay active, and this quality has continued through to adulthood. Nothing beats a scenic hike paired with good weather.

But the most important thing to know about me is I’m super friendly and always up for a chat!

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:30 am – Alarm goes off and it’s time for my morning cuddles with my pup, Chloe

7:30 am – Time to head into work ready for the day ahead

8:30 am – Write out my TO-DO list, this is a must for me as I love writing every little detail down in my bible (my work notebook)

9:00 am – Go through my inbox, respond to clients, queries and send out my follow ups

9:30 am – Time re-energize with my morning dose of caffeine, my order is a large Cappuccino, full cream milk and no sugar

9:45 am – Morning WIP with Georgie to sort out our week’s priorities

10:00 am -12 pm – My morning usually consists of balancing between meetings with our beautiful clients, contact reports and a lot of project management. I absolutely love being able to chat to our clients throughout the day and working on projects I get to see come to life

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch time! My go to lunch will always be a chicken & avo sandwich of some type

1:00 pm – 5:30 pm Back to work, time to use my brain power and solve problems, write creative briefs, actively research the latest trends, manage timelines and job costs, negotiate with suppliers, create estimates, leverage budgets, manage talent appearances, attend more meetings and network with our agency friends and so much more. It’s safe to say no two days in account management look the same

6:00 pm – Out the Gemba doors I go to head home

9:00 pm – After my hair and skin care routine, it’s time to channel my inner grandma and go to bed so I get my much needed 9-hour sleep

ABOUT ME

I love problem solving and psychology, so I’m forever asking “why” questions.  Inevitably this has led me to a career in insights and strategy.  For over a decade I have worked consultancy and client side in the Retail, Sports & Entertainment industries, solving big nutty problems with customer-led analytics and tech solutions.

Together with my family, my big passion is playing and watching sport.  Whether it be football, rugby, tennis, cricket, F1, I love the inevitable rollercoaster of emotions that comes with being a fan.  I love playing racquet sports and have recently become hooked on Padel, which I try to play twice a week.  To be able to combine my professional and personal life by working in sport continues to be a pinch myself moment.

I’m incredibly excited to be part of the industry push towards more high profile and successful Women’s sporting calendar, as well as diving deep into ensuring we successfully baton pass sports participation and engagement onto Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

My role at Gemba Europe is to ensure our partner clients receive best in class work across our data, insights and advisory projects, as well as making sure our business is operationally set up for success.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00am – Alarm goes off.  Scramble around trying to turn it off before it wakes up my two toddlers. Get up and enjoy a quiet cup of tea to myself whilst flicking through overnight emails from Condo and the team in Australia. Realise it’s my turn to do the kids school and nursery drop off so quickly get changed and brace for impact.

7:00am – Morning bedlam begins as I hear the inevitable “it’s wakey time, can we come downstairs?!” from the kids. Hurtle at 100mph through breakfast, 3 rounds of “The Pizza Game: and 1 Paw Patrol, before managing to get the kids dressed and out of the door.

9:00am – Regain my composure on the way into work. Enjoy listening to the latest Unofficial Partner podcast, and check and re-check whether Man Utd could yet have an outside shot at the title.

10:00am – Start my day chatting to Gemba and Turnstile teams about current and future opportunities. Try my best not to appear too over-excited about the number of potential Padel projects on the horizon.

11:00am – Meet another brilliant client-side connection to add to my network in the industry. Their passion, energy and ideas remind me just how much I love working in sport & entertainment.

12:30pm – Create a presentation for a potential client showcasing Gemba’s capabilities and case studies.

3:00pm – Speak to a potential candidate who is interested in joining Gemba in our London office.

4:30pm – Chat to Rob and Nic about our respective days. Try and fail to remember to only say Padel once every 3 sentences.

6:00pm – Head home to do the kids bath and bedtime. Confirm that working in Paddington means I enjoyed my regular marmalade sandwich with Paddington bear today.

7:30pm – Play Padel with my husband and love every minute of it.

ABOUT ME

I’ve always loved sport and entertainment. I was brought up on the game they play in heaven, but more recently have been fed a healthy diet of AFL. I now understand the reference “Leo Barry, you star!” and have done a campaign with him too! In my younger years I represented New Zealand at two Lacrosse World Cups. To unwind, I love a good rom-com. I’ve got a great husband and two beautiful daughters who keep me pretty occupied these days!

After ten years in advertising, I saw the light and moved into sport and entertainment. As Head of Client and Creative Services, I’m responsible for developing our comms go-to-market offer, building our client base and ensuring the Account Management and Creative teams deliver work of a consistently high standard to our amazing clients. It might be clichéd, but I love my job!

A DAY IN THE LIFE

9:00am – Arrive at the office after dropping my daughters at day care. Coffee with one of my team, Ari. A semi-regular check in to see how she’s going – we chat about her clients, projects, career development, and life in general

10:00am – Time for a discovery meeting with a big client. I want to pick their brain on what work we could be doing for them in the social or PR space for a business case i’m exploring

12:00pm – Check out some sponsorship websites, Activative and what’s happening on LinkedIn. I try to think of something interesting to post… How does Condo do it?

1:00pm – Drop in to the team’s Transport for NSW cricket shoot. Our creative team have managed to sell in a really fun idea and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes.

3:00pm – Probably not the best time to tackle reading all the board documents for the upcoming meeting, but I raid the chocolate stash to get through it

4:15pm – Quick chat with our P&C Manager about learning and development needs for the team. We agree that some strategic planning and leadership courses are a priority

4:30pm – I head back to day care for pick up. It’s nice to spend some time with the family doing dinner, bath and bedtime together at the end of the day

ABOUT ME

I have been described as nosy which believe it or not, insights is the perfect career for a nosy person. I have always been so interested and curious about why people do the things they do. Born and bred in Sydney, I have worked in the industry for nearly 10 years across agency and publisher side. I have worked across a variety different categories, from auto, beauty, health care, travel to sport (just to name a few). What lured me to Gemba was the great culture and the dynamic nature of sport and entertainment. 

Unlike my colleagues, I dabble lightly in sport. I loved netball, tennis and the Sydney Roosters growing up. These days my love of sport is more Taylor Swift’s boyfriend (Travis Kelce), Superbowl Halftime Show, Welcome to Wrexham and the Beckham documentary. I love music and reading. I will often spend my weekends looking for new vinyl for my record collection or browsing a bookstore for my next read.  

A DAY IN THE LIFE

7:30am – Crawl out of bed after snoozing my alarm and get ready, try to look sporty for the office.  

8:15am – Make a coffee to-go for the bus ride into work. 

8:30am – Arrive at the office, straight to the kitchen for a peppermint tea – need to stay hydrated! Check my calendar and emails for the day. 

8:45am – WIP meeting with the Insights team to catch up and talk about what we’ve got on for the day, half our team is based in Melbourne, so we usually kick off with a chat about the weather. 

9:00am – Officially ready to start the day after writing my to-do list. I will usually do my bigger reports in the morning, today it’s Media Effectiveness. 

12:30pm – This rounds me out for lunch – Mondays are the best because Matty Tan will do his lunchtime quiz.  

1:30pm – Do some admin, including emails, checking reports, testing links – all those fun things!  

3:00pm – Teatime!  

3:15pm – Check in on the team, make sure I’m ticking off my to-do list and everything is on track to be delivered.  

5:00pm – Time to do time sheets and send any more emails off for the day so I am ready to start fresh for tomorrow.  

5:30pm – Log off! Walk home to get my steps up. Ready to do it all again tomorrow!  

ABOUT ME

After graduating with an Arts degree from the University of Melbourne, I did what any respectable Arts student would do – take the first professional job they are offered! I found myself in the research and insights industry where my appreciation for data-driven decision making has grown into a passion. I’ve worked with clients across multiple sectors including all levels of government, industry and business, helping them make effective strategic decisions.

Combining my career with my passion for sport has long been a dream and I am lucky that Gemba has made it a reality. While you won’t find me on a football field anymore, you will definitely find me playing competitive basketball or golf with friends. If you can’t catch me there, it’s probably because I’m glued to the TV watching AFL or the NBA (unless it’s that awful one month period when neither is on!).

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:15am – Up for an at-home workout to try and start the day right!

7:45am – Head off to work with an NBA podcast ready to go

8:30am – Arrive at work, check emails and figure out how best to attack the day. Looks like I have a few surprise meetings that Goodie has put through over the weekend!

9:15am – Catch up with the rest of the Insights team in Melbourne and Sydney to see what everyone has on

11:00am – Current project work. Check in on any surveys we have running through Qualtrics. All is tracking nicely, no need to panic

12:30pm – Lunchtime with the team where we discuss off-court NBA drama and continue to debate the sport most suited to an office team. Looks like touch rugby is on the cards today

1:30pm – Quick practice on the office mini hoop (still can’t hit a shot from where my desk is) and then off to a prospective client meeting to chat through a project brief

2:30pm – Post client meeting with the team to work out our strategy to deliver a killer research and insights program

4:30pm – Check off some strategic initiatives work to keep things ticking over. Look at our Proprietary data to see if there are any emerging trends worth noting

5:45pm – Time to head home to change and have a snack before heading to basketball. Hopefully we can top the day off with a win!

ABOUT ME

AFL will always be my first love. I’ve always loved attending games and have some unforgettable memories from my days as a young Hawthorn supporter. This appreciation for sport stretched itself to NBA, NFL, F1, Cricket and Soccer, which involves full days planned out watching sport, along with late nights and early wake ups.

Once AFL is finished, my attention turns to the NFL, cheering on my 49ers to the Super Bowl and my fantasy team.

My background in coaching and education has instilled in me the values of teamwork and how to channel passion and drive to achieve results, fueling my love for local sports and their ability to unite people.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

7:30 – Stumble out of bed, pack my lunch and head to the local train station.

8:30 – Say hi to the team, send a quick message to Gemba Australia wishing a Happy Birthday for those celebrating their special day.

9:00 – Check the latest live sport and ensure it is displayed on the office TV.

10:00 – Check the Careers, Information and Operations emails for new news, applicants and important matters.

11:00 – The team have run out of bread, off I go to the nearby Coles and top up the office Bread supply.

12:00 – Lunch has begun and I warm up my Chicken Avocado wraps and sit with the team for some daily trivia.

1:30 – Jump into an Operations team meeting regarding upcoming events, hiring stages and overall Australian wide administration duties.

3:30 – Phone goes off with IT ringing me regarding any issues that have been raised throughout the day, ensuring they’re taken care of.

4:30 – Finalise any expenses incurred throughout the week, such as Coles, Officeworks and Big W weekly invoices.

5:30 – Quick table tennis game to end off the day on a high note. Create a list of tasks left over from today, to then complete tomorrow where I can.

6:30 – Off to footy training at Glenhuntly Oval, a feed after training and then a quick shower and bed.

ABOUT ME

Growing up in Canada, I have always enthusiastically embraced a wide range of activities – skiing, soccer, volleyball, and dance were always my sports of choice.

Before joining Gemba, I dedicated five years to orchestrating immersive event experiences in the North American and Australian markets. Now, I am thrilled to fuse my career with my passion for sports and entertainment.

In my downtime, you’ll find me at the gym, concerts, events, hanging out with my partner and our bulldog, Hank, and exploring Melbourne’s culinary scene with friends.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:45am: Wake up and shower – contemplate how long I can sleep in for, before forcing myself out of bed

7:30am: Have a much-needed coffee and take the doggo for a walk

8:30am: Arrive at work and prioritise my day

9:00am: Huddle with the creative team

10:00am: Likely to have meetings, meetings, and more meetings

1:00pm: Yay! Its (hopefully) lunchtime – ideally, getting a tasty sandwich or thinking about what else I can eat

3:00pm: Organise all quotes, checking and updating budgets

4:00pm: Call production companies to get updates on activation builds

5:30pm: Home time

6:30pm: On a good day, get to the gym and get fit!

8:00pm: Dinner time – should I cook? Or, should I get Uber Eats again?

9:30pm: Relax time

ABOUT ME

I am what you call a third culture kid; Born in Mumbai, India and raised in Dubai; I have now made the lovely city of Melbourne my home for the past 10 years. I like to believe that I have taken the best parts of each of these cultures and developed my unique personality over the years. I enjoy everything fast paced and vibrant hence why a career in the Sports and Entertainment industry might just be my true calling!

