Mediabrands’ Airborne hires Andrew Sidwell for creative strategy and ideas director role

One of the Australian media industry’s most respected innovators, Andrew Sidwell, is joining Mediabrands’ creative agency Airborne as creative strategy and ideas director, a new position.

Sidwell will work with Airborne managing director Scott Player on creative strategy and idea development, but will also work with other Mediabrands’ strategy leaders in developing thinking and execution of ideas across the full range of media channels that are covered by Mediabrands’ businesses.

Formerly national creative solutions and ideas director at Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), Sidwell led many of SCA’s major digital and integrated initiatives in recent years, including setting up the company’s cross-platform integration creative structure, the Austereo Innovation Group and was the lead for major client assignments including the Federal Government and Kia.

Says Sidwell: “The opportunity to take this new role at Airborne is one I cannot resist. All the businesses within Mediabrands collaborate very closely across their various sectors and I hope to develop a role that accelerates creative thinking and strategy for not only Airborne clients, but also in collaboration across other Mediabrands businesses.”

Airborne officially joined Mediabrands Australia in January this year.

Says Player: “Andrew is a unique talent. Full stop. I have had the pleasure of working with him in the past and he is digitally savvy, a dynamic and surprising thinker, and a unique problem solver. His talents impact client outcomes in a most demonstrable way and he will be a big asset for Airborne and Mediabrands.”

Henry Tajer, executive chairman of Mediabrands Australia, said that Airborne had quickly become a major asset to Mediabrands and that Sidwell’s arrival would elevate Airborne’s integration within the group.

Says Tajer: “Our focus is on finding the best and most unique talent to work with our clients and people. Andrew is certainly one of those professionals.”