The founding members of The Communications Council have held the first meeting of the new industry body, a day after the association’s official inception.

Representatives of the three founding member organisations – Advertising Federation of Australia, the Australasian Writers and Art Directors Association and the Account Planning Group – met in Sydney to discuss key issues in the lead-up to the formal creation of the Council.

The board addressed a number of agenda items including setting in motion the processes required to officially establish the Council as a legal entity, as well adjudicating the election of a chairman and deputy chairmen for The Communications Council.

Anthony Freedman (CEO, Host) was elected chairman, while Richard Maddocks (executive creative director, Clemenger BBDO, Sydney) and Martin O’Halloran (chairman and CEO, DDB Australia and New Zealand) were elected deputy chairmen.

“I hope to demonstrate in a short time frame, that The Communications Council is a lot more than a rebranding of three existing organisations and will make a substantial difference to the way we position, promote, protect and educate this industry,” explained incoming chairman Anthony Freedman.

The founding board of The Communications Council will remain in place until the first Annual general meeting of the Council next year where a new board will be elected.

The Communications Council founding board members:

Anthony Freedman, chairman – CEO, Host
Martin O’Halloran, deputy chairman – chairman and CEO, DDB, Australia and New Zealand
Richard Maddocks, deputy chairman – executive creative director, Clemenger BBDO (chairman, AWARD)
John McLaren – Clemenger BBDO, Adelaide
Michael Ritchie – managing director, Revolver
Jeremy Nicholas – executive planning director, BMF (chairman, APG)
Russel Howcroft – national CEO, GPY&R (Melbourne Committee Chair)
Darryn Devlin – creative partner, Kastner and Partners
Richard White-Smith – CEO, Morpheas Entertainment
Matthew Melhuish – CEO, BMF
Belinda Rowe – CEO, Zenith Optimedia
Sudeep Gohil – strategic planning partner, Droga5
Mike Zeederberg – managing director, Profero