A report released by KPMG Social Media Intelligence has identified Australia’s top 20 business leaders who are paving the way on social media use, via Twitter.
Among the diverse list are leaders of major corporations such as Telstra and Microsoft, and also top executives from sport, media, technology, SMEs and the not-for-profit sector who most effectively share their messages and create valuable connections for their organisations using Twitter.
KPMG Australia’s inaugural “Tweeting from the Top” report details the top 20 Twitter power list, based on a review of quantitative and qualitative data from the Twitter accounts of Australian corporate leaders between 1 January and 10 May 2016. To qualify, accounts had to solely be for an individual who self-nominated themselves as a CEO, Managing Director or Chairperson at an Australian-based or Australian-headquartered company, business, national division, leading advocacy group or peak body.
James Griffin, Director of KPMG Social Media Intelligence (@james_HGriffin), commented: “Social media, and Twitter in particular, has given a mega-phone to business leaders, a platform that previously did not exist for them to express their point of view. Conversely, it has also placed the leaders at the coal face of customer discussions, giving a completely unvarnished (and in some instances painful) direct perspective on how their organisation is faring in the eyes of the customer.”
“As more businesses utilise social channels for business purposes however, it can be said that the risk of not being on social media today outweighs the risk of being on it.”
The KPMG Twitter top 20 power list:
| Person | Twitter handle | Position | Organisation | |
| 1 | Andy Penn | @andy_penn | CEO | Telstra |
| 2 | Jason Killens | @jasonkillens | CEO | SA Anbulance |
| 3 | Holly Ransom | @hollyransom | CEO | Emergent |
| 4 | Kon Karapanagiotidis | @kon__k | CEO | Asylum Seeker Resource Centre |
| 5 | Mark Woodland | @markawoodland | CEO | Myxplor |
| 6 | Brendon Gale | @brendongale25 | CEO | Richmond Football Club (AFL) |
| 7 | Frank Quinlan | @frankgquinlan | CEO | Mental Health Australia |
| 8 | Pip Marlow | @pipms | MD | Microsoft Australia |
| 9 | Michael Ebeid | @michaelebeid | MD | SBS |
| 10 | Andrew Fagan | @fages1 | CEO | Adelaide Football Club (ALF) |
| 11 | Todd Greenberg | @todd_greenberg | CEO | NRL |
| 12 | Michael Carr-Gregg | @mcg58 | MD | The Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre |
| 13 | Mark Bouris | @markbouris | Chair | Yellow Brick Road |
| 14 | Tony Pignata | @tpignata9 | CEO | Sydney Football Club (A-League) |
| 15 | Martin Dougiamas | @moodler | CEO | Moodle |
| 16 | Deidre Willmott | @cci_ceo | CEO | Chamber of Commerce & Industry WA |
| 17 | Tim Costello | @timcostello | CEO | World Vision Australia |
| 18 | Cassandra Goldie | @cassandragoldie | CEO | ACOSS |
| 19 | Jan Owen | @JanOwenAM | CEO | Foundation for Young Australians |
| 20 | Julian Plummer | @julian_plummer | MD | Midwinter |
Alongside the top 20 list, the report offers Twitter’s top tips on how to lead the way for business, as well as KPMG’s advice on how to counteract the perceived barriers that many business leaders today are facing to using social media.
These include ways for executives to leverage Twitter:
- Share your voice: leaders are the first and last voice of their business. Allow people to hear it.
- Humanise: use social media to give the public insight into the person behind the position.
- Add your perspective: add a point of view about your industry, people care about what decision makers think.
- Shoutout: don’t underestimate the power of a public shoutout to an employee, business, partner or client.
Ken Reid, KPMG’s Head of Innovation (@ken_reid) commented: “The speed and reach of social media has led to an increase in the importance of clear, concise and direct engagement between businesses and their audiences. Leaders can lead the way with a social presence, acting as ambassadors for the brand they represent. This list seeks to identify and recognise some of the Australian chief executives who are leading the way when it comes to social media.”