With a degree in Human Resources and Public Relations I hope to grow in the world of People & Culture to really make an impact in the life of every employee that I work with.

When I am not at work, I usually am consuming stories through Movies, Podcasts & Books. And finally, I live to eat!! Cook it, Order It, Watch it on TV all leads to my undying love for everything FOOD!

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:20am – Wake up to realise Noodle the Cavoodle has made his way onto the bed at some point in the night

7:00am – Out the door, In the Car, Podcast on and hope to all the God’s that the traffic into the city is not too bad today

8:00am – Calendar and To Do List check and answer emails that have come through overnight from the Turnstile team

9:15am – Huddle with the lovely Cat before we get into the day

10:00am – Coffee time, maybe make a vegemite toast as well

10:15am – Mornings are for recruitment! Organise applications that have come through to the Careers Inbox and organise interviews for the teams

12 pm – Lunch with the team in the Sunken Lounge (forgotten to bring lunch from home again so it’s going to have to be a Poke bowl!)

1:00pm – 6 weeks check in with a new Gembie as they get settled in

2:00pm – Work on the P&C Metrics ahead of the Leadership Meeting and get it out to Paula for final checks

3:00pm – Afternoons are for focus work! Today we are updating the Flexibility Policy in line with new legislature

5:00pm – Weekly WIP with Rob

6:00pm – Out the door, In the Car, Podcast on and hope to make it to Pilates on time

ABOUT ME

Marketers are a lot like professional ‘hype people’, and that’s absolutely how I would describe my approach. I’ve always enjoyed showing off the best bits of a company and its people across a variety of channels.

My comms career started with a degree in PR, but my inquisitiveness led me to the world of marketing where I could get stuck into strategy and planning.

Out of office, despite never going pro at 5″4, I’m on a mission to prove myself as the strongest GD or speediest Centre and if I’m feeling lucky, I’ll give GA a go too.

In a global role across Gemba & Turnstile, there are never two days the same. Add to that navigating the dynamic sport & entertainment landscape, it’s an exciting space I can bring a lot of energy to.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:15 – Cue deafening alarm, 15min snooze and it’s decision #1 of the day: check the weather, to bike or to tube?

7:10 – Time to leave, bike it is! Helmet, high-vis and speaker at the ready. Decision #2, What do the streets of London want to hear? Beyonce, Fleetwood Mac or anything disco…

7:40 – avoid the office mouse, shower and coffee.

8:00 – News, notifications and some quick check-ins with team Aus while they’re still awake

8:45 – check current projects, priorities and plan the day into chunks of Gemba & Turnstile time. Decision #3: what will be the soundtrack today? More Beyonce or old school hip hop…

9:00 – team check-in done and WIPs booked in, heads down focus time

12:30 – it only takes one person to utter the question ‘lunch?’ and the team assemble. Decision #4: packed lunch or venture out to Sainos

1:15 – get caffeinated, time for collaborative internal meetings on the latest campaign and/or scouting the next marketing opportunity

3:00 – check-in on the marketing calendar and work through the tasklist for upcoming projects, with an obligatory sense-check and series of questions for Rob, Claire, Andy & Bacchus. Time to review, leave feedback and write briefs that are ready for Creative to work some magic on

5:00 – wind-down has started. Decision #4 which of tens of tabs need to stay open for tomorrow. Inevitably leave all of them just in case.

5:45 – don’t forget timesheets, don’t forget timesheets, don’t forget timesheets. Back on the bike we go taking the scenic city route past St Pauls, Tower Bridge and countless pubs. London you are gorgeous.

6:30 – final decision of the day run, gym or stay in. Maybe copy Ashley to avoid having to make the decision…back out we go!

7:15 – I will be sous chef, guaranteed Mob Kitchen or Ottolenghi number on the menu

9:30 – last check of shemails and the agenda for tomorrow. We go again!

ABOUT ME

I’m lucky enough to be part of the exclusive ‘Gemba-returnees’ club! Drawn back by Gemba’s unbeatable culture and the exceptional talent, I ‘pulled a Condo’ and eagerly seized the opportunity to return. With 20 years of finance experience in industries from film distribution to medical centres, I’m currently rocking it as the Management Accountant for our UK and US businesses, all from Melbourne Australia.

I absolutely love the variety my role offers. As a mom of two energetic young boys, I really value the flexibility that comes with working across different time zones. It lets me balance my professional life and family time perfectly. Right now, I’m enjoying the best of both worlds, working part-time, three days a week.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

7:15am – Alarm goes off, followed by hitting the snooze button over and over and over again; mornings and I are still negotiating our relationship status.

8:00am – I wake my toddler, steal a cuddle, then chase him around to get him ready for kinder.

10:00am – Arrive at Gemba, fill up my water bottle, and tackle the inbox to see what landed overnight.

10:30am – Review my To-Do list: JCRs, month-end tasks, payroll, or management reports today?

12:30am – Go for a stroll to get lunch.

1:00pm – Lead a Finance training session for our Aussie team.

1:30pm – Back to work, ticking off tasks from the To-Do list.

5:00pm – Time to go home and spend some time with my boys!

8:30pm – Evening emails with the UK crew and maybe a Teams call to welcome a new face.

9:30pm – Enjoy some kid-free time before I head to bed.

ABOUT ME

I was about 14 when I realised I probably wasn’t going to play football for England, or become the first Kiwi to win a Grand Slam singles title in over 100 years… so a plan B was needed, where I tried my hand at coaching and sports journalism, before falling into the world of sport and entertainment.

Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to work on a range of different partnerships including B2B, tourism, ambassadors, social impact and of course, sport.

I’m a naturally curious person who loves learning about new sectors and thrives on the challenge of thinking outside the box.

Outside of work, I still love a kick about, getting lost on a hike, or a BBQ with mates.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00am – Alarm snooze snooze snooze

6:30am – Into the gym for a quick sesh – Pull day…

7:20am – Shower time, throw a shirt on, smash some eggs on toast

7:55am – Start running for the tram!

8:15am – Get to the office. Quick breeze through the latest sport & entertainment news and what’s happening around the world in marketing

9:00am – Chat through priorities for the day with Rennie and clear the emails

10:30am – First video chat today and it’s an interesting one – talking with a rights holder about a rare opportunity in the film / blockbuster space!

11:30am – Time to plug into a renegotiation strategy quickly before lunch

1:00pm – Break time. Chicken & rice with a side of table tennis. Champions aren’t made overnight…

2:00pm – All agency PDCA. Becky from the Account Management team takes us through the TGR activation at the F1 Aus GP and learnings for next year

4:00pm – Catch up on the Cricket brief from Toyota. Where to take the Good for Cricket raffle this season?

5:30pm – Timesheets and that’s a wrap for the day. Back home for more life!

ABOUT ME

It’s fair to say that sport is an integral part of my life. Born and raised in London, I have grown up playing rugby (drastically breaking my body in the process…) constantly try to emulate the excellence of my football idol Freddie Ljungberg during 5-a-side football matches, and elegantly hack my way around the golf course. When I’m not playing sport, I experience the rollercoaster of emotions that come with being a long-suffering but loyal Arsenal fan.

After working for 4 years in the property industry, I finally decided to pursue my dream of working in sport and undertook a Sport Marketing Masters at Loughborough University London, graduating in February 2024. Following my masters, I immediately packed my bags and headed down under to one of the sporting capitals of the world, Melbourne, to kick off my career in sport.

And that brings me to today! Where I have the privilege to work as an Account Manager at Gemba and get to combine my passion for sports with my professional skills. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead and can’t wait to see where my journey at Gemba takes me.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00am – Alarm’s ringing.  Here we go.

6:20am – A short walk to the end of the road and into the gym.

7:30am – Back home, grab my work gear and cycle into work.

8:00am – Quick shower and head up to the office.

8:15am – Wait for the coffee machine to heat up and catch up with the team.

8:30am – Write my to-do-list, check my calendar, and reply to emails.

9:00am – Head down in the AFL, Olympics and Hydrogen accounts for Toyota. Lots of client calls and communication with our best friends, the Creative Team.

12:30pm – Lunch around the communal table, talking all things sport whilst watching sport on the tv. Sport is the real winner.

1:30pm – Make another coffee and check how the to-do-list is going.

1:45pm – Back on the grind with all things AFL, Olympics, and Hydrogen.

5:00pm – Timesheets. Timesheets. Timesheets

5:30pm – Cycle back home

6:00pm – Catch up with family and friends back in the UK, cook some dinner and put my feet up for the evening.

9:00pm – Shower and into bed to bring a busy day to an end.

ABOUT ME

I have always been passionate about sport with my love for martial arts being a standout for me. With a craze for sports that provide thrills and sense of adventure, Muay Thai and snow sports are an obsession of mine. When I’m not hitting the pads, you’ll likely find me immersed in music, catching up on my favourite TV shows while keeping my hands busy crocheting like a true knitting ninja.
My innate curiosity, coupled with an unrelenting quest to understand the ‘why’ behind human behaviour, led me to pursue a Bachelor of Psychological Science. During my academic journey, I discovered a genuine passion for research – there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of formulating a question and uncovering the answers myself.
The role of an Insights Analyst at Gemba blends together perfectly with my natural curiosity, love for numbers and research, and passions in sport and entertainment!

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5.45am – Wake up to my alarm (or my Doberman who has a very keen breakfast time) and get ready for the day ahead

6.45am – Commute to the office begins! Make sure I’ve picked the right playlist to properly wake me up for the day

8.30isham – Arrive at the office and begin planning out my day, catch up on emails

9.30am – Insights WIP to catch up with the team and discuss current projects

10.00am – Pull data off Q for the current sponsorship effectiveness deck I’m working on

12.30pm – Lunch time and an enjoyable walk around the city to break up the day

1.30pm – Check Qualtrics to see how current surveys in field are going

3.30pm – Test some survey links

5.30pm – Time to finish for the day, leave the office for the day and head straight to Muay Thai training

8.00pm – Finished training but will most likely spend the next half hour catching up with my mates there

8.40pm – Home and starving for dinner!

10.00pm – Shower and off to bed!

ABOUT ME

My journey into this industry has been an adventure, driven by curiosity and supported by amazing people, with just a little bit of luck along the way.

After accepting that my dream of a career as a professional cricketer was never going to happen I ‘got a real job’ in professional financial services. A few years into that career, I was offered a chance to move home to South Africa from London to take a role with a sponsorship agency, and I have never looked back. Since then, I have been fortunate to have spent over a decade in the sports and entertainment industry, experiencing a range of roles with agency, rights holders, promoters and venues, in South Africa and Australia.

At Gemba, my background in professional services and finance, coupled with my experience across the industry, allows me to offer a broad strategic perspective when solving business and sponsorship challenges for our clients.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:15am – Alarm goes off. Do I hit snooze or brave the cold for a run… ok fine, better be a short run!

7:30am – Quick shower, and it’s off to work. Catch up with news and any overnight messages from friends and family in South Africa on my commute

8:15am – 1st coffee of the day… extra shot please Con

8:30am – Get set up at my desk, catch up on mails and weekend stories

9:00am – Time for Monday morning meeting, catching up on the awesome work our team has been doing lately

10:00am – WIP with Coca-Cola to discuss what we’ve been working on and plan for the next few weeks

10:30am – 2nd coffee of the day

11:00am – Focus time for a first review of an ambassador strategy

12:30pm – Time for food and Lunch Quiz with Matt Tan

1:00pm – It’s end EOFY, so check in on job cost reports and revenue forecasts for the rest of the month

2:00pm – WIP with Sam to discuss priorities for the rest of the week

2:30pm – Join a call with Netflix to present our insights and strategy, before sitting back to see the epic ideas our creative team have come up with

4:00pm – Catch up with Hodgey on an exciting new opportunity… and get started on a Purpose & Planning proposal

5:30pm – Check emails, get tomorrow’s to-do list started, timesheets done and home time

7:00pm – Catch up on how my wife’s day was, cook dinner and enjoy the last few days of quiet time together before we welcome a new member into our family

ABOUT ME

Following university, I’ve perused a career in research. I’m a naturally inquisitive person and LOVE digging into data to understand attitudes, behaviours, and discovering the ‘why’ for clients. I’ve previously worked on a real mix of qualitative and quantitative projects – from online ethnography to quantitative tracking and segmentation analysis. I have spent half of my career so far doing B2C research and the other half doing B2B research for corporate communication strategy across many industry sectors and clients. The chance to combine my love for Sport and Entertainment really is a dream come true!

