Claire Dawson

When people first start working with Claire Dawson, something they learn quite quickly is if there’s an opportunity for digital leadership, she’ll be first in line, with a strategic plan for how to achieve it.  

That fighting spirit and die-hard perseverance that defines Claire, comes from an intense and insatiable curiosity that has guided her most of her life. 

It has seen her travel around the world, chasing down the latest innovations in digital – and more often than not, leading the teams that deliver it.  

Global experience

With 25 years in technology, including an influential role on the IAB board alongside representatives from Google, NineMSN, Yahoo! and Fairfax, Claire is not just a facilitator of technology services, she has been, and continues to be, instrumental in shaping the industry in Australia. 

Commencing her digital career with London-based WPP Group’s first web marketing arm, she joined global innovators in delivering solutions for game-changing brands, such as Yahoo! Europe. Supporting the team who pioneered the first video-enabled banner ads, she was part of revolutionising online digital advertising technologies.

Since these formative roles, Claire has shown ongoing commitment to making an impact in digital, working as the GM at Mediasmart for Telstra, Bigpond and Sensis. She ran commercial strategy across all digital assets for these brands, as well as Vogue, AFL, Cricket Australia and Taste, all while rolling out the first Australian behavioural and geographic advertising platform. 

Continuing to build her own portfolio of clients across major brands, Claire worked with the executive at Razorfish globally, to grow its Australian offering and oversaw the delivery of digital transformation projects for clients such as, Sony, Microsoft, Pepsi, Coke and World Vision. 

Driving transformation

After joining Mudbath in 2017, Claire is once again partnering with influential brands, to guide them strategically through their unique digital transformation projects, with the Mudbath delivery teams.

As the agency’s commercial leader, she works closely with executives within organisations, helping them navigate critical strategic objectives, solve legacy problems, and build and seamlessly unite teams with Mudbath’s specialists, for value-based ongoing partnerships.

Alongside this focus, Claire oversees Mudbath’s Experience Design and Product departments, working with the head of each to ensure best-in-class experience design principles and sound product strategy are embedded in every outcome delivered.

She has a keen interest in the space, and thrives on introducing innovative approaches and empowering clients with the opportunity to achieve results that streamline their processes, reduce their costs, and future-proof their businesses against the rapid changes of the digital industry.  

In recent years, Mudbath’s work has been recognised globally, with cutting-edge technology platforms selecting to partner with and recommend the agency for implementation of their platforms in Australia and internationally. 

Claire is invested in solidifying these partnerships with groups such as Contentful, Contentstack, Algolia and Vuestorefront, to ensure Mudbath’s clients have access to the world’s best technology platforms in the market. She draws on a clear understanding of client roadmaps to determine the best ways to leverage the most innovative and relevant solutions. 

Delivering excellence

Mudbath has a track record of working with major national and international organisations and platforms, and Claire has been integral in leading partnership, strategy and growth since arriving at the agency. 

Most notably, she has helped to form the partnerships, working models and teams that delivered headless migration for health insurance giant NIB, and retail leader Michael Hill. 

While Claire takes great pride in the success of these collaborations, as an executive and owner of commercial relationships and platform partnerships, she is also highly invested in the true connection that is formed when teams work together on project roadmaps. She encourages openness and a safe space for ideas and innovation so the greatest possible positive impact can be made.

As a leader, she empowers people, ensuring  they understand their roles, value, purpose and contribution, so that in addition to their exceptional skills, they are also instilled with a sense of energy, excitement and motivation for Mudbath’s working partnerships. 

“There’s an achievement in delivering the agreed outcomes based on a great strategy, but more than that, it's  the way people connect when working together that drives me. Watching teams have purpose and care about the impact, despite starting from two different places – there’s just something very special in the relationships we build with each other and our partners.”

Both the Michael Hill and NIB projects were delivered successfully, and the brands are already seeing the positive impact of the work on their bottom lines. Subsequently, further projects have been agreed in an aim to extend the work and create greater efficiencies and savings.

Claire’s drive and dedication to the people and the partnerships she is instrumental in forming is not only an asset to Mudbath, but to every new employee or client who steps through the doors and looks for an experienced, intelligent and enthusiastic transformation expert.