Mark Braddock, Founder and Creative Director
Mark Braddock was born and grew up in Perth. His international adventures began over a decade ago when he was asked to represent Australia in the Young Creatives Competition at the Cannes Advertising Festival.
From there he was offered a job in Edinburgh, Scotland at Smarts Advertising, where he worked for two years.
Mark worked at Ogilvy, New York on the IBM account – the world's largest integrated account at that time. He rose to Senior Art Director on accounts such as American Express and Jaguar Cars.
His talent did not go unnoticed. Mark was headhunted by one of the most awarded agencies in the world, The Martin Agency. As Senior Art Director Mark worked on accounts such as SAAB, Target, U.S. Trust and Olympus Cameras.
Mark's work has won many awards across three continents. And if that wasn't enough, Mark is also an accomplished artist whose paintings have been exhibited to much acclaim in his own living room.
At the start of 2002, Mark and his partner Tanya Sim moved back to Perth to start Block.
As Creative Director, Mark is responsible for the strategic and creative direction of each project. He is a contributing writer for Australian CREATIVE, the top national magazine discussing issues in the creative industries. In 2008 he was recognised as a WA Business News 40 Under 40 Entrepreneur.
Tanya Sim, Founder and Managing Director
Tanya Sim was born in Perth, Western Australia - the first Australian-born member of the Sim Clan, a ferocious clan of Scottish paint manufacturers.
After living in Edinburgh, Scotland, she worked in New York with world-renowned designer Naomi Leff, a member of the Interior Design Hall of Fame. Naomi Leff and Associates has been consistently recognised as an Interior Design Magazine Giant in their annual list. Tanya rose to the position of Senior Designer there, working for clients such as Helena Rubinstein and United Airlines.
As a Project Manager at Rau & Associates, in Richmond, Virginia, Tanya was part of a team responsible for managing the firm's largest project part, of a new village near Pinehurst, North Carolina. Other projects Tanya worked on at R&A include a new building which houses a Spa, a natural food supermarket, and the design and construction management of the offices of Rau & Associates.
Tanya's combination of organisational and creative skills serves her well in the role of Block's Managing Director. Tanya is responsible for setting and executing Block's business strategy and managing the financial side of the business.
Tanya's business acumen has seen her grow the business from a start-up of two in 2002 while growing profitability and developing world-class systems.
When not in the office, Tanya is bust raising two young children and trying to convince herself that there really is such a thing as work/life balance. In 2009 she ran her first marathon and enjoys 'exercising' by punching things in a Northbridge gym.
Carolyn Hall, Director of Business Strategy
Carolyn Hall was born in Perth, Western Australia and left our balmy shores in the 1980's to live and study in Europe. She only intended to be away for 6 months and finally returned home some 20 years later to take up the position of Brand and Communications Director of the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia.
Under her guidance, RAC moved from being named the State's most under achieving brand to achieving the coveted title of top ranking brand in 2007/2008 in the annual WA Business News branding survey. In 2008, Carolyn was also nominated as Ad Person of the Year by Campaign Brief, the only client to ever be nominated for this award. This was based on her achievements at RAC as well as her overall contribution to the advertising and communications industry in Western Australia.
Before RAC, she served as Senior Vice President for the McCann World Group, the largest marketing communications organisation in the world, based in New York. In this capacity, she led a large global team in the development of cutting edge marketing solutions that harnessed a broad spectrum of communication, planning and strategic technologies. In the process, she worked directly with numerous Fortune 500 business leaders to translate their strategies into effective, executable marketing programs.
Her previous experience also extends to the financial industry, where she held a number of key management positions in London at firms including Citibank, Mellon Bank and Bankers Trust. These positions encompassed the supervision of virtually every aspect of marketing communications, including brand management, account planning, advertising, public relations and customer relationship management.
Carolyn has never been bitten by a spider or a snake or a horse or a dog. So far.
Kylie Telfer, Director of Strategic Planning
Kylie Telfer is Perth born and bred from hardy Anglo/Celtic/Maltese stock.