Sport has been my lifelong passion, as a result I’ve pretty much tried everything; gymnastics, football, netball, athletics, rowing, skiing, surfing, the list goes on!
Long-distance running has emerged as my latest pursuit, introducing fresh challenges to my life.

Outside of doing sport, I am passionate about Women’s football; from a fan perspective and an advocate for the growth of Women’s sport, I’m excited to watch the game grow in England and the rest of the world.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6am – Alarm goes off. Coffee time. Check Sky News and Sky Sports apps to connect with what’s going on in the world. My favourite time of the day

6:45am – Feeling more awake after my first caffeine hit. Running shoes on, it’s time to run into the office a 13KM is on the cards today, a scenic route through Battersea Park, along the river Thames and finish off with a loop of Hyde Park

8:45am – The runners high has hit, I’m feeling excited and motivated for the day ahead! Sit down at my desk with a coffee whilst checking through any overnight emails and setting up my to do list for the day. I split this out by morning / afternoon tasks and map out where my chunk of free time is. Today between 2pm-4pm is call free, so I have mapped this out as ‘focus time’

9:00am – Time to pick out an interesting headline article to read from the sports world, anything relating to the WSL or Newcastle United usually grabs my attention. This morning it was a piece in The Athletic around the PIF investment into Newcastle United and Newcastle city centre and the expansion plan for St James Park and get excited about the clubs future (I’m a Newcastle fan if you haven’t already guessed it)

9:30am – After a quick read, it’s time to attack my first ‘to do’ on the list

10am – Crack on! I’m definitely a morning person, so I will always try to start the most complex piece of work first, the one that requires the most brain power. But today I’m call heavy in the morning, so will get onto analysing Gemba Europe Property insights later this afternoon

1pm – Lunch time already! I always try and get out of the office for a quick 10-minute walk to clear my head and get some fresh air around Paddington Canal. Then I’ll reconvene in the kitchen and have lunch whilst chatting to the team

2pm – It’s time to check back to my to-do list and see if I’m on track. I usually re-assess what is a priority for EOD and swap around some tasks to tomorrow morning if needed

5:30pm – Making sure I’m caught up on my admin for the day, check that all emails are answered and review my calendar for tomorrow

6pm – Time to head home! I have some energy left so heading to the gym for a quick weights sesh

8:30pm – Aaaaand chill. TV time followed by getting stuck into my most recent book ‘The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport’ before heading to bed

ABOUT ME

From a young age, I have loved the arts and performing. I spent my school years involved in theater both onstage and behind the scenes. I studied film and television and began working in the live sports and entertainment industry. The arts remain my passion, and I spend my free time working on creative projects with friends.

Theater first captivated me, but now I see myself as an entertainment professional. I am passionate about storytelling, sports, and creating magic behind the scenes. Crafting creativity with friends renews my spirit.

Diving into the world of arts has shaped who I am today.

LIFE AT GEMBA

7:00am – Snooze! How many times can I hit the snooze button on my alarm before I must get up?

8:00am – Morning Commute. A quick tram ride into the city and a takeaway coffee in hand.

8:30am – Check my Emails + Calendar and plan accordingly for the day ahead.

9:00 am – Creative Huddle. A check-in with the creative team to make sure we’re on track to meet any deadlines for the day.

10:00am – Amongst all the meetings, try and sneak in a few hours of desk time in the morning and tick some things of the do lists.

12:30pm – Lunch Time! Always try a sneak a walk in on my break to help break up the day.

1:30pm – A new brief has landed so time to scope out the project. Building budgets and checking what resources we have available to take the project on.

3:30pm – Project Regroup, spending some time checking in with the creative team on how they’re progressing with an exciting project we’ve got in the works.

4:30pm – Review Time! Just received a draft for some social content, time to review it and get everyone’s feedback so we can make any changes before we send it to client and dispatch.

5:30pm – Timesheets before home time

ABOUT ME

Outside of P.E. in school and the long hours spent playing outside at home, my first memory of watching professional sport was with my older brother; siding with whatever team was opposing his Brisbane Broncos and constantly asking “what does that mean?” after each ref call. Admittedly, this is still a question I ask a lot as my love for watching different sports grows and continues to consume my weekend plans (and now, those of my friends).

Prior to working at Gemba, I used my Bachelors degrees in Creative Advertising and Marketing to head the Marketing team at Go Media – a New Zealand based Outdoor Advertising company that sponsored just about everything you could imagine within sports, arts, culture and charity. This is where my passion for people, culture and sport blossomed.

Aside from repeating “Up the Wahs” at any given moment, you’ll find me exploring local markets around Melbourne, catching up on MasterChef or curled up with a good book next to my cavoodle, Harley.

I’m thrilled to be starting my new chapter in Australia with a role at Gemba, welcoming all opportunities to grow and learn more in the sports entertainment industry.

LIFE AT GEMBA

6:10am – Wake up just before my alarm. Die inside.

6:15am – Embrace my extra 5 minutes sleep before getting up and starting my day.

6:30am – Take Harley out for a wee so he can earn his morning treat (if this step is skipped, all hell will break loose).

6:45am – shower, stress about what to wear, repeat same work outfit, have breakfast etc.

8am – Airpods in and out the door to take the train into work.

8:10am – Attempt to complete Wordle and Connections. This will make or break my day.

8.20am – Walk into the office and check if anyone noticed that I once again tried to push open the door instead of pull. Absolute rookie.

8.35am – Check calendar for the day ahead and emails, begin writing to-do-list #1

9.00am – Live la vida loca, juggling the Cricket, Motorsports, Tamworth Country Music Festival and Adelaide Crows accounts for Toyota.

12:30pm – Lunch with a side of the NYT Mini Daily Crossword

1:30pm – Check Spotify daylist and rewrite to-do-list for the rest of the day

3.30pm – Juggling continues until it gets to about 5:25pm

5:25: Timesheets, of course

5.30pm – Check what’s on the agenda for tomorrow and basically rinse and repeat

6pm – Walk/feed Harley, go to the gym, watch Masterchef while making dinner, shower, doom scroll or read a book, then go to sleep

ABOUT ME

I’ve always loved learning new things and tackling problems, which naturally led me to a career in data science and machine learning. I studied engineering at university, and my background there fuelled my passion for problem-solving and maths, making data science a perfect fit for me.

I am particularly fascinated by the broad spectrum of topics within data science, with a keen interest in building products from conception to production. The opportunity to apply this in the sports industry was a major appeal for me to join the Gemba team. My specific areas of interest include Bayesian statistics, recommendation systems, and the application of large language models.

Beyond my professional interests, I am a big sports fan, particularly following football and cricket. This passion for sports has been a constant in my life. Additionally, I enjoy listening to music, going to festivals, watching films, and all things related to food and wine. I try to squeeze in some exercise to stay fit and justify indulging in all the fun stuff.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00am – Alarm goes off. I get up and try to do some exercise, either going for a run or attending a gym class.

7:15am – Commute and find coffee, all while listening to a football podcast.

8:00am – Quick catch-up on emails and IM messages.

8:30am – Stand-up meeting. Review ongoing tasks and highlight any blockers or issues.

9:00am – Get down to work. Review outstanding tickets, check for PRs that need my attention and check the status of existing pipelines/workflows.

10:00am – Exploratory Data Analysis. Dive deep into datasets to uncover patterns, detect anomalies, and form hypotheses. This is a crucial step to ensure the quality and relevance of data before building any models.

11:30am – Familiarise myself with new client environments. Sometimes, working with new clients requires adapting to their environment as opposed to using our own cloud services.

12:00pm – Lunch.

1:00pm – Meetings. I try to schedule meetings in blocks, either in the morning or the afternoon. Following the Maker vs. Manager framework helps maximise my efficiency in order to minimise unnecessary context switching.

2:00pm – Model Development and Testing. Work on developing new machine learning models or improving existing ones. This includes experimenting with different algorithms, tuning hyperparameters, and evaluating model performance using various metrics. Collaborate with team members to ensure models align with business goals and deploy them to production environments when ready.

4:00pm – Research. A big part of working in data science and machine learning is keeping up to date with new technologies and trends. This involves reading research papers, watching talks or lectures, and exploring the latest developments in the open-source community. This research isn’t limited to ML but also includes data engineering, DevOps, and software engineering.

5:30pm  –  End of the day. If I didn’t exercise in the morning, I do it now.

7:00pm  – Home time.

ABOUT ME

Friendly and approachable, I always enjoy engaging in conversations and sharing ideas. I’m also an outdoor enthusiast with passions for music and health. My love for the entertainment industry grew when I began attending festivals and other live events. Outside of work, I often find myself juggling side projects that fuel my creativity, whether it’s designing new concepts or diving into hobbies that allow me to express my artistic side and challenge my thinking.

DAY IN THE LIFE

5:30am – Alarm goes off. Roll out of bed wishing I opted to sleep in today.
6:00am – Arrive at the gym for some much-needed physical activity.
7:00am – Head home, jump in the shower and then cook myself breakfast (most likely an omelette).
8:00am – Haven’t left enough time to make the train so I’m on the jog.
8:25 – Arrive at work and head straight to the kitchen to boil the kettle. I can boot up the computer and suss out my schedule when this important task is complete.
9:00 – Into a meeting with the creative team. What’s on for the day?
9:30 – Get started on work. Mostly likely making small tweaks based on client feedback that has come back overnight.
1:00 – Gobble some lunch. If I haven’t brought my own it’s mostly likely going to be Fishbowl. Follow this up with a nice stroll along the Yarra River.
2:00 – Back to work. Knocking through whatever Mitch has assigned me.
3:45 – Cheeky game of table tennis with Dan or Duncan.
5:30 – Leave the office. Take the opportunity on the train to filter through messages I’ve neglected during the day.
7:00pm – Dinner. Nailed it. Again.
8:30pm – Stretch and then read a novel to wind down. Usually nodding off two pages in. Hopefully I’m out by 9pm.

ABOUT ME

Growing up as the youngest in a competitive house, where sport was used to resolve summer holiday disputes, I’ve been brought up playing, organising and spectating every sport you can think of. Therefore it was a bit of a shock that it took me until covid to finally turn my passion into my profession via a slight detour through the worlds of M&A and strategy consulting.

After retiring from team sports, I’ve taken up individual pursuits (marathons and cycling races), and between those I’m spending time with my family, in particular training my 1-year old daughter ahead of the London 2040 Olympics!

I’ve joined Gemba to combine my previous experiences in both the commercial and data analytics side of sport.

DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00am – Force myself to get out of bed (only if my daughter hasn’t woken up during the night) and into our home gym for a quick 20mins to blast away the cobwebs.
6:30am – Breakfast and coffee before jumping in the car to drive to the station. Worth adding, I live in the middle of nowhere
7:10am – Pray that the trains are running on time and then throw on one of the many sports business podcasts for the long commute
08:45am – Arrive at the office, another coffee before booting up the laptop and the firefighting begins
09:30am – Catch up with the various project teams and touch base with the Australian office
11:00am – Head to my favourite place in the office, the whiteboard, drag whoever is closest to soundboard my latest product offering or thought leadership
12:30pm – Meet a client for lunch to discuss how best we can support them with their latest ideas or problems
3.00pm – Walk and talk with a team member, outdoor conversations are always better
4.00pm – Set aside some time to review our latest client deliverables
5.30pm – Start the commute home, call a friend on my walk to the station
7.00pm – Arrive home, bath and bedtime for the little one

ABOUT ME

Sport has alway been a huge part of my life. As a kid growing up in Melbourne, it was always a chaotic weekly schedule of netball, tennis, going to the footy on the weekend with family. I’m thrilled I have been able to turn this passion into a career I am very proud of and continue to develop globally.

From being a publicity assistant at the Australian Open, to working on the WTA Tour and travelling globally with the best athletes in the world, I’m constantly inspired by the infinite ways that sport and entertainment can connect and excite.

