Look at all these fine faces. This is what powers BMF. The people. Together we create world-class ideas that defy categories, tickle funny bones, and pull on heartstrings. The only thing we prize more than our work is our culture. Three simple values of cheeky, gutsy and humble keep us in good stead, with over one third of BMFers having been here for 5+ years.
Stephen McArdle
CEO
Stephen has worked for some of the world’s best agencies and biggest brands over his 25 years in advertising and has held key leadership positions for the last 15 of those years. In his time as CEO at BMF, Stephen has helped steer the agency to the top of the industry, launching the agency’s positioning as ‘The Home of the Long Idea’, which has ensured a focus on long term effectiveness and enduring client relationships.
This focus has resulted in the agency being named 2021 WARC’s #1 Most Effective Creative Agency in Australia and #3 globally, B&T’s Branding, Design & CX Agency of the Year2022 andAdNews Creative & overall Agency of the Year in 2023 .Stephen also sits on the board of the Advertising Council of Australia.
More
Christina Aventi
Chief Strategy Officer
A veteran with 24 years’ experience, Christina started her career as a ‘grad’, at Unilever. After getting that solid grounding in marketing and category management, she jumped ship to agency side and found a permanent home as a brand and communications strategist. Since then Christina has contributed to award-winning, effective campaigns across an array of clients (ALDI, Government, FMCG) and is most proud of the behaviour change work she has been part of in both the commercial and social marketing sector.
An industry commentator and regular panellist on Gruen (ABC), Christina has led BMF to be the most effective agency in Australia, in 2017 and in 2019, and number 3 in the world in the WARC Creative Effectiveness ratings.
More
Alex Derwin
Chief Creative Officer
Since 1998, Alex’s advertising career has taken him from the UK, to America and now Australia. During his time at BMF, he has led ALDI to become the most creative account in the country – with 76 creative and effectiveness awards, including Cannes, One Show, AWARD Awards, LIA, Spikes, Sirens and Effies.
Alex has also played a key role in the agency’s success, winning Tennis Australia, Tourism Tasmania, Transport NSW, HiPages and launching Australia’s largest life insurer, TAL, as a consumer-facing brand. Derwin’s résumé also includes award-winning work on Nike, Nestlé, Oak Milk, Toyota, The Star, St Vincent de Paul and The Observer.
More
Tara Mckenty
Chief Innovation Officer & ECD
Tara has spent 16 years working in the creative industries across the APAC region, including eight years working as Creative Director at Google Australia, and the last two years leading Google’s Creative across APAC, where her remit included working directly with international brands to create work on Google products and platforms. Not only a thought leader in the local and global creative community, Tara has served on high profile award juries across the world, including the prestigious Cannes Lion Innovation Jury. Tara’s work has been awarded at all the major awards shows including a highly sought-after gold for Creative Innovation at Cannes. A strong advocate for Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Tara also founded D&AD RARE, a global initiative which gives underrepresented groups opportunities to thrive in the creative industries.
More