Kylie's academic experience is diverse. She started and stopped two Bachelor of Arts degrees before discovering her true calling was far more artistic. She figured that if she couldn't paint, draw, act, sing or dance then she could always administer. So, Kylie completed a B.A. in Arts Management at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
Her professional career has been as varied as her academic background – from working in sponsorship and development at Western Australian Ballet to managing corporate and business development for technology company Lateral Sands. She earned her MBA (Advanced) from the Graduate School of Management at the University of Western Australia where she was awarded the Director's Letter and the Women in Management Scholarship.
Most recently Kylie was Marketing and Corporate Development Advisor at the City of Fremantle – Perth's historic and cultural port town. Kylie was responsible for the development and implementation of the marketing and strategic plans for a city that attracts over 1.4 million tourists per year.
Kylie brings to Block her skills in strategic planning, marketing, communications, facilitation, stakeholder management, process improvement, events management and cooking.
She lives with her cat, daughter (and husband) in East Fremantle where the sun is always shining. Kylie enjoys nothing more than putting a little R&B/Motown/Funk on the stereo, slugging back cocktails while playing canasta and watching horror movies with her Grandma, Shirl.
As Director of Strategy, Kylie oversees Block's strategic consulting services incorporating client engagement, strategy development and reporting.
Renka Harris, Account Director
Renka Harris spent the first six years of her life being shuttled between the eastern states of Australia and Sri Lanka.
If her existence during this time wasn't hectic enough, her parents took her trekking in the Himalayas during the holidays.
Although Perth has been home base for the past 20 years, Renka has spent much time living and working abroad. In an attempt to avoid all contact hours at university, Renka completed her Mass Communications (Journalism & Marketing) degree via correspondence whilst working throughout South-East Asia.
During her time in Singapore and Hong Kong, Renka worked as a PR consultant for boutique branding and PR agencies working on clients including; Mercedes Benz, Sunseeker Luxury Yachts, BCBG Max Azria, Perles de Tahiti, Rolls Royce and Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
Previous to joining Block, Renka spent three years up to her neck in yellow helping manage one of Western Australia's largest accounts, the Royal Automobile Club (RACWA). During this time, Renka also spent three months on secondment to the RACWA as a Communications Manager, an experience that gave her invaluable insight into life on 'the other side'. Working on such a large account has given Renka extensive experience in planning, production and implementation of campaigns across diverse and innovative media and communication channels.
When not competing for our dog's attention, Renka spends her time avoiding wire coat hangers, of which she has a serious phobia.
As Account Director, Renka is responsible for the management of client relationships through strong, close communications.
Candice Murison, Studio Director
Candice Murison began her career within the publishing industry after leaving her hometown of Esperance, studying in Perth and returning from a two year around the world trip.
Candice spent six years learning every facet of publishing high quality publications while working for a publishing firm. Having risen to the position of General Manager/Editor, she moved on to pursue a career as an Account Director for a boutique graphic design studio. After achieving her goals there she then took on her next challenge as Studio Director at Block.
Candice has developed a sophisticated understanding of corporate communication needs and has the requisite skills to produce high quality publications and marketing literature. She has been rewarded with several print industry awards (PICAs).
With a combination of management, administrative, planning and budget management skills she is able to deliver to an extensive range of industry marketing solutions in a timely and cost effective manner. Her effective communications skills have given her the ability to clearly articulate strategies to achieve organisational objectives.
As Studio and Production Manager, Candice is responsible for the production of all projects and the trafficking of jobs through the studio from start to finish. She has been instrumental in developing processes and workflows for both Block and our clients that have led to significant cost savings in the creation and deployment of marketing materials.
And she likes to garden.
Ben was born in Victoria (south-eastern Australia) a ridiculously short time ago. He grew up on Queensland's Sunshine Coast before moving to Perth.
If not for the fact that he didn't get the marks and lacks the dedication, Ben could have been a top neurosurgeon. Instead he earned his BA from Curtin University in 2006.
He spent a year 'paying his dues' freelancing at ad agencies before being discovered by Block talent scouts and getting picked up in the 2008 draft. And it only took him until 2009 to be awarded Perth Advertising & Design Club's Art Director of the Year Award.