I have a Bachelor in Public Relations from RMIT Melbourne, and I have been lucky enough to work in London, China and Australia.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:15am – Alarm goes off. Rise and Shine

6:36am – Snooze off, let’s try that rise and shine again!

7:30am – Out the door and to the station, slightly delayed by saying goodbye to the dog (Billy, the Cocker Spaniel). I pop on the latest F1 podcast to catch up on the latest race news for the daily commute into the Gemba office

8:15am – Arrive at the office, coffee in hand and consult the pre-prepared daily to-do list from the day before. Check the calendar and schedule myself some focus time to ensure all tasks are completed throughout the day

9:00am – Time for the Monday Morning Meeting! This is such a great way to start the week with Melbourne and Sydney getting together to share recent projects, insights and updates from the various Gemba departments

10:00am – Check in with the amazing Gemba Creative team to discuss current projects and feedback from Clients

10:30am – Time to check in with Toyota, one of Gemba’s biggest clients on all things AFL. The agenda can include anything from key updates on the latest MCG activation, stats on the amazing Good for Footy Raffle and looking ahead to the AFL Finals

11:30am – New artwork just in from Gemba Creative, time to send to Client!

11:35am – Time for some tunes. A chorus of “Hey Google, play … on Spotify” chimes in from around the office as we battle for control of the office speakers. We usually land somewhere between 90’s R&B and Crowded House

12:00pm – Update the AFL Major Campaign budget for Toyota, forecasting any updating costs and reconciling the month just gone. Good opportunity to check with the campaign timeline, and various WIP documents whilst I’m at it

1:30pm – Edit the deck for a client presentation which has been reviewed by our Senior Account Director ready to go for tomorrow morning

2:00pm – WIP with Account Manager getting the updates on the latest from Toyota’s sponsorship of Motorsport as we work on the launch of the Toyota Gazoo Racing 86 Series

3:00pm – Catch up with AFL to discuss the latest updates from Toyota and collaborate on the upcoming community initiatives to celebrate volunteers in footy

3:30pm – Touch base with Marketing Strategy to discuss the upcoming sustainability campaign for Toyota. Such an interesting field for sponsorship at the moment, can’t wait to hear their thoughts on how Toyota can make an impact

5:30pm – Clear the inbox and check the calendar ahead of tomorrow. Double check I have a room booked for the client presentation before a final run-through

6:00pm – That’s stumps! Time to head to tennis and get active to finish the day!

ABOUT ME

I’ve been lucky enough to be able to blend passions with work. I’m a keen sailor, cyclist, swimmer, traveller, and cook. I love being outdoors, listening to podcasts, all things biohacking, and walking the dog. So ending up in Sport, Entertainment and Culture has been a great fit.

Starting in design, polishing skills overseas in London working in branding, advertising and sport partnerships, and finally rounding things off in recent years specialising in Sport and Entertainment has been the journey. Being able to create unique experiences for fans that generously reward their passions in Sport and Entertainment, is my why.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

And what a wonderful life it is

7:00am – Leisurely swim with the sharks in Bondi

7:24am – Coffee

8:37am – Arrive at office, get another coffee

9:00am – John monologue (give Nick a call for side chat)

9:30am – Feet up at desk

10:00am – Brief designers to do my crappy scamps

10:10am – Read the paper

12:00pm – My go to Lunch order: 4 beef patties from Maccas

12:59pm – Turn on the swans game replay

2:00pm – More slacking off

3:00pm – Snooze in the sunroom

3:53pm –  Footy tips

4:21pm – NRL tipping

4:48pm – Knock off early (great day of work)

ABOUT ME

Despite multiple lockdowns and online learning, and a bit of a caffeine addiction, I managed to complete my Bachelor degree at RMIT. I was inspired by my VisCom teacher to pursue design and my passion continues to grow every day. I have a hands-on approach to my design work and am always developing my skills and knowledge.

During school I loved to get involved in almost every extra curricular activity, from team sports to musical productions. I play indoor beach and hard court volleyball and I absolutely love the sport. As someone who hates going to the gym, it’s a fun and social way for me to stay active and be involved in my community.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:30am – Alarm goes off and I choose to ignore it for the next 20 minutes

7:20am – Decide if I should make my own coffee or pay too much for one from the local cafe

7:40am – Drive to work while pumping some tunes to start the day

8:15am – Get to work and stop myself from buying an almond croissant

8:30am – Creative huddle to figure out what I’m actually doing that day

9:00am – Get started, working on the most important stuff first

1:00pm – Have lunch with some other Gembies. Did I make my own lunch? Probably not

2:00pm – Back to work, knocking down jobs

5:30pm – Leaving work and dreading the crazy amount of traffic, but still singing along to my favourite songs in the car

7:00pm – Get home and eat. I’m always starving by the time I get home

7:30pm – Wind down and binge some tv shows (most often ones I’ve already seen)

9:30pm – Bedtime

ABOUT ME

Born and bred in Melbourne, I’ve spent the majority of my 20+ year career in the world of advertising and media. I started out in a couple of smaller agencies and have also worked in a large global business.  I enjoy the energy and ever-changing dynamics working in this industry can bring.

When I’m not crunching numbers, I love to be entertained, whether it be at a live theatre performance, concert or at the cinema.  I also love to lose myself in a great book, spend time with family and friends and manage the Instagram page of my naughty yet adorable cavoodle named Scout!

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00am – Alarm goes off, hit snooze at least twice before dragging myself out of bed to walk my dog Scout

7:30am – Time to get ready and out the door to the office!  Listen to either music, crime podcast or audiobook on my commute

9:00am – Review emails over a Chai, plan to-do list for the day/week ahead

9:30am – Finance Team WIP to prioritise tasks for the week

10:00am – Finance-y stuff!  Process payroll for the past fortnight, answer team queries, raise client invoices, set up new Gembies in Pegasus

12:30pm – Time for lunch, hopefully a walk around the block if the weather is good!

1:30pm – More finance-y stuff!  Prepare sales pipeline for the team, complete balance sheet recs and other month end tasks

3:30pm – Time for an afternoon cuppa and a quick chat before smashing out the last couple of hours for the day

6:00pm – Time for the commute home – phew!  Another day done!

ABOUT ME

After studying Human Resources and Psychology, I found my way into Recruitment and spent the last five years building skills in sales, business development, HR, marketing, and event management within the IT recruitment space.

Originally from Papua New Guinea, where rugby league is in our DNA, I’ve always had a passion for sport and despite growing up in Brisbane, I’ve been a lifelong Melbourne Storm fan. So, joining Gemba felt like the perfect opportunity to grow my career in an industry I’m passionate about—and also finally attend more home games!

Outside the NRL, I’m an F1 enthusiast (and long-suffering Ferrari fan), hoping Lewis and Charles make those early mornings worth it.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Stay Tuned…

ABOUT ME

Coming soon…

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Coming soon…

ABOUT ME

I was born in Sydney, then over the last 27 odd years moved to Adelaide, Perth, Canada, Melbourne & Japan – and now back to Sydney.

Other than living out of a suitcase and relying on Google Maps to get everywhere, I love music, reading, the snow, the beach and chess.

I have also been known to accidentally watch 15+ hours of AFL in a singular weekend – but life is about balance, so I don’t often lead with that.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5.50am – Aggressive alarm. 5 minutes to cry in the shower then off to my reformer pilates class. Pump it (louder).

7.30am – Home from gym. Shower, eat, clothe myself, serenaded by Hamish & Andy poddy.

8.27am – Begin the perilous voyage to work.

8.30am – Arrive at work. Complain about the long walk to anyone who will listen.

8.35am – Call Julia to ask how to log into my MacBook.

9.00am – Creative huddle. Issy bossing me around with my tasks for the day – smile and wave.

9.30am – Work time. Could be anything from drawing, to writing, to ideation, to googling cricket balls for 3 hours.

11.00am – Time for my extra hot decaf oat 3/4 flat white with honey, cinnamon and 2 pink marshmallows.

12:30pm – Lunch time – feeding the pigeons my crusts in the park.

1:30pm – Back at it again with the white vans. Knocking off afternoon tasks for the day. Ally usually pestering with unreasonable deadlines.

3.30pm – Selfies in the bathroom with John.

5.25pm – Definitely remember to do my timesheets.

5.45pm – Uber home.

ABOUT ME

I too, was THAT sporting kid growing up. I did it all – dancing, netball, football, cricket, tennis …. and did I mention I dominated the handball court? However, for eight years now, I’ve bled and cried for basketball – that’s where you’ll find me every Sunday evening. But without seeing myself as a full-time athlete, at 16, I made a call to pursue a degree in sports business instead, combining my sporting passion with my knack for business, economics, and maths.

Kicking off my studies at UTS (unfortunately at the peak of COVID, but that didn’t stop me), I worked my way around numerous internships and juggled full-time employment. It all paid off when I was flown to the Women’s Rugby World Cup a few days following my final exams. The event made history on so many fronts, a true “pinch me” moment where I realised this was my dream job. Now I chase the buzz and excitement, ticking off other bucket list events across the sport and entertainment industry!

Beyond my professional endeavours however, I’m quite a busy girl. You can usually find me soaking up the latest piece of financial advice, taking my camera for a spin, catching up on UFC highlights, booking my next international adventure, head-banging at a concert, volunteering my weekends aways on the athletics track or working on a business idea, coffee-in-hand.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5:30am (Give or take) – Remind myself how much I love my job and my lifestyle, so this gets me out of bed… after a few snooze buttons are hit

6:50am – If I’m being wishful, out the door to swing into my local coffee drive thru

7:20am – Park up at the train station and pop in my earbuds

7:26am – Tap onto the train and enjoy watching the world passing around me. This is usually my personal finance time; catch up on how my savings goals are going, listen to a podcast or read up on a new investment book, but in reality, it’s me sneaking in some extra work

8:21am – Off the train and getting my first set of steps in for the day

8:30am(ish) – Get into the office, unpack and fill up my water bottle cos your girl has to stay hydrated!

9:00am – Usually it’s a huddle day, so checking in with the wider team on that day’s priorities. I’m in a lucky spot with Events, as I sit between the Account Services and Creative team, so I get the best of both worlds!

9:30am – I finally grab my brekky. In Winter it’s brown sugar oats, and Summer, it’s sourdough toast. Of course, both topped with peanut butter and berries.

10:00am – 1:00pm: This will be me juggling the outstanding actions for whatever events we have that week i.e. McDonalds at the AFL, TAB at the Racecourse, Westpac Helicopters flying around Australia or smashing out some client WIPs for Westpac OpenAir.

1:30pm: This is around the time I realise I haven’t eaten in a while. I’ll run to the fridge for my meal prep and take a break where possible.

2:00 – 3:00pm: Back to the desk.

3:30pm: Afternoon coffee and a sweet snack!

4:00pm: Finishing off the day with some emails or a check in with my manager, Demi

5:15pm: Telling myself to do my timesheets and not doing them.

5:30pm: Packing up and off to the train.

7:00pm: Reach home – depending on the day, this means it’s time to either do a grocery run, meal prep, play some sport, or let’s be honest, shower and lay in bed. On the odd occasion it’s a boards game night with friends or swinging past my parent’s place for dinner.

11:00 – 12:00pm: Somehow time in the evening zooms by and I end up sleeping around here and regretting being up late.

ABOUT ME

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, my academic journey has taken me from the U.S. to Australia, driven by a passion for sports and a curiosity about living abroad. I studied Sport Analytics and Sport Management at Syracuse University, where I worked closely with the women’s basketball team. Afterward, I moved to Melbourne to complete my master’s degree at Monash University, further developing my skills in data analysis.

With experience studying and working in both the U.S. and Australia, I’ve gained a unique, global perspective on problem-solving and teamwork. Now based in Melbourne, I’m excited to continue my journey, making impactful contributions to the sports industry at Gemba.

Outside of work, I’m a huge fan of basketball and football (soccer). I sacrifice my sleep on weekends to support Chelsea FC.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5:45 AM – Hit the alarm for the 5th time. A little extra snooze never hurt anyone, right?
6:30 AM – One eye open, it’s breakfast time. Quick oatmeal while catching up on last night’s football scores – Hoping Chelsea don’t ruin my day.
7:00 AM – Shower and get dressed – Hoping my hair cooperates today.

