A career of influence

“You have to have an appetite to learn and to embrace what is coming next, and you have to realise that the person you need to learn from might be a 25-year-old who knows more than you,” says Andrew Baxter (OH 1985)

After decades as a leader in the marketing industry where he has been CEO of advertising agencies including Ogilvy and Publicis Groupe and overseen regional and global operations, Andrew isn’t afraid to admit that he is still learning his craft.

And he’s a firm believer that the younger generation working their way through the communications and marketing industries are some of the best teachers, bringing valuable insights and new perspectives.

“I don’t think the fundamentals of marketing have changed, but how we execute marketing has changed forever and it continues to change. The best marketers are endlessly curious and understand that the industry is a jigsaw puzzle that you never finish,” he says.

Andrew joined Haileybury in Year 7 on an academic scholarship and after graduating in 1985, he studied Business (Marketing) at Monash University.

“I knew joining Haileybury was a good opportunity and I remember being excited and wanting to make the most of it,” he recalls. His communications and marketing career spans ASX listed organisations, billion-dollar industries, private equity firms and not-for profits.

“A lot of my involvement in sport and the arts stand out. We won the Athletics Premiership in 1984 and I played footy in Year 12. I was in the school orchestra and played on the stage at Hamer Hall. When else in your school years do you get a chance to do that?

“I made a lot of good mates and the encouragement from the teachers was exceptional. Whether you wanted to be a leader or to excel in a specific area, you could. That belief in students helped shape who I am today, because it gave me the confidence to chase my dreams.

“I also met so many people from different walks of life at Haileybury and so I learned about a broader world outside my neighbourhood. That exposure to so many different aspects of life was invaluable.”

With parents involved in the business world and uncles working in the marketing industry, after Haileybury, Andrew naturally gravitated towards business.

“I had an open mind when I left school. I was interested in helping businesses grow but immediately after graduating, I hadn’t figured out the exact role I’d play in that yet,” he recalls.

“When you leave school, you don’t have a full understanding of what’s possible. You might do a degree, do some part-time work and gradually figure out what you like and don’t like. With family in business, marketing and advertising, I think subliminally that helped me go down that path though.”

Andrew’s first role was with Young & Rubicam (Y&R) where he spent a decade building his advertising knowledge before taking on senior roles with globally recognised advertising agencies. While leading Ogilvy and then Publicis in Australia and New Zealand, he oversaw 12 companies within each group, specialising in traditional advertising, digital and website design, media and public relations.

He acknowledges having to navigate some tough challenges during his years in the industry – all of them important learning experiences.

“Sometimes you are ambitious and want to take the next step in your career too quickly, until you realise you have to get runs on the board to get there. There were a couple of moments when I wanted to take on the next challenge but sometimes those roles weren’t available where I was and so you have to move on,” he says.

“I’d also often get frustrated if we looked like losing an account because I knew that meant we’d have to restructure and have tough conversations with people about their careers. Those times are never easy.”

At the age of 50, Andrew decided it was time to shake things up again and he stepped into multiple board roles – he’s Chairman of Australian Pork, Deputy Chair of Foresters Financial and is a senior advisor to a private equity firm. He’s also Deputy Chair of Sydney Symphony Orchestra and is on the board of OzHarvest. Recently, he designed and developed a micro-credential program for the University of Sydney on brand leadership.

Andrew has also maintained close links to Haileybury – personally and professionally. He’s a regular at milestone reunion events, speaks to current students at careers nights and also helped select the name of Haileybury Rendall School in Darwin and of Haileybury Pangea. He is also a mentor to graduates finding their way in business.

“I love growth and diversity of thinking,” he says.

“I like working in an environment where you never know what will happen every day and where every conversation is different.”