Hugh O'Connor
Economics, English graduate from National University of Ireland, MBA from Melbourne University, with experience in Government and NFP organizations. Currently working at NOBIS as Communications and Policy Development Manager.
| Headline: | Inventor |
| Work status: | Living The Dream |
| Website: | http://www.swimtwobirds.org/cv/ |
| Industries: | Biotech, Education, Entertainment, Food and Drink, Health, Internet, Media |
| Skills: | Business, Copy Writing, Design, English, French, German, HTML / CSS, Italian, Java, Javascript, Languages, Languages and Platforms, Management, Marketing, Negotiation, Perl, Portuguese, Sales, Software Engineering, SQL, Web design, Web Development, Writing |
| Location: | Sydney |
| Visas: | ANZ, EU; (business visas - Brazil; NAFTA ) |
| Interested in: | Brainstorming, Consulting opportunities, Employment opportunities, Finding business partners, Finding team mates, Getting press, Joining a startup, Meeting new people, Offering Expertise, Patenting my idea, Professional opportunities, Receiving feedback, Recruiting for my startup, Sharing my projects |
| Schools: | National University of Ireland |
FEATURED STARTUP
ARK
ARK
ARK - Amphibious Residential Klugheit : A remarkable 400+ m2 (45 squares) prefabricated concrete bio-home - ARK floats in floods, survives earthquakes, tornados & bushfires - an eco-neutral system needing no utility connections!
- Startup type: Invention
- Status: Active
- Stage: Prototyping
WORK EXPERIENCE
| Employer: | NOBIS (new political movement) |
| Position: | Communications and Policy Development Manager |
| Time period: | February 2007 - Present |
| Description: | Functions included strategic communications planning and implementation, development of collateral and interactive website and preparation of full spectrum of policies. |
| Employer: | HealthSupport – NSW Health – Chatswood, Sydney |
| Position: | Manager, Corporate Communications |
| Time period: | October 2006 - December 2006 |
| Description: | Scope of venture – shared corporate services provider to NSW Department of Health.
Functions included development and implementation of organization-wide strategic communications plan; as most senior communication advisor to determine policy, to set strategic directions and manage all corporate communications activities; development and maintenance of all organization-wide communications systems, processes and standards; recommendation of substantial programs such as major communications campaigns, new communications channels and corporate management communications training; strategic research and analysis; media and community relationship building; appointment and direction of external contractors and agencies; develop and maintain business network relationships; management of the HealthSupport brand; participation in executive and other senior management committees. |
| Employer: | Freelance |
| Position: | Copywriter – mainly through Divine Write, Sydney |
| Time period: | March 2006 - September 2006 |
| Description: | Activities included writing of copy for advertising, websites, brochures; also feature articles. |
| Employer: | Expertise Events P/L - Frenchs Forest, Sydney |
| Position: | Communications Manager |
| Time period: | November 2005 - February 2006 |
| Description: | Scope of venture – privately owned expo / events management firm.
Functions included responsibility for all marcoms collateral and other communications production; management / supervision of graphic design, web development / design resources, and of three Marketing Co-ordinators; recruitment of new communications and marketing personnel; responsibility for change management by removing production and marketing staff from direct line-of-control by Owner. |
| Employer: | Freelance |
| Position: | Journalist – mainly through Media Support Services, Sydney |
| Time period: | October 2004 - November 2005 |
| Description: | Activities included researching, writing, photographing and laying out newsletters |
| Employer: | HiBrasil – Sydney & Armidale, NSW, and in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil |
| Position: | Initiator / Project Champion |
| Time period: | June 2002 - September 2004 |
| Description: | Scope of venture - startup of $150 million retail venture to develop imports of premium quality domestic furniture and housewares from Brazil into Australia.
Functions included • marketing communications in English and Portuguese – brochures, advertising, copywriting, • website development and content provision, • development and delivery of presentations, • writing of proposals, • lobbying of Government and industry bodies, • PR & media relations, • promotions and publicity, • events management, • information reticulation throughout group |
| Employer: | The Best in the Business – Located at Boorolong, near Armidale, NSW |
| Position: | Sole Practitioner consultant |
| Time period: | May 1996 - June 2002 |
| Description: | Scope of venture - consultancy in commercial management, marketing, marcoms, organisational communications, business planning & venture capital, business mentoring, training.
