People

Sydney Opera House

Leading editors, Walkley-award winning journalists, communications experts and digital natives form a formidable reputation management team.

Team

Mark Forbes

Mark Forbes
Director of Reputation

Mark is a Walkley-award winning journalist and former Editor in Chief of The Age. He has worked at Four Corners and Channel Seven, in the Federal and State parliament press galleries and as an overseas correspondent.

Mark brings almost 30 years of success at the highest levels of communications practice. His specialities include issues and crisis management, interview coaching, and media liaison. He is also a registered lobbyist.

Utilising reputation-building strategies, he has raised the profile of major companies, guided global manufacturers through controversial issues, and assisted CEOs in enhancing their profiles.

Prue Gillespie

Prue Gillespie
Associate Director

Prue has spent more than 18 years in key roles across corporate communications and issues management.

Specialising in corporate reputation building, Prue has launched major thought leadership reports and assisted clients to build thought leadership and editorial strategies to drive brand trust, reputation and authority.

She is an acknowledged crisis expert, providing on-call, hands-on crisis management for clients including Coles, education providers and major events, dealing with issues spanning misconduct, historical allegations, fraud and data breaches.

Prior to joining ICON, Prue held roles at Edelman, Morris Sodali and Rowland PR where she was project lead and senior communications counsel for clients including Coles, Study Queensland, National Storage and Trade & Investment Queensland.

Gemma Williams

Gemma Williams
Director of Government Affairs

Gemma Williams is a communications specialist with a record of delivering impactful government-led campaigns and representing client interests to government.

From police technology strategies to ambulance COVID-19 responses, she has successfully led high-stakes initiatives across local, state, and federal governments.

Career highlights include managing NSW Police’s technology change campaign (2021-22), spearheading the UK’s south-west ambulance pandemic communications (2020) and NSW ambulance workforce strategy (2023-4), driving industrial and infrastructure campaigns for Sydney Trains and NSW Trains (2014, 2017, 2024), and leading government’s local state and federal stakeholder launch of the Service NSW agency (2017-18).

With a deep understanding of government processes and stakeholder dynamics, Gemma excels at creating innovative solutions that drive measurable results, strengthen agency operations, and enhance community outcomes.

Gemma is a registered lobbyist with federal and state governments.

Joanne Painter

Joanne Painter
Managing Director

A leader in Australia’s PR and communications industry, Joanne has over 30 years experience across media, strategic communications and public relations.

Formerly a senior journalist with The Age, Joanne now consults on strategic communications, issues and reputation to government and corporate clients nationally.

A digital communications specialist, Joanne brings a deep understanding of digital transformation and how new technology is reshaping citizens’ relationship with brands – and the relationship of brands with their target publics.

Susan Redden Makatoa

Susan Redden Makatoa
Issues and training consultant

Susan is one of Australia’s leading corporate communications advisers, having provided high-level counsel to organisations including PayPal, Infosys, Mitsubishi, GSK, Danone, VMWare, LinkedIn, eBay, Mars, UnitingCare, AstraZeneca, DPWorld, Microsoft and American Express. Susan was Executive Vice President APAC for Edelman, and Group Managing Director Corporate for Ogilvy Public Relations.

Susan brings a strong public affairs and advocacy skills set and many years of issues and crisis management experience, particularly in highly regulated and complex stakeholder environments. She regularly trains executives in media interview skills, crisis preparedness.

Shannon ONeill

Shannon O’Neill
Digital and Social Director

Shannon is a highly experienced communications professional specialising in social media and digital channels.

She has an extensive background in leading multi-channel digital and social media programs across both government, corporate, and consumer brands in Australia and the Middle East.

Shannon excels in using social and digital channels to build brand reputation, navigate crises, and steer public sentiment. She is skilled at crafting integrated campaigns that leverage organic, paid and influencer channels, creating impact and building brand affinity

    Gerry McCusker

    Gerry McCusker
    Crisis consultant

    A globally renowned issues and reputation management specialist, Gerry authored ‘Public Relations Disasters’ (Kogan Page) and developed the trans-media crisis simulation platform, The Drill.

    Gerry boasts extensive experience in frontline issues and crisis communications, both in Australia and overseas. He has supported client brands facing threats pertaining to animal supplements, construction design, financial regulation and materials efficacy.

    Gerry has provided crisis training and simulation to key players in the agriculture, construction, government, healthcare, infrastructure, professional services and telecommunications sectors. He is Certificated in Training & Assessment to TAE40116.

    Supporting team

    As part of the Icon Agency group, we’re backed by a team of integrated communications professionals

    • Full production and design studio

    • In-house digital web development, web design and UX and digital marketing

    • One of Australia's most awarded PR agency's at home, and on the global stage

    • Creative and brand strategists

    • Behaviour change specialists

    • Global PR partner network - Reputation Advisors International

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