8:00 AM – Hop on the metro. Time to pretend I’m improving myself by listening to a podcast… while actually zoning out and making a mental list of today’s tasks.
9:00 AM – Daily standup with the Data and Analytics team.

10:00 AM – Diving into dashboards and tackling data tasks. Spreadsheets and dashboards are my happy place… sometimes.
12:00 PM – Quick lunch and a walk to recharge. Because eating quickly and wandering aimlessly somehow counts as self-care.

1:00 PM – Internal meetings and ongoing tasks.
5:45 PM – Time to head home. Day’s wrapped up, ready for a change of scenery.
7:00 PM – Gym time. Time to forget about spreadsheets and lift those heavy irons.

10:00 PM – YouTube or Netflix for a little entertainment until I fell asleep.

ABOUT ME

From walking the fairways of St Andrews at the British Open to sitting in the Coaches Box on matchday at the MCG – I’ve been extremely fortunate to experience sports and entertainment from many angles; as an active participant, volunteer, administrator and spectator.

Whilst I love the odd round of golf, smacking golf balls at the driving range and trying to keep fit, at the end of the working day you will probably find me kicking or shooting any kind of ball with my son or acting as his taxi driver. On the weekend, there is a fair chance that I’ll be running a message to a player at junior footy, scoring a basketball game, singing along poorly at a live concert or cheering on the Storm, Melbourne Victory & the Mighty Dees!

Hopefully it’s not a poor reflection, but sadly I get a kick out of counting the crowd on game day at the MCG and estimating in my own mind what the match return may be!

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Stay Tuned…

ABOUT ME

I grew up obsessed with sport and thought I’d one day don the boots for the mighty Pies or open the bowling for Australia. When I realised that wasn’t going to happen working in sport was the next best thing.

I started my career at the AFL where I spent four years before pursuing a career in management consulting. Five years later my passion for sport led me to a strategy role at Racing Victoria where I spent six years, later becoming General Manager Strategy looking after strategy, projects and data & analytics. I worked on major projects such as Racing.com, Racing Photos and The All-Star Mile.

After a stint at a boutique management consultancy leading various data strategy projects, I joined Gemba to help establish the Data & Analytics division. This was an exciting opportunity to combine my strategy consulting, data and sport experience to work with the biggest brands in sport and entertainment.

Outside of work my passions are my family, renovating and keeping fit in the gym and on the bike.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00am – Wake up and procrastinate whether I should go to the gym or not….ok gym it is!

7:00am – Crazy hour….get kids ready, school/kinder/childcare drop off (realise I left a school bag at home…damn)

8:00am – Sales Meeting to talk about budgets and pipeline…Hodgie killing it again

8:30am – All staff Monday Morning Meeting – Creative team presents on a cool TV ad campaign they’ve done for Toyota and AFL….I realise I don’t have a creative bone in my body

9:00am – Dial into the strategy daily stand up with the team to discuss the weekend of sport and then priorities for the day

9:30am – Data & Analytics Sprint Planning with the team to plan out the next two weeks

10:00am – Present a status update to the MCC Leadership Team on data and analytics progress

11:30am – Lead a data strategy workshop consultation with a major rights holder

1:00pm – Lunch, hopefully some leftovers so I don’t need to decide what to eat

2:00pm – Call with a client who requires strategy support

3:00pm – Focus time to review and update client work and respond to emails

6:00pm – Head home – dinner, bath, book & bed for kids

8:00pm – Time to relax, catch up on news or some Netflix

ABOUT ME

Growing up in South London not far from Wimbledon, I’ve always been mad about sport. I’ll try my hand at pretty much anything, but football and tennis have always been my favourites. Naturally this led me to hold three roles at Wimbledon when I was younger, from ballboy to waiter to court attendant.

Having always loved problem-solving, I studied for a degree in Natural Sciences, but realising I wasn’t cut out for a life in the lab, I turned my attention to analytics. Prior to moving to Sydney, I spent three years working for a sports consultancy, working with the likes of Premier League and ICC on a wide range of projects.

Joining Gemba felt like a no-brainer to continue combining my love of sports and insights.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

7:00am – Wake up and immediately check the overnight football scores, hoping for an end to Chelsea’s dire run of form. No surprise to see another 1-0 home defeat to relegation-threatened opposition..

7:30am – Quick smoothie and off to work. Spend the bus journey listening to a podcast and searching for a decent bike to avoid having to get the bus again

8:15am – Start the day off right with a Yorkshire brew while I check through emails and complete timesheets

9:30am – Head for the Insights stand up with the latest bad joke. No match for Tushar of course

10:00am – Amend the AFL draft survey with a new batch of feedback from the client and brands

10:30am – Disturb the office with an inability to froth milk properly, before finalising the survey and sending it back for confirmation

11:00am – Work with Tushar to add the finishing touches to a bespoke Fan Attendance research deck

1:00pm – Chat to the team about the Australian batting deficiencies while having leftovers from yesterday’s dinner, likely yaki soba

1:30pm – Bring back the old school revision playlist (lyric-less soundtracks) to accompany me through a session of sponsorship effectiveness

2:30pm – Second bout of noisy coffee making. Machine must be broken…

3:00pm – One brand down, one more to go before I head home

5:30pm – Begrudgingly walk to the bus stop for another painstakingly slow journey

7:00pm – Poke bowl for dinner then off to the local pub quiz where we’re guaranteed to come last as half the questions are on Aussie culture. Still, at least we won a fan that plugs into your phone…

ABOUT ME

I’m a Dad. Partner. Proud Tasmanian & long suffering Essendon tragic.

Despite starring in the 2006 Under 15 Southern Tasmanian Junior Football League Grand Final, where a couple of cheeky final quarter goals got the mighty Sandy Bay Lions over the line, my lack of height, no defensive pressure and poor disposal efficiency meant that an off-field career in sport might be a better idea.

A degree in Journalism later and after a stint as a sports reporter, I established my career through managing go-to-market strategy and marketing campaign teams at Sportsbet. I then spent time at OMD, connecting brands with fans through sport partnerships, content solutions and strategy.

I’m a big consumer of sport, comedy and pop culture. Whether it’s F1, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, NBA, Bluey or anything in between, I’ll find a podcast to keep me across it.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:30 – Hit snooze.

6:33 – My little boy wakes me up anyway, demands a smoothie and some toast, so we spend some time in the kitchen with some Wheels on the Bus, A-B-C or Baby Shark to get us going!

7:30 – I’m out the door and walking to the train, podcast in the ears usually The Ringer getting me up to speed with all things US Sports.

8:20 – Arrive in the office and sort through the emails and the team’s priorities for the day.

9:00 – Creative Huddle to align us all and focus in on what we need to get out the door that day and where we should be focused.

10:00-11:00 – WIPs with Account Management to understand where we’re at current campaigns and upcoming plans.

1:00 – Get some lunch in, I’ve been good recently and packed a salad, let’s see how that goes… Pop another podcast in and maybe catch up with the live NBA scores.

2:00 – Do the rounds and catch-up with each member of the team to understand where each campaign is at, any challenges I can help with or work through together.

4:00 – Another set of lovely campaign assets are ready to be dispatched, Boyd has given the green light and we’re off to the races as an overjoyed Account Manager takes them off our hands and passes them along to an equally appreciative client.

4:30 – Take a look at the trade press and keep an eye on what’s happening in the world of sport and entertainment marketing and sponsorship, keeping the inspiration front and centre and stored away for our next brief response or proactive opportunity.

5:30 – Time to wrap it all up for the day, plug in my timesheets and race to the train so I’m home to in time for dinner.

7:00 – Dinner, bath and bed for the little man.

9:00 – Dinner, bath and bed for me.

ABOUT ME

From growing up practicing elite gymnastics to living in 6 countries in the last 10 years, I have always been passionate about sports, travel and cultures, and how these three elements intertwine during major sporting events. Whether as an athlete, spectator, or organizer, I absolutely love how sports has the power to unite people and generate powerful emotions.

Since completing my Master in Marketing in 2017, I worked on the client, rights holder and agency side for events such as Formula 1, Moto GP, UEFA Euro or more recently with Coca-Cola for the FIFA  Women’s World Cup 2023. I thrive in fast paced environment and love diversity which is why I’m excited to be back in the agency world!

In my spare time, I stay active, love discovering new places from restaurants to a national park, and spend time with friends and family (when they make the long trip to visit!).

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:45am – Wakey-wakey, this is hard, not a morning person and still adjusting to the Aussie lifestyle. Will swap the gym class with at home yoga stretch

8:00am – A 30 min walk catching up on European friends and family voice messages

8:32am – Bonjour to the team, and quickly sorting out my Inbox and priorities for the day before the first meeting

10:30am – I can finally start actioning some tasks, send a few emails and prepare the crazy succession of meetings ahead. Got my homemade snack to power through

12:30pm – First meeting with rightsholder and client, discussing activation assets and an upcoming shoot for a campaign with a powerful and important message. On top of that it’s real football (soccer), so I love it!

1:30pm – Time to eat that hopefully delicious meal prep. 15min if lucky before the next agency village and client WIPs

3:45pm – No more meetings and some productive time which will fly by. I wished it was only 12pm…

5:15pm – Harsh stop and off to the gym or gymnastics to clear the brain. I missed out this morning so no excuse! Can action urgent things at home

7:15pm – Home time and hopefully not on cooking duties. I can relax which probably involves some useless scrolling, chatting to the fam (or mostly catching up on nieces and nephew videos), and watching a doco/serie on Netflix

10:30pm – Definitely time to go to bed or I’ll regret it in 8h

ABOUT ME

Having worked in various industries and needing a bit of a career change, I followed my passion for finance and spent the last 5 years in a creative agency, where I’m now excited to bring my experience to Gemba.

I am a creative thinker who thrives in a busy environment. I enjoy working with great people and the momentum of this industry is something that excites me.

Outside work, I like to spend time with family and friends cooking different cuisines. You will also find me at the local nursery where I enjoy seeing plants transforming into fruits, vegetables, or flowers to view.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00am: The alarm rings, and it’s showtime!

7:20am: Commute to work while enjoying some music to set a positive tone for the day.

8:30am: Arrive at the office and get ready to conquer the day

9:00am: Catch up with the team, share some laughs, and get pumped for the week.

9:30am: Time to check timesheet entries and play detective with the usual suspects.

10:00am: Dive into last week’s bank statements and make sure everything’s in perfect order.

11:00am: Collaborate with the team, crunch numbers, and get those invoices ready to roll.

12:00pm: Lunch break – a quick recharge before the afternoon hustle.

1:00pm: Finance WIP –Brainstorm, plan, and set the stage for an epic week with the finance buddies.

2:00 – 6:00pm: Tackle the email avalanche in the accounts inbox, process supplier invoices like a pro and crush any other finance tasks that comes.

6:00pm: Wrap up and hit the road for the commute home.

ABOUT ME

Having come to Australia from Scotland in the winter/summer of 2024, I was wandering the plains of event production freelancing when I came to Gemba, brought in as event support for the remainder of the year. With an extensive background in promotion, production and delivery of music and culture events over the last 15 years, the transition into sport and entertainment was principally very similar: people who love something, engaging with it.

I’ve always been on the ‘fanatic’ side of fan when it comes to sport so getting up close to some of the greatest sporting events on the planet has been an incredible pivot.
I hung up my cricket whites after playing every week from the age of 6 until 17. Music took over for the intervening period but now, if you’re lucky enough, you’ll get to hear about my on-field exploits with Edinburgh CC on a weekly basis. Spoiler alert: I’m a bit rusty….

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Stay Tuned…

ABOUT ME

Inspired by my AFL hero’s, I grew up in Melbourne living and breathing sport from a young age. Not quite good enough to turn pro I decided to get involved behind the scenes.

In previous roles, I have had some amazing opportunities at the pinnacle level of high-performance sport working alongside some of the industry’s elite AFL clubs and sporting organisations from across the country.  Gaining this unique exposure accelerated my understanding of the multiple complexities within sport and fast tracked my ability to innovate and problem solve.

