David Campbell
Wallington,VIC
Summary
Strategic Commercial & Media Executive with 15 years of experience reshaping media for top sporting rights holders. Specializes in integrating traditional broadcasting with digital innovation and wagering. Led revenue growth from $5M to $50M and negotiated landmark rights deals exceeding $360M. Expertise in developing in-house production capabilities and managing diverse teams within complex stakeholder environments.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive General Manager – VRC Media
VICTORIAN RACING CLUB
Melbourne, Australia
01.2022 - Current
- Head of Commercial Media & Broadcast | 2020 – 2022
- Head of Commercial Media | 2018 – 2020
- Media Partnerships / Commercial Media Manager | 2014 – 2018
- Led the establishment of the VRC Media division, reporting directly to the CEO and managing broadcast, production, archive, media rights, and partnerships with full P&L accountability.
- A world-leading racing club and home to the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
- $262M Rights Deal: Architected and led the 18-month negotiation for a historic 6-year media and wagering agreement with Tabcorp and Nine Entertainment, securing the club's financial future.
- 10x Revenue Growth: Drove media revenue growth from $5M in 2014 to $50M in 2024 through aggressive rights segmentation, premium packaging, and new commercial inventory.
- $100M Broadcast Deal: Negotiated a record-breaking 5-year agreement with Network 10 in 2018 following a full FTA tender process, significantly revaluing the asset.
- Strategic Wagering: Secured critical 4-year TAB deal for MCC, negotiated a 10-year joint media/wagering rights agreement with Racing Victoria, and secured VRC’s first wagering rights with Japan.
- Global Pioneer: Launched first Australian sport presence in Metaverse (2020) with live streaming capabilities.
- Social Media Groundbreaker: Executed the first live sports broadcast on Twitter outside North America (2016) and Australia’s first sports partnership with Snapchat (2017).
- Fan Experience: Implemented the 'choose-your-own-camera' interactive app (2021) and introduced virtual advertising technology to broadcast feeds.
Senior Digital Account Manager (Fiat Chrysler)
DIGITAL DIALOGUE
Sydney, Australia
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Advised Fiat Chrysler CEO and senior leadership on digital strategy, presenting performance metrics to inform decision-making.
- Led 'Google Joint Venture' mapping project, integrating social media across brand portfolio to enhance digital presence.
- Built and developed digital team, enhancing internal capabilities and streamlining processes.
Commercial Head of Sport & Major Partnerships
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA
Sydney, Australia
01.2011 - 01.2012
- Commercial Manager – Sport | 2008 – 2011
- Drove revenue by creating and executing commercial strategies for national sporting assets, securing partnerships with AFL, NRL, ARU, FFA, and V8 Supercars.
- Led commercial team for 2011 Rugby World Cup and managed sales properties for London Olympics, maximizing revenue opportunities across both events.
- Pioneered digital cross-platform integration, uniting print and digital sales divisions to enhance audience engagement and revenue streams.
- Recognition: Named Digital Sales Person of the Year (2011) and National Sales Awards Finalist (2010).
Account Manager – Travel
The Daily & Sunday Telegraph
01.2007 - 01.2008
- Salesperson of the Year Runner-up (2010).
Corporate Hospitality Sales Executive
Sports & Entertainment Limited
01.2006 - 01.2007
Project Analyst, High Performance Unit
Australian Rugby Union
01.2005 - 01.2006
Education
Aleda Connect Program -
01.2026
SMG Executive Coaching Program -
01.2024
Managing People for Performance -
News Corp
01.2011
Emerging Talent Program -
News Corp
01.2010
Bachelor of Business - Sports Management, International Business
University of Technology
Sydney01.2004
VRC Leadership & Management Program -
Leaders in Sports Conference -
Skills
- Commercial strategy development
- High-stakes negotiation
- Revenue diversification
- Strategic partnerships
- Media innovation
- Broadcast production
- Digital transformation
- Metaverse and AR/VR implementation
- Executive leadership
- Organizational design
- Board and stakeholder management
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Global operations management
- International partnerships
- Tender and RFP management
- Brand reputation management
Board And Industry Roles
- Delegate, World Horse Racing Board
- Executive Lead, VRC Media Sub-Committee
- Member, VRC Executive Team
- Speaker/Representative, Asian Racing Conferences, Seoul 2018, Sapporo 2024
- Speaker/Representative, Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, Europe 2023
Education And Development
- Bachelor of Business, University of Technology, Sydney, 01/01/01, 12/31/04, Sports Management, International Business
- SMG Executive Coaching Program, 01/01/23, 12/31/24
- Aleda Connect Program, 01/01/25, 12/31/26
- VRC Leadership & Management Program, Not Provided
- Leaders in Sports Conference, New York, 2018, Delegate
- Managing People for Performance, News Corp, 2011
- Emerging Talent Program, News Corp, 2010
Timeline
Executive General Manager – VRC Media
VICTORIAN RACING CLUB
01.2022 - Current
Senior Digital Account Manager (Fiat Chrysler)
DIGITAL DIALOGUE
01.2013 - 01.2014
Commercial Head of Sport & Major Partnerships
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA
01.2011 - 01.2012
Account Manager – Travel
The Daily & Sunday Telegraph
01.2007 - 01.2008
Corporate Hospitality Sales Executive
Sports & Entertainment Limited
01.2006 - 01.2007
Project Analyst, High Performance Unit
Australian Rugby Union
01.2005 - 01.2006
Aleda Connect Program -
SMG Executive Coaching Program -
Managing People for Performance -
News Corp
Emerging Talent Program -
News Corp
Bachelor of Business - Sports Management, International Business
University of Technology