Operative was established in 2021 to help creative agencies improve end to end operations, and maximise productivity, margins and client satisfaction. Led by CEO Dave Keating, the team has significant experience in using technology feasibility and implementation to enable better and more efficient ways of working. Operative’s services also include client onboarding and setup, operational pitch response advisory, improved production workflows and organisational and operational structure.

Joining the week COVID-19 sent Victoria into lockdown in 2020, the initial role was to work with the rest of the executive team to define the corporate strategy of integration and develop an implementation plan, an operational vision and reorganise the six companies in the group into a collaborative model with shared resources.Through a roadmap of changes fed down through divisional leads, we brought teams of common skills together into shared pools of resource that were able to load balance through the businesses individual workload fluctuations. We instituted a technology stack to improve collaboration and a single system of record for the company to track client knowledge, projects in motion and staff capacity. Utilising the new structure of the group, a key responsibility of the current role, and as a member of the Melbourne Group board, is launching new products and offering diversified services to our clients, driving growth for the group.

Responsible for the planning, growth and evolution of the production capability within TBWA\ Melbourne and TBWA\ Adelaide. Overseeing a team of 35+ people covering functions including client service, technology, website and app development, broadcast and content production, digital design, print design, animation and product design. Specialising in transforming business systems, automation, increasing transparency and team participation on projects, efficient workflows and cross skilling for increasing utilisation.

A new role created from the amalgamation of the print and digital studio and project management teams. Day to day the role is managing a growing team and ensuring client work is moving through quickly and profitably. Combining the two disciplines has involved assessing the structure of the business, finding efficiencies in the two departments, cross skilling the team members and planning for future growth. Also a member of the company Leadership Committee designed to advise and feedback to the executives on all aspects of the operation.Clients worked on include ANZ Bank, Nissan, Medibank, McCain, Origin Energy, Dusk Candles, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Schweppes, Tom and more.

Leading the digital studio and producers for two years. The role involved meeting the financial KPIs, setting up processes, recruiting and retaining talent, new business pitches, resourcing the studio and running day to day operations. Clients over this time included RACV, Betstar, ANZ Bank, Nissan, Medibank, McCain, Origin Energy, Dusk Candles, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and more.Key campaigns worked on over this period included the ANZ Bank GayTMs campaign for the Sydney Mardi Gras, ANZ Brand work, Medibank Generation Better campaign and Fairfax's Forever Curious.

The role primarily involved both retail campaign work as well as larger bespoke design and development projects. This was during the early setup of the digital business within the agency which experienced rapid growth over three years. Team management and resourcing were a focus of the role. The department reporting line finished with the Head of Digital, so there was a lot of exposure to business operations.

Business Development, Sales and General Management:As part of developing Pop Dave was the lead on the commercial side of the business. From a standing start he took the property to a position where it was taking a large percentage of the total action sports advertising spend, particularly online where Pop was first to create a site and built the largest audience in the action sports space in Australia. In addition, he looked after budgeting, accounting and marketing before managing the negotiation through the process of selling part of the company into a joint venture.Editor-In-Chief:Dave worked with the team on the editorial direction of the magazine and the website from late 2006 looking to develop a look and feel vastly different to that of the existing magazines in the space. The move to portrait covers and an end to end clean design inspired more by Time Magazine or the Economist than other sports magazines were two of the most visible changes. In searching for a wider audience and higher production values, he built a team to run major and minor fashion editorials each issue and for online which showcased the commercial partners products in a new light. From an editorial direction, he looked to stories about people and places that were anchored in surfing, skating and snowboarding but that had wider appeal - the 2010 interview with Iraq War photographer Ashley Gilbertson (who started as a skateboard photographer in Melbourne) is one example.

Work with the General Manager to develop strategies and a product roadmap for the site, mobile site and iPhone/Andriod App. As well as developing, communicating and implementing ideas which involves managing the development slate and the project plan. Monitoring and communicating the product feature performance and take-up while recommending changes for optimisation.