I thrive on developing and applying industry leading data and technology practices to translate complex information into simple insights, enhance the decision-making process and empower end users.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

3:00am – Awake to my newborn daughter for a nappy change and hope to grab a couple more hours of sleep

6:00am – Time to get up and get moving either on a run or a walk with the dog

8:00am – Arrive at the office, grab a coffee and sit down to align the calendar and projects for the day ahead

9:15am – Daily stand-up meeting to check in with Data & Analytics team and then crack on with the first prioritised project for the day

12:00pm – Time to fuel up with some leftovers for lunch and catch up with my new colleagues

1:00pm – Meet with some key stakeholders to present progress and gather any further requirements

3:00pm – Wrangle some data or work on developing new tools

5:30pm – Depart the office and tick off a few pages from a recent book on the train home

6:30pm – Get the hot handball from my partner, time to step back into the new role of being a father, cook some dinner and prepare for the next day

9:00pm – Chill time with some Netflix and a cup of tea, have a bit of a stretch, then off to bed with fingers crossed for as long a sleep stint as possible

ABOUT ME

My career has always been in the dynamic world of advertising and marketing. For over 20 years, I’ve bounced between global agencies and small boutique firms, loving the variety of roles and the amazing people I’ve met along the way. At Tenka, I’ve worn many hats in the finance team and had the privilege of working with some of the best in the business. My role recently has expanded beyond finance, and I now manage the operations side of the company, which requires a very vast skillset, but is very rewarding. It’s been an exciting ride!

When it comes to sports and entertainment, I’m all about live music and try to go to as many concerts as I can. I’m also a proud mum to two beautiful girls, as teenagers are certainly keeping me on my toes and up to date with all the trends. I’m also passionate about netball and spend my weeks cheering on my daughters at their games. In my spare time I volunteer on the Exec Committee of their netball club, which keeps me busy, and provides many interesting challenges.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:30 AM – Up and at ’em! As a semi-morning person, I’m up bright and early, getting ready in a flash, and then my daughter and I walk to the train station together.

7:30 AM – Fingers crossed for a seat on the train! I use the commute to check overnight emails and Teams messages from the UK team. A quick pit stop to see Rocky at the coffee shop downstairs for my essential large latte, and I’m good to go.

9:00 AM – Monday morning meeting time! It’s always a fun session to catch up on what the teams are up to and celebrate someone’s Gembaversary.

9:30 AM – A quick team check-in to swap weekend stories, then it’s time to tackle my “urgent” to-do list for today and the week ahead.

11:00 AM – Focus mode: on. Headphones in, binaural beats playing, and I’m diving into the first task on my list.

12:30 PM – Lunch break! I head out to grab a baguette from a café down Degraves Lane. The city’s lunch options are amazing.

1:30 PM – Finance team WIP. First, we catch up, then we dive into the week’s priorities. It’s month-end, so there’s always a lot on our plates.

2:30 PM – Monthly check-in with David from DBT, our IT company, to go over any issues or ongoing projects.

3:30 PM – Time to prep for the board reports and dig into the numbers. Oh, hang on, first an urgent client contract to review.

5:30 PM – Time to head home. I catch the train, check in on any netball club issues, whip up dinner for the girls, and gear up for my weekly WIP with Rob later in the evening (UK time).

ABOUT ME

After starting my career initially in engineering as an oil & gas engineer, working across Australia & North America, I realised after a few years that I was after something different professionally.

After an early career change, I moved into the agency world as a digital strategist working with a range of clients across small, medium and corporate level enterprises. At the same time, I also undertook my MBA to develop and strengthen my broader commercial, strategic and advisory skillset.

More recently, I’ve spent the past few years working in the sporting industry at Cricket Australia in a cross-functional role within the in-house strategy and media rights teams. Through this, I’ve developed a broad understanding and exposure of the sports industry, having worked across initiatives in participation growth, media rights, broadcast & commercial operations, high performance pathways, franchise league development and general corporate strategy development. I look forward to bringing my deep industry experience to Gemba to help solve challenging, complex solutions across a broader range of sports & entertainment properties.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

7:00am – Get the day started and aim to get in a gym session or at least some fresh air before the day kicks off

8:30am – In the office, quick scan of any pressing emails and then some team bonding over a morning coffee

9:00 am – Daily Strategy stand-up with the team to review upcoming priorities for the day

10:00 am – Weekly-check in with a client to review and discuss the progress and next steps of their upcoming media rights deal

11:00am – Jump on a call with a client who is seeking to build out their next 5-year strategy

12:30pm – Lunch with the team and potentially sneak in a few highlights of the weekend’s sport

1:00pm – Exploratory meeting with a potential new client to review a proposal of how we may be able to support their business requirements on a new customer strategy

2:00pm – Power hour #1 – check in with the broader team, see how they are going and shift priorities, if needed

3:00pm – Weekly update with a Rights Holder SteerCo to provide an update on the development of a new business model for a new participation program they are seeking to launch

4:30pm – Power hour #2 – close out any remaining meetings and start ticking off any pressing items to round out the day

5:30pm – That’s a wrap for the day – make sure any important client correspondence is sent out and making sure there are no fires left to put out for the next day

6:00pm – Enjoy the evening!

ABOUT ME

I’m a typical sport obsessed Melburnian. A huge crowd at the MCG doesn’t get any better – especially when Carlton win.

I’m fortunate to combine my passion for sport with my profession, and count myself lucky to be working at Gemba.

Throughout my career I’ve experienced many aspects that sport and entertainment has to offer. From major event management, to working in the commercial team at the Melbourne Storm, and most recently guiding some of Australia’s biggest brands through their sponsorship campaigns.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5:40am – First alarm goes off, I hit the snooze

5:49am – My 9-minute snooze goes off and I peel myself out of bed

6:10am – My fiancé (Lucie) and I drag ourselves to BFT gym. The music is blasting, and trainers have way too much energy. Luckily Tim Pope (from Gemba Strategy) is there to give us a pump up

7:20am – Back home to quickly walk the puppy, shower, eat and off to work I go. If weather permits, I ride in. Otherwise, I’m on the train

8:15am – Arrive at work, set up the desk, respond to any urgent emails and plan the day out

8:45am – Coffee #1 (long-black)

9:00am – WIP with Toyota to catch up on weekly tasks and things to plan for in the medium term

10:00am – Tom and I divide and conquer some pressing Toyota work – this can be anything from a creative brief, end of season report, contract valuation, renegotiation planning or sponsorship portfolio reviews

11:30am – Coffee #2

12:30pm – Time for lunch. So many options in near the office. But somehow, I always end up with Sushi…

1:30pm – Back into Toyota work. Is it Cricket, AFL, Motorsport, National Tree Day, Cowboys, Crows?

3:00pm – Coffee #3

4:00pm – Kick off meeting for a new opportunity with a brand – the Marketing Strategy team have unearthed another opportunity! We’ll get to work on the proposal right away!

5:45pm – I’m outta here – back on the bike, or train

6:30pm – Walk the doggo

7:00pm – In the kitchen cooking up a storm. Adam Liaw or Rick Stein on the TV in the background

8:00pm – TV time – Netflix/Kayo/SBS/ABC are the go-to’s. Unless Lucie commandeers the remote then it’s either Love Island or RHOBH

ABOUT ME

In hindsight I was probably destined to work in Sport & Entertainment. As a kid I developed a cricket tournament hosted in a carpark near home, ran horse racing nights and built stadiums in art class. My first job was working for a publishing company that specialised in sport, music and theatre publications.

After 10 great years with adidas, I took the plunge and started a business that evolved into the Gemba. Every day I get to work with a talented bunch who work with clients to help shape a better future for the sport & entertainment industry.

Through my role I have also had the opportunity to work in different markets. After a few years working in Shanghai, I moved to London where I support the Gemba team and our sister agency Turnstile, expand the business globally.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6.10am – Start the run to work. Reminisce about when I used to ‘quick’

7.10am – Armed with my first coffee, respond to emails that came in overnight from Australia and the US.

8.30am – Weekly WIP with Paula, our COO, who steps me through the myriad of projects she is simultaneously juggling. Finish the call in awe that she somehow manages to get it all done!

10.00am – Review presentation deck for major client pitch.

12.30pm – Grab a sandwich at local shop run by a mad Egyptian character. Cop abuse for not practicing the Egyptian words he has been teaching me.

2.30pm – Gemba Strategy team step me through the new Intellectual Capital module for Licensing & Merchandising. Reminisce about old adidas Product Management days.

4.00pm – Write Board Papers. Always makes me feel like a grown up.

5.15pm – Impromptu game of darts in the office. Possibly the only sport where I am remotely competitive with the younger crew in the office.

6.00pm – Out the door and home via the Tube. Listen to a couple passionately talking about Padel and start drawing parallels between Padel and cults.

ABOUT ME

Like most people in our industry, sport and entertainment passion runs deep within my genetic make-up. In fact, my earliest memories are being on a sports field. Whether it was learning how to hold a hockey stick at the age of four, or ensuring my backline were in position waiting for the rugby ball to pop out of the scrum at the age of seven. I always knew my life would revolve around sport in some way or another.

Born and raised in Mzansi (South Africa), I was fortunate enough to attend schools and a university that gave me a platform to pursue my sporting passion whilst laying a solid educational foundation beneath it all. By the age of 22 I had a Bcom Marketing Degree behind my name and had just represented my country at the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup in India.

Not long after that, I decided to hang up my hockey boots and pursue my marketing career full-time. I am so grateful that I am now able to bring my passions to life through the world of sport and entertainment marketing, and ultimately connecting brands to fans through the things that they love.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:30am – Frantically scramble to hit the snooze button on my phone. Just another 10 minutes, please. I like my sleep.

6:40am – With one eye open, check up on all my messages from friends and family back in South Africa that have messaged overnight. Time difference sucks!

6:50am – Okay, should probably get up and shower because the bus leaves in 40 minutes.

7:30am – Hop on the 201, straight over the Harbour Bridge and into the city. The bus trip is usually spent checking on EPL results from the night before and completing my daily Wordle.

8:00am – Almond latte extra hot, please. Straight up to the office and begin sorting through my emails and daily to-do list.

9:00am – Check-ins with different members of my team, identifying focus areas for the day and how we’re going to tackle them.

10:00am – First client meeting of the day with HCF, running through the WIP to ensure we’re delivering on their Netball Australia sponsorship content and activation strategy.

10:45am – Caffeine is vital. Squeeze in a quick coffee before the next meeting.

11:00am – Weekly catch up with our Macca’s clients, discussing ways to bring their NRL sponsorship to life.

12:00pm – Block out an hour of focus time to finish the FIFA Women’s World Cup activation deck for Coca-Cola. Nothing like an early 2000’s Hip Hop and R&B playlist to get my creative juices flowing.

1:00pm – Sudden realisation that I haven’t eaten a thing all day. I’m not on an intermittent fasting diet, am I? I should probably eat. *Casually walks to the Vietnamese joint around the corner for a fresh BBQ Pork Banh Mi

1:45pm – Check in with my wife to see how her day is going and if it’s my turn to pick up groceries after work.

2:00pm – Shift my focus to Westpac as we chat through our most recent activity from State of Origin II. Knowing we’ll be doing it all again at Game 3 in a few weeks, it’s important to understand how we can optimise the activation by identifying key learinings from the first two rounds.

3:00pm – Internal check-in with my boss/mentor/sensei, Clare, who gives me guidance on a challenging brief we’ve just received and how to best approach it. Once work talk is done, we spend the rest of the session chatting about my shoulder injury and when the sling can finally come off. Sorry, Clare!

4:00pm – The end is in sight! One more client meeting for the day before we can start wrapping up. This time we’re reviewing mid-season KPI results with our QBE client from their Swans and Swifts sponsorships respectively. Great to know we’re tracking well against the projections.

5:30pm – One last email before heading to the bus stop to catch the 304 back home. My brother back in South Africa should be awake now so I give him a ring and check how my beautiful niece and nephew are doing.

6:00pm – Turns out it was my day to do groceries, so I rush through the Woolies aisles to grab the essentials and take a brisk walk home. Time for dinner and daily catch up with my wife.

7:00pm – Usually I’d be getting my football kit on because training starts in 30 minutes at Northbridge. However, whilst I’m recovering from injury, I prefer getting the feet up and seeing how Ted Lasso’s Richmond FC are going to do against Pep’s solid City outfit.

