SUMMER EDITION 2007 - Faculty of Business and Law - Victoria ...

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
PAC PROFILE ROBERT DRAKE
The Programs Advisory Committee
(PAC) is responsible for reviewing
all of the School of Hospitality,
Tourism & Marketing’s courses.
Members come from a wide range
of industries and from Victoria
University. Its purpose is to provide
advice from an industry perspective
about the courses and opportunities
at Victoria University and the School
of HTM, providing a reality check
and acting as a sounding board for
the staff, as well as assisting with
networking where possible. This
ensures that the School stays at
the cutting edge, so that students
graduate with up-to-the-minute skills
and are immediately employable.
Career Start
Look out Tiger Woods! Robert’s a keen golfer - here he tees off on a par 3 at Nairn Golf Club in Scotland
Robert had completed a Diploma in Tourism
Mgmt in his early years, and had worked
in the tourism industry overseas. When he
returned to Australia, he decided to upgrade
that qualification to a degree.
‘I chose VU quite deliberately: it had the best
tourism education brand and reputation. Still
does!’ Robert graduated with a BBus (Travel &
Tourism Mgmt) in 1994.
While studying at VU Robert worked with
a research firm, Kadence Research. On
graduating, he joined Telstra as a market
researcher. He spent many years with Telstra,
learning a great deal. ‘I began as a market
researcher, moved into brand management,
then merchandise management, and
finally wound up looking after marketing
communications at what was then Mobile
Net,’ he explained. ‘I learned real aspects
of marketing and communications from a
number of angles, and worked in the telco as
it headed to T1. It was a fantastic time.’
Career Progression
His next move was into the world of
advertising, first as a Group Account
Director, eventually running the Melbourne
office of Singleton Ogilvy & Mather, a
large international ad agency. ‘I moved
on to George Patterson Bates next, where
I participated in the management buyout,
before selling up and becoming a consultant.’
Part of his time in the next two years was
working with Jetstar as it readied itself for its
first flights. ‘It was fantastic to be involved in
the launch of something,’ he said, ‘And to be
back in tourism was fun.’
Current role
In February 2006 Robert was offered a new
challenge. Having worked in research and
marketing from both the client and supplier
side, he couldn’t resist the idea of seeing
marketing from the media perspective.
Today he is the Managing Director of Carat
Australia, a company which plans and buys
media, undertakes research, conducts PR,
brand management, strategic planning,
consulting, and econometric modelling.
‘We get involved in all things online, and we
even get paid for watching movies, listening
to our iPods and looking for stuff on YouTube.
com!’
PAC involvement
Robert’s ‘first love’ is tourism, and with his
background he believes he can bring a broad
and interesting perspective to the Committee.
His main aim is to bring insight and passion,
having seen the university from both inside
and outside, and having been on both sides
of the tourism and marketing sectors.
He believes that good employers look beyond
the resume to the type of experience and the
type of person. ‘They should look for people
who actually get it! And that ‘it’ is something
hard to explain – it is something that makes
people stand out from the rest. It is more
than just attitude, but includes logic, street
smarts, common sense, empathy and drive.’
Robert believes that anyone can write a great
resume, although many don’t, but employers
are looking for someone that they can entrust
mutual success in. ‘The hunt for great staff is
the hardest hunt of them all these days!’
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY