1. Turning a sponsorship crisis into global innovation
The Challenge
When COVID compromised in-person sponsorship activations and travel to the Australian Open (AO), key sponsor relationships and hundreds of millions in revenue were at risk. We needed a new way to deliver contracted sponsor experiences and prove the AO’s value.
The Solution
Created the AO Virtual Hub (AOVH): an immersive digital platform where sponsors and guests could explore the precinct, join live player meet-and-greets, attend arena tours, and watch exclusive behind-the-scenes content from anywhere in the world.
My Role
Pitched the AOVH concept and led from idea to delivery as Project Manager. Secured executive buy-in and budget (despite a COVID-era spending freeze), while managing 20+ collaborators working across 4 continents to deliver under excruciatingly tight timelines.
The Result:
100% of sponsor revenue retained—despite limited on-site activations and attendance
Used by 28 sponsors in 24 countries
Launched in under 10 weeks—on time, on budget, and under pressure
First-of-its-kind digital experience in global sport—positioning the AO as a leader in
digital innovation and sponsor engagement
The Ripple Effect:
The success of AOVH sparked the AO’s digital evolution and industry-leading expansion into Web3:
AO Decentraland – First Grand Slam to enter the Metaverse; biggest live event in Decentraland history
AO Art Ball NFTs – 6.7K NFTs sold out in 3 minutes; Cannes Lions winner
AO Adventure on Roblox – #1 sports brand on Roblox; 250M+ sessions and 20K+ DAUs
2. Building an industry-leading creative studio from the ground up
The Challenge
The AO’s commercial ambitions were outpacing its creative capabilities. A small creative duo was juggling increasing demands across Sponsorship, Retail, Digital, Marketing & more—failing to deliver consistently or efficiently, and lacking the resources and structure to grow.
The Solution
Transformed this creative duo into a full-service studio (Commercial Solutions)—with the tools, talent & workflows to deliver industry-leading work at scale. Introduced clear creative direction and operational structure that turned a reactive team into a proactive machine.
My Role
Led the evolution of Commercial Solutions, building a high-performing, multi-disciplinary team of 10 creatives from the ground up. Owned all budgeting, hiring, stakeholder alignment, and creative direction—while cultivating a collaborative, high-trust team culture.
The Result:
Scaled the team by 350% in under 2 years to meet increasing cross-functional demand
Delivered thousands of campaigns, assets, and strategies across hundreds of diverse commercial initiatives
Eliminated reliance on external agencies, reducing spend, increasing consistency & accelerating delivery
Established Commercial Solutions as a business-critical function
Built a resilient and supportive team culture
The Ripple Effect:
What started as an internal creative unit is now on track to become an external-facing agency—responding to inbound briefs beyond the AO’s existing network. Setting the benchmark for sport organisations exploring in-house creative models.
3. Rewriting the sponsorship playbook to drive commercial wins
The Challenge
The AO’s partnership approach relied heavily on the tournament’s credentials and Grand Slam prestige. To win major deals in the highly-competitive sponsorship market, the AO needed to match evolving brand expectations; placing brands at the center of the sponsorship story.
The Solution
Overhauled the sponsorship strategy and the way we went to market. Developed bespoke, high-impact sponsorship assets, activations, campaigns & narratives that showcased the AO as an integrated and highly-effective global marketing platform.
My Role
Worked hand-in-hand with Business Development to craft a highly-personalized sponsorship strategy. Led the team behind the creative and strategic work needed to get multi-million dollar deals over the line and into the world, incl. research, storytelling, design & production.
The Result:
Helped land 40+ global sponsorship deals earning hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue
Increased pitch win rate and shortened sales cycles through sharper storytelling and elevated creative output
Developed unforgettable sponsorship activations and campaigns for brands like Marriott Bonvoy, Louis Vuitton, M&M’s, Aperol Spritz, Grey Goose, Dunlop & more
Directly supported purpose-driven sponsorships incl. Pride (Ralph Lauren, Mastercard, Squealing Pig), Sustainability (Pirelli, Waterdrop, Pacific Blue), Youth Sport (Kia, Emirates, Weetabix) & more
The Ripple Effect:
Our brand-first, insight-led approach became the new standard for sponsorship storytelling at the AO—driving better alignment, faster conversions, and stronger long-term relationships. Along with cementing my team’s role as an essential revenue-driver.