ABOUT ME

Growing up in Sydney in the 90s I was a netballer in the winter (WD forever) and a swimmer in the summer (butterfly queen) I also spent many Sunday afternoons watching the Tigers play at Balmain oval so I’ve been lucky enough to have grown up with lots of wonderful memories surrounded by lots of passionate sporting fans. As I got older, I became more interested in the Entertainment side of things and started to live, breathe and obsess with all things entertainment specifically the film clips that would accompany songs.

Over the years I have been lucky enough to work across various industries including Event Management, Beauty, Corporate and NFP in different positions, all with a focus on admin and team support. This allowed me to not only gain valuable administrative experience but also allowed me to understand how to best support teams to deliver their best work.

Away from work, you’ll find me hanging with my husband Phil and baby Sonny OR obsessing over the latest Bravo content/Deux Moi celeb spottings.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00am – first Alarm goes off, I hit snooze quickly so I don’t wake Sonny and enjoy the next 15 mins in bed

6:15am – I am awake and coffee machine is on, once the caffeine hits the system I proceed to slap on a face, pick an outfit and get myself and Sonny ready for the day

7:15am – I’m out the door but not before laying a big embarrassing mum smooch on Sonny as my husband is on drop off/pick up duty today

7:25am – On the train and settling into the latest episode of Real Housewives

7:55am – Off the train and straight to my coffee joint for the second caffeine top up

8:15am – In the Office and my first check in with Condo to see if anythings urgent I need to action

9:00am – The team has started to roll in and the good vibes are pumping, we decide who’s going to be in charge of the playlist as I start to tackle my inbox

10:30am – My head pops up and I’ve got my plan for the day, things change daily so it means my to-do-list does as well, but we get it done

11:30am – Thursday means LUNCH CLUB so I’m getting the team ready in the chat and wondering where we will venture today

12:30pm – We’ve chosen the venue for the day and the team heads out, we grab lunch and head back to eat together

1:30pm – Check in with my Melbourne Ops team to get a couple of updates on projects we are working on

2:30pm – Another check in with Condo, this time I need to book some flights and accommodation for some upcoming travel

3:30pm – Quick check in with my deskmates on the latest Deux Moi posts & Tik Tok trends

4:00pm – Last check of the office before end of day, make sure everything is looking good, ready for the next day

4:30pm – Last check of the inbox and get some sort of plan for tomorrow, adjust my to-do-list with what’s been actioned & what has moved priority wise

5:00pm – Out the door to begin my trip home, looking forward to my housewives.

5:45pm – I’m home and have about 15 mins to myself before Sonny comes home.

9:30pm – Last 3 hours have been a blur of dinners, books, baths and bottles. I collapse into bed where I promise myself I wont stay on my phone past 10pm…

ABOUT ME

Sport has always been a huge passion of mine. Growing up on the other side of the ditch in NZ I played nearly every sport under the sun, and many weeknights & weekends were spent training and competing. Naturally this led to a sports management degree at university, and with the addition of a marketing degree I’ve combined these with innate curiosity to work in the ever-evolving business side of sport. These days I’m more of a social athlete and couch coach/ref, and can be found surfing or testing my footwork on the touch field.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

7:00am – Up & at ‘em. Pack a quick lunch and jump on my bike to get into the office

8:00am – After a quick shower I dive headfirst into my inbox, reading the overnight reports and stories on the latest deals signed, and accepting meeting invites

8:30am – Monday Morning Meeting with the MEL & SYD offices, who’s presenting today? What’s the topic?

9:00am – Marketing Strategy WIP with the team, covering this week’s priorities and delegating tasks

10:00am – I pop downstairs for a quick coffee before getting stuck into the day’s work. This morning its some data analysis & deck building for a client who’s renegotiating their AFL contract

12:30pm – Time to stretch my legs and grab a famous Surry Hills schnitty sandwich for lunch. Back in the office to watch some NBA and make our playoff predictions – go Raps!

1:00pm – Back into it with some interviews with a crypto brand’s internal stakeholders, trying to uncover their ‘why’ for investing in sport

3:30pm – Quick regroup with Account Management and we present a PIR for a recent campaign for a government client, getting into the nitty gritty of what worked and where to for next year’s campaign

5:15pm – Close my laptop and jump back on my bike to head to a touch rugby game. Surely watching Benji Marshall highlights on YouTube will improve my footwork!

7:30pm – Home & hosed, ready for a feed. Time to put my feet up and watch some Netflix

ABOUT ME

Completing my degree in Commerce set me on a path which has now seen me work for over 20 years in customer research and experience in Australia and the UK. My passion is understanding customer behaviour and aligning it with business strategies to drive positive changes for customers.
Growing up in Geelong, I developed a love for sport, particularly the Mighty Cats and AFL. I also enjoy watching F1, basketball, darts, and netball with my daughter, and outdoor activities like morning beach walks, golf, and fishing with my son.
At Gemba, I look to support our partners to shape the sports and entertainment industry, leveraging customer insights to influence business strategy, prioritisation, and innovation while creating memorable moments for fans.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5.00am – The alarm goes off and I’m off to the gym to get a workout in

6:45am – Get home and get the kids up and get them ready for school with Laura

7.45am – Head off to work listening to some music on the short train trip while reviewing the calendar for the day ahead

8:30am – Arrive at work with coffee in hand. Check-in with the team in both Melbourne and Sydney following the weekend and review emails

9:00am – Presentation to an existing client, with the Strategy team, insights captured through some proprietary research Gemba commissioned on customer experience

10:30am – Weekly WIP with Client and the program team to assess progress on key projects

12.30am – Lunchtime and a chat with those in the kitchen while watching the AFL, NBA, or completing a quiz

1:00pm – Brainstorming session with team on a brief to understand our proposed approach followed by a WIP with Dan to discuss what the next few weeks look like

2:00pm – Team WIP to discuss the status of projects, workload, and upcoming proposals we are looking to submit

3:00pm – Duck out to pick up the kids (dance and drum lessons tonight!)

4:00pm – Juggle getting kids to respective activities and review a few reports, a questionnaire, and some proposals whilst I wait for the lessons to end and then home

5.30pm – Review a few supplier contracts and finalise for FY25

6:00pm – Wrap up the day by having a look at the latest sports news and how this impacts any of our clients

ABOUT ME

Born and raised in Melbourne, I grew up surrounded by sport and am a die-hard, long time suffering, third generation Melbourne Football Club tragic. I also have a love for Horse Racing, and you’ll find me trackside at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Prior to Gemba, I worked in advertising for 8 years before making the jump to the sport industry. I’ve spent the last 4 years leading the Partnerships team at the AFL, working across several brands including Toyota, NAB, Virgin Australia and Wolf Blass. Highlights include campaign activations for NAB Mini Legends, Virgin Australia Greatest Ever Seat Upgrade and Wolf Blass ‘Here’s to the chase’ series. 

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:30am – Alarm goes off. Roll over, check my phone to catch up on all the overnight news and see what Melbourne weather has in store for today

7:30am – Activewear on and ready to walk to the office. A true crime podcast in my ears, I walk past the best stadium in the world (the MCG), along the Yarra River and through the Botanical Gardens

8:30am – Arrive at the office, get changed, eat a bowl of cereal at my desk and review what’s on for the day!

8:45am – Jump in an Uber en route to Toyota. This morning we’ve got AFL WIP and a pre-production meeting for the upcoming AFL Finals campaign

11:45am – Quick discussion with the client on last night’s episode of Survivor. What a blindside!

12:00pm – Grab a quick sandwich and Emma & Tom’s juice from the bistro at Toyota’s head office

2:00pm – Weekly WIP with my Senior Account Manager. It’s great to chat through what she’s got on this week, any priorities and what I can help with

3:00pm – Head into an internal review session for the upcoming Cricket Season creative approach

4:30pm – Try and tackle the emails in my inbox but get distracted by the lure of a cup of tea and a biscuit

5:45pm – Activewear back on and ready to walk home. I’m onto the next episode of my true crime podcast!

7:00pm – We’ve got friends coming over for dinner, so I have to quickly start prepping my go-to menu of BBQ butterflied lamb, roast potatoes and a salad

ABOUT ME

Despite growing up in a family with a nonchalant attitude to sports, living in Melbourne meant that sport would always find it’s way into my life in one way or another. As a mad Saints supporter, big tennis fan and an avid golfer, sports is now truly a huge part of my life (not to mention that I’ve now got most of my weekends sorted out during the year!).

With over five years of strategy consulting experience across a range of industries and sectors, I joined Gemba to get more involved and experience in the sports industry. This was an exciting opportunity to combine my strategy consulting background and passion for sports on a regular and impactful way.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00 am – Alarm rings, wake up and roll out of bed

6:30am – Do my daily Wordle, check out who won the Master’s or Wimbledon overnight and motivate myself to get up

7:00 am – Make some brekkie and a morning coffee to start the day right

7:30am – Commute to the office, get a jump on overnight emails and any fires to put out

8:30am – Roll into the office and check in on the team, more than likely to get a cup of coffee

9:00 am – Daily Strategy stand-up to review priorities for the day/week

10:00 am – Present project update to a leading rights holder on their next growth strategy

11:00am – Jump on a call with a potential client who is looking for support to develop their next 5-year strategy

12:00pm – Food, lunch, and coffee

1:00pm – Lead a workshop with a client Exec. team to clarify their 10-year vision and strategic priorities

3:00pm – Check in with the Strategy team on progress and any roadblocks I can help resolve. Then off to grab some more coffee

3:30pm – Hour of power #1: review work, progress client analysis and respond to urgent emails

4:30pm – The home stretch – power through any outstanding tasks for the day and setup for the next day

5:30pm – Shut down the laptop, leave the office and head to play tennis, basketball or watch the mighty Saints come home with a win!

ABOUT ME

I’ve lived and worked in 4 continents picking up diverse experiences in each, from coaching tennis in the UK and Australia, to interning in China and teaching English to Air Force cadets in Colombia. I then fell into my career as an economics consultant, where most recently I have supported large-scale clients in their transition to more sustainable markets, with a key focus on sustainable mobility.

Sport has always been my biggest passion. Whether that’s playing tennis and football (or any other sport for that matter), planning my holidays around major global sporting events or watching the latest Netflix sports documentary in attempt to one day understand the rules of NFL.

Outside of work, if I am not travelling to different countries to watch the latest major sporting event or exploring new wineries (ideally combining the 2!), you will find me in a gym trying to master my latest CrossFit skill.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5:15am – Alarm goes off. Surely today is the day I gift myself a lie in? No. The endorphins wait for no one.

6:00am – CrossFit. Starts with trying to mobilise the creaking body, progresses into showing the boys that I’m just as strong as they think they are, finishes with trying to handstand walk across the gym.

7:30am – Jump on my bike and cycle to the office. Tell myself that the people overtaking me haven’t come from the gym so it’s okay to go slow. Curse the sneaky uphill climb at Waterloo Bridge – there really is a hill!

8:00am – Shower in the office and make my proats for breakfast at my desk.

8:30am – Check the inbox and get my brain into gear ready for the day.

9:30am – Catch up with team Stradegy, assess our priorities and work out a plan to divide and conquer the day.

10:30am – Jump in meetings with clients to update them on project progress and align next steps.

12:15pm – I’ve waited long enough, it’s got to be lunchtime by now. Eat my meal prepped food while discussing the most ridiculous sports headline of the day with the London office crew.

2:00pm – Head down time and bury myself in an Excel and/or PowerPoint pages.

3:00pm – Contemplate why the UK don’t have siestas like Spain, because that 5am start is catching up with me.

4:00pm – Try and fail at resisting the office snacks.

5:00pm – Crack down on final deliverables for the day so I can set myself up for success tomorrow, and leave the office at a reasonable hour.

6:00pm – Wrap up, write tomorrow’s to do list, get changed into my sweaty morning gym clothes to get back on my bike for the ride home.

7:00pm – Heat up more meal prepped food for dinner and watch Netflix while relaxing on the sofa with my partner.

9:00pm – Bedtime, ready for another early alarm tomorrow…

ABOUT ME

Born and raised on the sunny Gold Coast, I made the decision to move to Melbourne to enhance my career and future in the sporting world. I graduated from Griffith University with a double degree in Business (Event Management) and Communication and Journalism, all the while developing a minor caffeine addiction during those four years.

