Keynote speakers

Professor Richard Irwin

Dr. Richard L. Irwin
(University of Northern Colorado, B.A., 1979; M.A., 1985; Ed.D., 1990).

Dr. Irwin is a Professor in Sport & Leisure Commerce and Director of the Bureau of Sport and Leisure Commerce at the University of Memphis. As architect of the department’s academic programs, Dr. Irwin has established innovative and nationally recognized curriculum. Dr. Irwin’s professional service has included serving as the original President of the Sport Marketing Association. In addition to his academic responsibilities Dr. Irwin was the Director of Marketing and Sales for the AXA/Equitable Liberty Bowl for two years (2000 and 2001) while also serving as a member of the Memphis/Shelby County Sports Authority Board of Advisors. As President of Strategic Marketing Services, Dr. Irwin has been contracted for sport marketing consultation with a variety of sport properties including the San Antonio Sports Foundation, National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), Valero Alamo Bowl, San Jose Sports Authority, Houston 2012 Olympic Foundation, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Major League Baseball, the Ladies Professional Golf Association, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavs, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Pirates, Indiana Pacers, Streetball USA, and Utah Grizzlies.

Leighton Wood

Leighton is currently Chief Executive of Sport Knowledge Australia (SKA), the Australian Government’s International Centre of Excellence for Sports Science and Management, owned by University of Sydney, University of Technology and Sydney Olympic Park Authority. SKA seeks to position Australia as a world leader in sport knowledge through the international delivery of sport education products. SKA has identified four specialist knowledge areas for export – executive sport management, facility design and management, event management and elite athlete performance.

Prior to this role he worked to raise funds for medical scientists such as Australian of the Year, Professor Ian Frazer, who developed the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine.

Between July 1999 and March 2002, as Chief Executive of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee, he developed the $600m plus event’s master plan including the establishment of its vision, positioning, marketing and operations.

Leighton was also Chief Executive of the 2006 Commonwealth Games Bid, a period during which he developed detailed event transport, marketing, operational and infrastructure solutions and communicated these to the 72 voting nations.

Prior to this he was Chief Executive of Melbourne Major Events Company and was involved in winning events for Melbourne such as the 1997 World Cup Soccer Qualifier, 1998 Presidents Cup golf tournament, 2000 USA Dream Team v Australia Basketball Challenge and the 2002 World Masters Games. He answered directly to the Premier of the Victoria, coordinating bids and negotiating host city agreements designed to maximize economic impact and exposure for the City of Melbourne and State of Victoria.

In 1995-96 he was Principal Consultant for a start-up sport management company in Melbourne called Strategic Sports and Recreation (SSR), owned and managed by Malcolm Speed, current International Cricket Council CEO. SSR conducted reviews for various sporting organizations including Australian Rugby League and Victorian Golf Association.

From 1990 to 1994 Leighton developed and managed the sport facilities and clubs of Australia’s first private tertiary institution, Bond University.

Prior to that he was the exercise physiologist at Pindara Sports Clinic, one of Australia’s foremost fitness centres situated on the Gold Coast, where he designed fitness programmes for community members, hospital patients and elite athletes, including World Ironman Champion, Trevor Hendy.

Leighton’s academic achievements include a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physical Education (Victoria University), Master of Business Administration (Bond University) and Advanced Management Programme (Harvard University).

Chris Green

Chris Green joined The Passionate Group in 2007. Chris has extensive experience in the sports and entertainment industry, beginning with CMA in Dallas, a division of Host Communications, implementing Sears’ sponsorship of collegiate sport and traveling with the Men’s National Championship Trophy (now known as The Siemens Trophy). On returning to his native Australia in 1999, Chris was appointed Marketing Manager for Athletics Australia, the governing body for track & field, in the lead up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Following on from the success of the Games, Chris became General Manager (Marketing) in the horse racing industry, overseeing 26 tracks and 500 race meetings per annum, which he would hold from 2001 until 2004.

For the past three years, Chris has been General Manager (Strategy) for DSEG, a sports marketing consulting business which has become a leader in the delivery of negotiation and advisory services. DSEG has a particular focus on revenue generation in the sports and entertainment sectors to leading rights holders and corporations in Australia.

Chris is now Director – Acquisitions & Strategy for The Passionate Group, a private investment company started by Peter Holmes a Court in 2007. As part of his role he oversees Peter’s investment in the South Sydney Rabbitohs which includes all major negotiations and strategic issues for the Club.

Philip Whittaker

Philip Whittaker is the Managing Director of Saleable Corporation, a leading sports and entertainment marketing company, which he first established in 2001.

Philip has accumulated a wealth of experience over the last 15 years as a leader in the Australian marketing, sponsorship and licensing industries. Over this time Philip has been responsible for successfully managing major marketing campaigns and securing over $45 million dollars in sponsorship and licensing revenues. His areas of expertise include marketing strategy and brand management, sponsorship marketing and brand licensing.

Philip has worked for and consulted to some of the largest corporate, sports, arts and entertainment properties in the country (including the 2001 Goodwill Games, Queensland State of Origin Team, Warner Village Theme Parks, Brisbane Festival, Surf Lifesaving Australia, Warner Bros. Entertainment Australia, Suncorp, Energex, Ansvar, Brisbane City Council, Australian Sports Commission, Western Bulldogs AFL Club, Hawthorn AFL Club, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Tourism Queensland, Sunland Group, Sanctuary Cove and V8 Supercars), where he has managed a diverse range of successful marketing, sponsorship and licensing campaigns. He also co-founded and helped build P4 to become one of Queensland’s leading marketing and communications consultancies.

Philip is the National President of the Australasian Sponsorship Marketing Association (ASMA) and is committed to the positive advancement of the marketing, sponsorship and licensing disciplines. He regularly presents at leading national industry conferences and attends conferences in Australia, Asia and the USA to keep ahead of industry trends. He also is the Chairman of a number of not for profit and community organisations. Philip holds Bachelors and Masters’ degrees in Business and Marketing and is a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute and a Certified Practising Marketer.

Professor Sam Fullerton

Dr. Fullerton is a professor of sports marketing at Eastern Michigan University who’s research interest lie in business and consumer ethics, sports marketing, and cross-cultural comparisons of consumer attitudes has been published in journals such as the Journal of Business Ethics, Sport Marketing Quarterly, and Psychology and Marketing. He also has served as program chair and proceedings editor for conferences held by the Academy of Business Administration since 1994, and has presented and published numerous articles at national and international conferences.  Professor Fullerton has been a visiting professor of sports marketing at universities throughout America, Australia and New Zealand.