Ben needs to work to support his record and sneaker habit. Along with his incredible creativity, Ben brings some street-cred to Block - every wannabe-cool agency needs a skater/DJ on staff.
He holds big dreams of one day going out for a drink and not getting carded. He likes Bill Murray.
Melita spent her childhood in country towns of Albany and Esperance in the southwest of Australia before her family settled in the one-horse town of Jerramungup where she could be found climbing trees, writing stories and hanging with her friend Harris the lamb.
She got her start in advertising at the age of seven when she ran a successful campaign aimed at her parents to raise money for the philanthropic organisation she had created. The campaign eventually went national (her grandparents lived interstate).
Her dreams of becoming a hard-hitting journalist were dashed when, having completed her BA in Mass Communications, she discovered that she didn't really like news that much. So went on to study Graphic Design.
She now enjoys crafting copy as much as she enjoys laying it out.
Previous to joining Block, she wrote copy and art directed for brainCELLS in Perth. She has also freelanced around Perth and later in Bangkok and New York.
She has done some of her best work for - and under the influence of – wine, but has also enjoyed working with breweries and coffee companies. Outside of campaigns for mind-altering liquids, she has worked for fashion and furniture clients too.
In her past work lives she has sold soap to the great unwashed of Perth, she wrote and ate her way through Bangkok as a magazine food reviewer and joined the fabled dog walkers of New York City.
When not at Block, she enjoys muddling mojitos whilst unwittingly winning fluke poker games, writing another short story or watching re-runs of The Sopranos.
Philia Kailis, Administration Assistant
Philia Kailis grew up in a large Greek family in Perth's northern coastal suburbs. Her early years were spent swimming, fishing, eating and trying to get a ride to the southern suburbs to see her friends.
After graduating from school, Philia spent a year living in Greece. On returning to Australia she completed a degree in Marketing and Public Relations at Notre Dame University.
Following university she worked as a publicist and project coordinator for a public relations firm. From there Philia worked in marketing and sales for Fremantle's largest hotel, The Esplanade, and spent a year in Sydney at a boutique company called The Conscience Organisation. There she assisted the production team gaining skills in film, TV and digital production.
Philia brings a diverse and abundant range of skills to Block where, when she is not making sure that everything is running smoothly, she protects the postmen from Lucca and keeps an eye on the never-ending cast of colourful locals that parade past the office window. Philia also likes cooking, architecture, hoarding clothes and furniture, movies and her chickens.
Christina Madsen, Account Co-ordinator
Christina was born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Christina first fell in love with Australia when she studied at Perth's Curtin University as part of her degree in Business Administration and Service Management.
Upon finishing her bachelor degree she continued her studies earning a Masters of Events Marketing and Management in London while working in the events industry. On graduation she returned to Copenhagen to earn a Master of Science in Business Administration and Strategic Market Creation.
During her breaks from study, Christina travelled extensively through Australia and South-East Asia.
Having completed her studies she has worked as a project coordinator at one of the largest events companies in Denmark. But eventually the draw of the sun and beach (and love) brought her back to Perth.
Since joining the Block team, Christina has taken on the integral role helping to manage and traffic jobs from brief through to production.
She loves her beautiful new home by the river and the white sandy beaches but she can't stand Vegemite no matter how much butter it's mixed with.
Annabel was born in Perth.
She is an alumnus of the law school of Notre Dame Australia. During her time at university she had the opportunity to study politics in London and Hungary, and worked in the UK Parliament as an electoral staff intern.
Annabel is a former judge's associate of the Supreme Court of Western Australia and worked as a solicitor at Jackson McDonald Lawyers in Perth. All of which makes her hideously over-qualified for any role at Block.
Having qualified as a lawyer, Annabel felt the desire for a career in which she could put her creative faculties to use, so law's loss has been Block's gain.
Her other skills and talents include shopping, roasting coffee and enjoying home-cooked food, so long as someone else is in the kitchen.
Lucca has spent her entire working life at Block. She spends more time asleep than any other member of the Block team. Her duties include lying, sprawled on the floor for hours on end and badgering visitors for pats.