BeingIconic appoints former Havas Media chairman Mike Wilson as non-executive director and strategic advisor

Sydney-based business growth consultancy BeingIconic has welcomed long-time media industry expert Mike Wilson as non-executive director and strategic advisor as it readies for hyper growth for the business and its clients locally and globally.

Wilson (pictured above) joined BeingIconic recently, and since stepping down as Havas Media chair in August last year, Wilson has taken on focused board roles, including at renowned influencer agency Hypetap.

Wilson’s appointment marks the end of BeingIconic’s search for like-minded individuals who can inject new life and valuable expertise into its highly dedicated and dynamic team.

Says Ian Bell (below left), partner and chief innovation officer, BeingIconic: “Mike is a long-standing friend of ours and someone we’re delighted to have on board. We exist to help transition businesses throughout their scale up journey. Recent clients include espresso Displays, CrowdProperty, Trendspek, Olinqua, Headsafe and BWX Brands (home to Flora & Fauna, Nourished Life and Sukin).  Mike is both the perfect fit for us and our clients. He has a long history of founding, scaling, and acquiring media and creative businesses, and is an expert in industries that are critical to enabling our next stage of growth.”

Wilson has spent most of his career in marketing services and agencies, with a focus on communication and media. He also has significant management and leadership experience having co‑founded Naked Communications in 2004 and launching Havas Media as founding CEO in 2013, becoming chair in 2019.

With over 30 years of experience leading multi-disciplinary marketing communication and growth initiatives for world-leading consumer brands to his credit, Wilson is excited to leap into a new landscape and leverage his experience to help BeingIconic fulfil its potential and grow clients.

The appointment is proving mutually beneficial, with BeingIconic introducing Wilson to the investment community, and the BeingIconic team gaining exposure to new industries through Wilson.

Says Wilson: “Getting involved in the investment community is something I’m thoroughly enjoying, and I’m seeing a lot of opportunities. The world is moving very fast post‑COVID-19, particularly around tech products and services, and the BeingIconic skillset can be applied to multiple verticals.

“There is massive momentum in Australia, the UK, Europe, and the US in terms of scale-ups. Significant investments are being made and immediate value being created. We already have a lot of connections and affiliations with UK businesses and trade organisations, and we expect significant uptake in UK–Australia partnerships as we bring scale-ups to growth in both markets.

“Clearly, the mandate is to expand further internationally, but we are taking a deliberate, staged approach. Delivering from these bases into other markets is something the team already does at pace.”

Sibon Schouten (above right), founder of Mark’d Global and BeingIconic Board Advisor welcomed Wilson to the fold: “The team represents new and lateral thinking that is needed to succeed in an uncertain world, but one latent with new opportunities. By clashing the worlds of branding, business, and culture, they create what the future organisation must deliver – the triple bottom line based on people, planet, and profit. Collaborations with brands like Modibodi and Vanessa Megan show us what is possible if we continue on this path. I am excited to see industry veteran Mike Wilson join us to help businesses scale in Australia and beyond.”