Kris Taute

• Leading a team of 4 communications specialists to drive brand awareness and consideration for one of Australia’s leading property marketplaces - Corporate Media Relations, Consumer PR / Social Media, and Internal Communications.
• Highlights:
• Managing communications for the AUD $3.5B acquisition of Domain Group by CoStar Group (expected to close in August 2025).
• Achieved a 14% increase in Share of Voice (Reach) within 3 months, with Domain’s earned PR now reaching 90 million views per month.

• Engaged by Qantas Group to advise on rebuilding trust and pride post-reputational challenges; partnered with group executives to reset internal comms, manage high-profile media issues, and lead strategic sustainability, board, and organisational change communications.
• Highlights:
• Led a reset of communication strategy for high-risk enterprise bargaining negotiations involving pilots, cabin crew, engineering and offshoring/onshoring decisions.
• Led a groupwide internal communications reset, launching global roadshows, leadership comms training, and its first-ever Feel the Difference employee engagement campaign.
• Delivered communications and speeches for major CEO engagements, from Western Hub (Perth) and Paris route announcements to the AFR Business Summit, Paris Olympics, internal events, and AGM.

• Led group corporate communications for one of Australia’s largest entertainment company’s - media relations, reputation management, and internal communications across integrated resorts and casinos, hospitality, theatres and events.
• Highlights:
• Managed communications for the AUD $8.9B acquisition of Crown Resorts by Blackstone, including executive and board renewal and governance reset.
• Led a corporate communications and media relations reset following the royal commission into Crown’s ability to hold casino licences in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.
• Led the Future Crown communications program, covering policy and governance reform, settlement of historical regulatory breaches (AUSTRAC/GWC), and initiatives such as gambling harm prevention.

• Led communications strategy for Australia’s leading telco, Telstra’s Product & Technology division, including executive communications support for the Group Executive during a period of transformation.
• Highlights:
• Led communications strategy to support new world-first 5G powered augmented reality (AR) wayfinding at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium with Google and Accenture.
• Delivered Telstra’s communications for Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2022, including the CEO keynote and announcements on cybersecurity, edge computing, and LEO satellite investments.

• Led a team of 4 communications specialists responsible for groupwide corporate communications, including financial reporting, crisis and reputation, media relations and business transformation. During the majority of this period I was also Virgin Australia’s principal media spokesman.
• Highlights:
• Led communications throughout COVID-19, managing the Group’s voluntary administration, ASX de-listing, board and executive changes, and Bain Capital’s $3.5B acquisition of Virgin Australia Group.
• Led communications and advised the Group CEO during the airline's pivot to a mid-market carrier, supporting cost base reset initiatives such as aircraft and fleet reviews, property footprint reductions, enterprise bargaining negotiations, organisational changes, and product and service changes.

• Led a team of 25 APAC, US and UK-based communications specialists responsible for global editorial and communications, including public relations, media relations onboard magazines, social media and public policy communications.
• Highlights:
• Spearheaded a strategic review of AirAsia’s global communications function and PR agency roster across 13 markets, implementing improved media monitoring and reporting, unified team goals, and best practice processes and policies.
• Managed personal communications for the group’s founder Tony Fernandes, including his non-airline business investments in education (Epsom College Malaysia), automotive (Caterham Cars UK), sporting (Queens Park Rangers Football) and telecommunications, insurance and hospitality (Tune Group, Tune Talk and Tune Hotels)

• Led proactive public relations and media communications for Transport for NSW’s road safety sponsorships and partnerships, major infrastructure program community engagement and events.
• Highlights:
• Led media and communications for the launch of the NSW Government’s Towards Zero road toll strategy and marketing and communications campaign supporting the Premier and Roads Ministers.
• Communications lead on Road Safety Sponsorships and Partnerships with education partners and sporting bodies across the AFL, Rugby League and Cricket.
• Communications and media relations lead for Sydney Light Rail and Southeast Light Rail community engagement events and activations.

Prior to these roles I held junior and mid-level managerial positions in destination marketing and public relations at Tourism New Zealand, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, Destination NSW and Hayman Island.