Andrew Thomas

Creating and distributing content and working to attract global media attention for the IFRC network's worldwide humanitarian work. Since August, particularly in the wake of Morocco's earthquake, Libya's flood and the Israel/Gaza conflict, helped secure mentions of the IFRC and our national societies in more than 300,000 media articles, television and radio reports.

Spokesperson on TV and radio for the IFRC

Writer of speeches, published letters and op-eds for senior leaders, including a recent one published by the World Economic Forum during Davos

Leader of media approach for the COP climate conference and the United Nations General Assembly - with excellent coverage results including across the BBC, Al Jazeera, CGTN and US-based networks

Hireup.com.au is a 7000-employee purpose-driven tech company helping people with disabilities find, hire and manage their own support workers. The business generates annual revenue of more than $200m and is growing fast. I was based in the Office of the CEO in a senior leadership and spokesperson position, responsible for Hireup's media strategy and content, overseeing all external media and corporate communications (including PR), company-owned external media channels and internal communications.

Key achievements:

• Created and lead an external and internal communications team. Managed budgets, forecasting, agencies and partnerships.
• Won two of Australia's most prestigious prizes for content strategy, Mumbrella's 'Best Use of Owned Media' and 'Corporate Social Responsibility' awards. Our 'News and Features Initiative' - which, in 2022 alone, brought >200,000 new people to Hireup's site for zero marketing spend - beat a shortlist including Telstra and other Australian corporate giants. It also led to positive front-page news across the world when Beyoncé changed a song in response to our content advocacy.
• Achieved significant positive PR coverage for Hireup and its positions. E.g. ABC television report (item 3 on the main evening news) about Hireup's 'employment model' which literally featured Hireup's TV ad, as well as a positive case study about worker/client relationship. Countless other newspaper, television and radio slots featuring Hireup's clients, workers, executives and stories.
• Initiated and ran major review of content and social media. New approach more than quadrupled social media engagement in six months. The content is lively, relevant and achieves positive change. Newspapers like The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald republished (with credit) our articles: having once needed to pitch to them, they now more frequently approach us. Massively helps SEO.
• Conceived, commissioned and oversaw podcasts including 'Unbroken: the Paralympics and its Record' and 'A Nation Changed', a five-part, Kurt Fearnley-hosted documentary podcast series about the history of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Secured extensive launch coverage for series including some stellar reviews. The Australian newspaper called it a podcast 'you need in your life . . . an example of how great podcasts can be produced independent of a large broadcaster . . . A Nation Changed should be handed to any company interested in podcast play: here's how you do it.' Finalist at Australian Podcast Awards.
• Ran Hireup's crisis communications responses to the COVID pandemic, a cyber-hack and a major back-payments programme.
• Working closely with government relations team, led Hireup's media advocacy of a formal employment model for disability support workers rather than independent ('gig') contracting. Big shift in government policy came after extensive, positive coverage in newspapers and on television.
• Wrote executive summary of Hireup's submission to parliamentary inquiry into insecure work and co-wrote the whole report with our Head of Public Policy. Briefed, prepared and rehearsed the CEO and Head of Service for their in-person appearances at inquiry.
• Acted as senior adviser to the CEO and produced thought-leadership content on their behalf. Senior, effective team player and team leader.
• Organised and presented 'TV show-style' all-staff team meetings bi-weekly (350 people), and for all 7000 support workers quarterly.

Al Jazeera English is the world's leading international news channel. As one of the main on-air correspondents for almost a decade, I reported from around the world, winning awards and leading production teams across Asia and beyond.

Key achievements:

• Winner of 2015's United Nations' Prize for climate-change reporting (for a series of reports from across the Pacific). Presented in person by UN Secretary-General at a ceremony in New York.
• Emmy-shortlisted for coverage of Sulawesi 2018's earthquake and tsunami.
• Produced fast-turnaround news and feature reports from 20 countries, often from hostile environments.
• Established Sydney office; grew and managed a flexible team of freelance producers, camera-operators, editors and administrators to produce distinctive and innovative TV/online news and feature reports.
• Regularly provided live 2-ways on breaking news, often many times a day.
• Interviewed prime ministers, government ministers, business and NGO leaders and many hundreds of other people across Asia.
• Conducted robust, long-form interviews for flagship 'Talk to Al Jazeera' show.
• 'Face' of Al Jazeera in Australia. Many appearances in Australian media. Led Australian stream of successful #freeajstaff campaign to free two imprisoned colleagues in Egypt.
• Bureau-cover - reported & managed teams for month+ durations in Beijing, Seoul, Jakarta, New Delhi, Manila, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
• Major stories covered included:· Hong Kong protests, Christchurch shootings, Indonesian, Japanese and New Zealand earthquakes and tsunamis, India's Kerala floods, refugees (including Manus Island/Nauru prisons).

Channel 4 News is the UK's most prestigious and innovative news and current affairs programme.

• Made fast-turnaround reports and reported live into the flagship evening news programme. Anchored spin-off 'More4 News'. Reported from around UK on everything from politics to technology and the weather. Worked across Europe, Africa, the United States and Asia - including from hostile environments and disaster zones.

Newsnight is the BBC's flagship nightly news and current affairs programme.

• Made fast-turnaround quality reports on the day's news, including 7 /7 London tube attacks and the 2005 general election campaign. Briefed hosts Jeremy Paxman & Kirsty Wark ahead of news-making interviews. Produced a spin-off long-form interview series featuring Boris Johnson, David Attenborough, Madeleine Albright and Michael Palin.

• Won RTS Documentary of the Year at London Royal Television Society Awards for first documentary as director.
• Credits included: Inside Crime (ITV1); Rise (Channel 4 breakfast programme); Late Night Live (politics & current affairs, ITV1); Hot Spots (travel - ITV1); The Truth About Your Money (Lion Television for Channel 4).
• Travel writer for The Sunday Times and Wanderlust magazine.

• Intensive, competitive training scheme; worked across all areas of a major commercial TV company.