Functions included • market planning, • presentation development and delivery, • marcoms collateral production, • website development & e-commerce, • business planning and plan analysis, • joint venture negotiation at directoral level between ASX-listed companies, • magazine publishing, • venture capital preparedness, VC negotiations, • business start-up mentoring, • providing seminars / training, • public and media relations Clients included Practical Systems P/L (Armidale) Gresham Rabo Venture Capital P/L (Sydney) University of New England Union (Armidale) The Investor Group (Mildura & Melbourne) Charles Fice Solicitors (Melbourne) Business Enterprise Centre (Armidale) |
| Employer: | The Best in the Business – Located in Melbourne |
| Position: | Sole Practitioner consultant |
| Time period: | August 1989 - September 1992 |
| Description: | Scope of venture – DTP (publishing), consulting in organizational communications & PR.
Functions included • DTP, design & layout, • editing, • photojournalism, • liaison with printers and advertisers, • public and media relations, • change management communications, • event management Clients included CSIRO Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA) ANZ Bank National Languages and Literacy Institute of Australia Victorian Archaeological Register Plastics Institute of Australia |
| Employer: | Aeronautical Research Laboratory – Fishermans Bend, Melbourne |
| Position: | Public Affairs Manager |
| Time period: | September 1987 - June 1989 |
| Description: | Scope of venture – applied and open research into aviation and aerospace technologies in materials, propulsion, structures, aerodynamics and weapon systems; part of DSTO.
Functions included • business/ marketing communications, • issues management, • internal communications, • PR & media relations, • IP commercialization support, • recruitment of IP client manufacturers and agents, • development and delivery of presentations, • change management, • publicity, • major events management, • information reticulation throughout group, • house magazines, • annual reports |
| Employer: | Road Traffic Authority – Various locations, Melbourne |
| Position: | Public Relations Manager |
| Time period: | June 1984 - July 1987 |
| Description: | Scope of venture – government authority responsible for driver licensing and motor registration; also road and traffic systems design and implementation, and road safety
Functions included • planning, management and implementation of internal and marketing communications, • change management, issues management, • liaison with Minister and Premier’s office, • PR & media relations, media releases, • publicity events, promotions and publicity, • road safety advertising campaign management, • information reticulation, • house magazines, annual reports |
EDUCATION
| University: | National University of Ireland |
| Degree: | Economics, English, subsidiaries in Archaeology, French, BA |
| University: | National University of Ireland |
| Degree: | Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Years 1 & 2 completed, BSc |
PUBLICATIONS
| Articles: | • published Essentials of Hygiene and Health Safety for Food & Beverage Workers in 2007
• head-hunted to write for The Age broadsheet daily newspaper in 1981 – then one of very few university graduates employed there, and the only journalist who could touch type |
| Books: | Writing (working titles) :
The Book on Organisational Communications |
INFORMATION
| Hobbies: | • promoter of world-wide public interest in Celtic Studies – language, law, lore, music, song, history and archaeology - through Swim-Two-Birds Neo-Celtic Cyber-University website
• acclaimed cook and baker of Irish sodabread, Brazilian pão de queijo (cheesebread) and brewer of highly esteemed lagers and ales • polyglot with strong interest in philology and wordplay – a James Joyce fan • developed and implemented LingoLab - innovative on-line interactive multimedia language laboratory to teach Irish Gaelic reading, pronunciation and comprehension through poetry • active interest in development and commercialisation of new ‘alternative energy’ production technologies, and in communicating / educating the public in the needs for these innovations |
| Awards: | • voted third place in Australia-wide ‘most readable writer’ poll by Fairfax (1983)
• awarded scholarship based on public writing competition to attend CopySchool – a group initiative by major ad agencies in Melbourne to train promising copywriters (1984) • the first entrepreneur to introduce Australian cask wines onto the Irish market (1979) • achieved journalist’s legendary dream - bought, renamed, promoted and operated Swim-Two-Birds Irish Pub in Sydney‘s Five Dock – developed trade from $7000 to $35,000 per week over first ten weeks (1994/95) |