Coming from a sporting family, I have a huge passion for AFL with a special place in my heart for the mighty Geelong Cats. I’ve played plenty of netball and footy myself, which wasn’t always easy as a young girl in an NRL-dominant state. My parents are ex-professional athletes, my younger sister plays in the AFLW, and our family own sporting events, so it is safe to say sport is number one for me – closely followed by my love for live music!

After finishing my degree, I worked in the sporting and events industry on the Gold Coast. Now I’m excited to make a meaningful impact in Australia’s ‘sporting capital.’

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6am: Wake up and consider braving the cold and go for a run before ultimately setting a new alarm for 7 and getting an extra hour of sleep

7am: Officially wake up and choose my playlist to get ready to, which will set the vibe for my day

8am: Hop on the tram to and hope it’s on time so I can get my coffee before starting work

8:25am: I made it – time to pop into the local coffee shop for my large oat cap (the barista already knows my order – legend)

8:30-9:30am: Head upstairs to the office and catch up with the team after the weekend and see what they got up to. Go through any emails from overnight, set my to-do list for the day and check out how the relevant “Toyota Good For” raffle is tracking before sending the status report to client.

10am: Account Management huddle time to align on the team’s top priority projects for the week and see what projects need assistance on

10:30am-12:30pm: Work through any projects we have at the time, manage any required talent, connect with our clients to make sure I’m up to date with what they need from us and make sure everything I’m working on is up to date.

12:30pm: Time for lunch! I haven’t brought my own lunch as per usual so I either head down for sushi or to Saluministi for a sandwich as per George’s recommendation.

1:30pm: WIP with Steph to align on any projects I’m working on and see if there is anything more she wants me to work on for the week.

2pm-5:30pm: Continue working through my projects and see if the team need me to help with anything else – and probably have a snack to get me through.

5:30pm-6pm: Back on the tram and head home after a long day.

6pm-7pm: Finally go to the gym or go for my aforementioned run now that I’m awake and it’s warmer – I’m still not used to the Melbourne weather as the token QLDer

7pm: Dinner and a few episodes of Peaky Blinders with my roommate – this will be either take out or home cooked depending on how busy we’ve both been for the day.

9pm-10pm: Crawl into bed and unwind by scrolling through my phone before finally going to sleep.

ABOUT ME

From playing rugby throughout school and university, to being a current playing member of the MCC, and now taking my chances at AFL (cliché Melbourne expat), sport has always been a big part of my life. In fact, I’ve been playing sport since I could walk.

After growing up in England and working in London for two years, I made the decision to move across the world and pursue a career in sport and entertainment. So, what better place to move to than the sporting capital of the world, Melbourne!

Since moving, I’ve worked with some of Australia’s largest sports rights holders to evaluate their commercial partnerships, and I’m really excited to bring that knowledge into my strategy role at Gemba.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5:45am – Roll out of bed and into the gym, time to get myself moving for the day

7:30am – Put on a podcast and stroll along the Yarra into work

8:15am – Catch up on any overnight emails and set up my priorities for the day

9:00am – Strategy team daily WIP to catch up on our current projects and plan the day ahead

9:30am – Grab a coffee and finalise the business case we have written for a client hoping to get government funding for an infrastructure development

11:00am – Check in with the Creative Team who are helping us develop documentation to assist an investment firm buy lower league sports teams across Europe

12:30am – Head out to Southbank and grab a sarnie, then fire up the daily newspaper quiz!

1:30pm – Check in with a global rights holder and update them on our progress on their new licensing strategy development and implementation plan

2:30pm – Put the finishing touches on a data strategy report we have developed for a client

4:30pm – Re-group with the team and bring them up to speed on today’s progress

5:00pm – Send out any final emails for the day and make sure I have everything ready for my morning meeting at The ‘G the next day

5:45pm – Time to pack up and head home, taking the longer route around the tan to make sure I am making the most of the sunny evenings

7:00pm – Rustle up some food and relax for the rest of the evening, catching up with friends and family back in the UK

ABOUT ME

I like many data engineers have accidentally ended up becoming a data engineer. My background was originally in nuclear engineering. Five years later, I was working up at Heysham 1 nuclear power station where in a moment reminiscent of Brad Pitt in Inglorious Basterds and ‘you speak third most Italian’ I was given some data engineering work which I took to like a pig in mud. A few years later via the civil service and a start up, I managed to learn a fair bit and am delighted to now be at Gemba! Outside of work I play five-a-side Football and touch rugby where I try and get by on former glory. I also cycle when not hobbled by the collection of injuries I now accumulate for fun and am a big fan of the Tour De France (although I’ve yet to go to France for it….)

Outside of sport, I do the classic Londoner things – theatre, coffee, parks and pubs. My most interesting London-based hobby, which seems to inspire horror and fascination in equal measure, is travelling around London to various pie, mash and eel shops. I have developed a certain level of expertise on the subject.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Sometime before 9 – I would say that I wake at dawn to mindfulness and yoga but that would be an obvious lie. I wake at an undisclosed time and move at speed to consistently arrive at the office shortly before nine.

Upon arriving, I and the wider D & A team would typically discuss the mega box of Nature Valley bars that I bought many months ago and have now undoubtedly lost interest in. I will then try and flog them off to the desperate, but I rarely get any reception.

0930 until lunch – Following the daily 0930 meeting, I will start my days work which can only be described as trying to eat a very large data-shaped elephant. As the expression goes, I attempt this one bite at a time and currently these bites are typically refactoring and infrastructure flavoured.

Lunch – Small talk throughout the morning revolves around what we will be eating for lunch. When lunch arrives I will often go for the unorthodox – pork pies, a baguette and chicken soup has become a staple – a beige power of three. I’ve yet to put the pork pies in the chicken soup.

Afternoon – Following lunch, I will return to the elephant for dessert and will drink a badly made coffee. I typically split my days between customer specific work and more general infrastructure work, I will do whichever I didn’t do on that morning and continue until the end of the day. Occasionally I will sneak out to Sainsbury’s for an emergency chocolate bar, which again will be washed down by a disgracefully made coffee.

Post work- Following work, I will typically do something sports related which will end up in a pub or skip the sport altogether and go straight to the pub. Upon returning home from whatever activity, I will make dinner and then watch something. My TV has been out of action for months but is now back, so I am eagerly anticipating a winter of Newsnight.

ABOUT ME

I’ve recently moved to sometimes gloomy Melbourne from the always sunny Gold Coast. I’ve always loved the city for its vibrant culture and endless opportunities. The biggest advantages Melbourne offered me were the career opportunities, which lead me to Gemba. On the Gold Coast I finished my bachelor’s degree in Psychology, finding a passion for data and human behaviour. My recent working life has been in various forms of bartending. I love making intricate and exciting cocktails and working with people. I have quite a variety of other hobbies I love, I am a mad golf fan, a keen snooker player, chess enthusiast, music lover, and mixology amateur to name a few.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

6:00 AM – Up and getting ready for a big day ahead!

6:45 AM – Leaving the house for work, blasting some tunes to hype up the day.

8:00 AM – Catch up on emails and say good morning to the team. Pull data from Q into presentations for various projects

10:30 AM – Meet with the Insights Team to discuss ongoing projects and sharing workload. Then on to scripting some surveys in Qualtrics

12:30 PM – Lunch time! My favourite! Kick back and relax with some of last night’s leftovers, then take a walk outside around the Yarra to keep my legs awake

1:30 PM – Back in the office testing some survey links and updating any errors

3:30 PM – Talk with fielding suppliers to check up on the progress of ongoing surveys

5:00 PM – Leave the office and begin the long trek back home, blasting more tunes on the tram

6:30 PM – Arrive home to my amazing partner. Cook a nice dinner! Maybe pasta, maybe a curry, or stir-fry!

7:30 PM – Off to the snooker club to get a few games in, maybe work on some drills to sharpen my skills

9:30 PM – Arrive back home, ready to unwind on the couch, get ready for bed and the next big day!

ABOUT ME

As a third culture kid, I’ve had the privilege of immersing myself in various cultures across the UK, Asia and Australia. I have been playing sports for as long as I can remember. Whether it’s competing in swimming, to basketball, to rugby, to athletics or my current sport, Touch Rugby. Additionally, I’ve also taken up a keen interest in cycling, surfing and hiking.

My passion for sports naturally led me to pursue a Sports Management degree at Loughborough University. Coupled with my management consulting experience, and strategising brand campaigns and community event activations, it makes sense that I ended up working at Gemba. As I continue to undertake my Masters degree at the University of Melbourne, I’m excited by the opportunity to make a positive impact in the sports and entertainment space.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

5:40am – Jump straight out of bed as my alarm goes off, trying to decide whether to go to the gym or run, which all comes down to what the weather is like

7:10am – Have some breakie to fuel up for the day and travel into work with my headphones on, playing some morning motivation tunes or a podcast to spark some inspo or get some knowledge gains

8:15am – Arrive at the office, set up my desk, scan through some emails and make myself a cup of earl grey tea

8:30am – Take a walk with the team for their daily morning coffee run

9:00am – Daily Strategy stand-up with the team to discuss current projects and priorities for the day

9:30am – Focus time #1: Dive into the first prioritised project for the day

10:30am – Hop on a call a weekly check-in with a client discussing the latest project updates, progress and the next steps for their strategic plan

11:00am – Focus time #2: Immerse myself in data, analysing sports passion

12:00pm – Catch up with colleagues over lunch

1:00pm – Make some finishing touches on an economic impact report developed for a client

2:00pm – Dial into a client meeting to discuss their infrastructure strategy

2:30pm – Focus time #3: Continue to work through priorities of the day and cross off items on the to-do list

4:30pm – Check-in with the team and bring them up to speed on today’s progress

5:00pm – Wrap up any outstanding tasks for the day to set myself up for the next day and fill in timesheets

5:30pm – Close my laptop and rush to Touch Footy training

ABOUT ME

Ever since I was a kid, I have been sport obsessed. Whether it was swimming lessons, football training or watching Italy win the 2006 World Cup, sports have always been a part of my life. As I grew older and started going to concerts and festivals my love for the entertainment industry and live events also grew. (Pre-covid I would try to have at least 2-3 concerts lined up a month).

I graduated university with a bachelor of commerce majoring in both Finance and Economics, hoping that I can apply my love for sport and entertainment in a business context. It didn’t start out that way, working for a Fintech, where I learned valuable skills and gave me a taste for research and insights. I am extremely lucky to have landed a role at Gemba that allows me to combine my passion for sport and entertainment with my education and experience.

On weekends, if I’m not at my Sunday league game or at a festival I’m most likely hanging with friends looking for the next best place to grab a great bite to eat and have a drink.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

7:00am – Finally get out of bed after snoozing my alarm for the past 30 minutes. I catch up on the European football highlights while sipping my morning coffee

7:45am – Hop on the light rail, complete the daily wordle and catch up on some sporting news

8:15am – Order my second coffee from the café downstairs. (I’m really not a morning person)

8:30am – Get into the office and start to sort out my emails. I begin to organise my priority tasks for the day

9:30am – WIP meeting with the insights team, share my priorities, see what else needs to be addressed today

10:00am – I tend to get onto any data digging in the morning, whether it’s filling in the latest report or working on a data request for the marketing strategy team, pre-lunch is primetime to pump out a bunch of data

12:30pm – Lunch. If I’m not chowing down on some leftover pasta from last night you can probably expect to find me to be devouring some $5 dumplings from down the road

1:30pm – Scripting time! This time is spent scripting up surveys to make it into the field to gather data. Today I’m working on a survey for Racing Victoria. This time is also great to catch up on the latest music release that you might’ve missed

3:00pm – Regroup and re-check my list from the morning. Now is usually the time I’ll re-evaluate my priorities and see what needs to be completed by the end of day. I’ll often get a call around this time to give someone else a hand with a project or to clarify a question I had

5:00pm – Before finishing up for the day, I take time to book out my diary for the next day to make sure I’ve got enough time to finish any pressing tasks tomorrow. I also make sure any afternoon emails are addressed and surveys are in field with no hiccups

6:30pm – Football training! If it’s not rained off, I’ll head down to my local park and train with my team. Football is a great way to have a laugh and unwind after a big day