Christina Aventi
Chief Strategy Officer - BMF Australia
A young-at-heart veteran with 24 years’ experience, Christina started her career as a ‘grad’, at Unilever. After getting that solid grounding in marketing and category management, she jumped ship and found a permanent home as a brand and communications strategist where comms theory crashed into sociology with a little side of pop psychology for good measure.
It was the goldilocks of roles for her, understanding people and even herself a little better by being the consumer whisperer, representing the voice of the punter on the street. Since then Christina has contributed to award-winning, effective campaigns across an array of clients (ALDI, Government, FMCG) and is most proud of the behaviour change work she has been part of in both the commercial and social marketing sector.
An industry commentator and regular panellist on Gruen (ABC), Christina has led BMF to be the most effective agency in Australia, in 2017 and in 2019, and number 3 in the world in the WARC Creative Effectiveness ratings. Whilst she’s driven to deliver creativity that’s effective, it’s superseded by being mum to her two kids, the mini schnauzer, Ziggy and doing ‘life’ as best she can alongside her partner Mark.
Career & Background
What inspired you to do what you are doing now?
I love people, people watching, understanding people, myself. So noodling on human problems and managing others and getting to the nub of things, the nub of them interests me endlessly.
Could you tell us a bit about your professional background?
Have always been a bit of an outsider – at school, at work. In the early eighties, I was a little Italian ‘wog’ teased for my mortadella sandwich at school and had to do ESL – English as a second language. My parents were little kids in WW2 and just wanted me to have a good education. That’s not my professional background but these things have influenced me.
It’s felt like I stumbled into leadership and I’m into making sure Beta types can thrive in what is still and Alpha world. I love behaviour change and the social marketing campaigns (domestic violence, child safety, elder abuse) are what I am most proud of and where I am headed … using what I know to effect change beyond the commercial world.
Your favourite food for thought
Books
- The End of Bias, Beta – How quiet girls can can run the world
- Anything by Meik Wiking from The Happiness Institute – like Hygge, Lykke etc
Podcasts / Thought Leaders
- Chat 10, Looks 3
- Mamma Mia
- On strategy
What drives and inspires you
What are your core values?
- Family
- Making a difference
- Vulnerability
- Empathy
- Fun, levity, play
Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
Isobel – my high EQ, funny, wants to be a carpenter or a Matilda football player daughter. Oh and Jacinda Ardern meets Jennifer Coolidge from The White Lotus.
You as a Mentor
Why have you decided to become a mentor?
To give back, to learn something and apply to my team at work
What are the top 5 skills or qualities you bring to mentoring?
- Compassionate
- Empathic
- Intuitive
- Nurturing
- Open
Ready to be a part of Assisterhood as a Mentee?
We are now up and running in QLD, VIC & NSW – and we’re only just getting started! Let’s shoot for the stars – together!