KPMG Reveals Australia’s Top 20 Twitter Power List

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:

  1. Share your voice: leaders are the first and last voice of their business. Allow people to hear it.
  2. Humanise: use social media to give the public insight into the person behind the position.
  3. Add your perspective: add a point of view about your industry, people care about what decision makers think.
  4. 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.”

About Prof Janek Ratnatunga 1129 Articles
Professor Janek Ratnatunga is CEO of the Institute of Certified Management Accountants. He has held appointments at the University of Melbourne, Monash University and the Australian National University in Australia; and the Universities of Washington, Richmond and Rhode Island in the USA. Prior to his academic career he worked with KPMG.
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