Spirit Group Brands
About us
We’re an Indigenous owned group of brands delivering marketing and consulting services that connect with culture, create change and bring ideas to life.
So what makes us different?
Our ability to provide a full range of marketing and consulting services within the group offers a streamlined, seamless and cost efficient outcome for our clients.
We work with clients from start ups to multinationals, government and not-for-profits on projects as small as printing business cards up to developing an entire Indigenous or marketing strategy.
As an Indigenous owned business, we specialise in working with other Indigenous organisations and organisations looking to implement their reconciliation initiatives and reach their targets.
The combined experience of our leadership team, including two of Australia’s most prominent and respected Indigenous people, is unrivalled at delivering for our clients.
Our leadership team
Gary Ella
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
Gary Ella
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
As part of Australia’s most successful sporting family in history, Gary represented Australia in rugby from 1982-88.
After retiring from rugby, Gary forged an illustrious career in government and Aboriginal affairs that spanned over 30 years including management roles at ATSIC, NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Randwick City Council.
Gary was also the Program Manager for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Relations for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee.
He has also been a Director of theLloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team, IT Newcom Foundation and currently of his family foundation Ellavation.
Glen Ella
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
Glen Ella
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
As part of Australia’s most successful sporting family in history, Glen represented Australia in rugby from 1982-85.
After retiring from rugby, Glen moved into the corporate world working with the TNT Group for over 20 years before going back to rugby in professional coaching roles with multiple countries, highlighted by his assistant coach role with the Wallabies for the 1995 and 2003 Rugby World Cups.
Glen’s experience working in the Indigenous community includes roles at Master Builders Association of NSW and Coca-Cola Amatil as head of their Indigenous workplace programs and as a mentor for the AFL SportsReady employment program.
Glen has served on the boards of multiple Indigenous charities and is currently the head of the Ella Family’s foundation Ellavation.
Brooke Harrison
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
Brooke Harrison
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
Brooke has over 20 years experience in branding, design, marketing and photography roles, beginning with photoshoots for editorial publications such as Australian Gourmet Traveller, Delicious and Vogue Living.
Brooke’s brand development experience includes major rebrands for Tower Life Insurance (now TAL), Sydney Film Festival, Australian Chamber Orchestra and NSW DET Schools Spectacular.
Brooke has also worked on packaging design and marketing campaigns for Breville/Kambrook, Philips, Lendlease, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, UTS, UNSW and Bridgeclimb Sydney.
Jason James
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
Jason James
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
Jason has over 30 years experience in the printing business including a role as the general manager of his family printing company which employed 150 people when it was sold in 2010.
Jason has been charged with the production of some of Australia’s largest regular print jobs including the Westpac Annual Report, Commonwealth Bank Annual Report and American Express Platinum Customer Welcome Packs.
Jason has delivered a range of bespoke print campaigns for clients such as JC Decaux, Hutchinson Builders, Lendlease, Sydney Opera House, Mentos, Pringles and Chupa Chups.
Dave Madelly
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
Dave Madelly
Co-founder, Spirit Group Brands
Dave has over 15 years experience in marketing and events, working with a range of clients from start-ups to multinationals on projects all over the world.
Dave has delivered marketing campaigns and events for some of the world’s best known brands including Diageo, Sony, Johnson & Johnson, Gucci, Guess Watches and Vodafone.
Dave’s event management highlights include Camp Quality’s esCarpade car rally event (raising over $1M), the Fiji Tens International Rugby Tournament, an ultra-marathon event in India for the 40K Foundation, and exclusive events for Credit Suisse, Visy Industries and Usain Bolt.
Ari Boulas
Co-founder, Spirit Digital
Ari Boulas
Co-founder, Spirit Digital
After graduating with a Masters of IT from Sydney University, Ari worked as the IT manager for a national printing group.
Ari then went on to found his own IT business with the aim of providing enterprise grade IT services to Australian businesses of all sizes. Ari grew the business organically through his well respected reputation and client referrals.
Ari has provided digital and IT services for clients including Mazda, Label Makers Group, Belle Property, Tanis Australia, Refire Group and Aid to the Church in Need to name a few.
Rick Gawdat
Co-founder, Spirit Sport + Events
Rick Gawdat
Co-founder, Spirit Sport + Events
Rick Gawdat is an accredited player agent with both the NRL and ARU and has been involved in multiple sports for more than half a century, including Rugby League, Rugby Union, Cricket, Soccer, and Boxing.
After playing Rugby League for 20 years, Rick took up the challenge of coaching Junior Rugby League teams in Sydney and is still actively coaching in 2023.
Rick also owns and operates a Soccer Coaching business as well as being a former Director, Owner, and Coach of Steve Waugh Cricket Academy.
Rick has a Bachelor of Education, a Graduate Diploma in Marketing, and an MBA and has worked in the corporate sector for over 30 years. As a Board member of a men’s mental health charity called Mentoring Men, Rick is well aware of not only the physical but mental challenges all athletes face throughout their careers and the importance of receiving the right support and frameworks to help them thrive.
In 2022, after deciding to exit the corporate sector, Rick joined forces with the former Wallaby great and long-time mate, Glen Ella, and along with Dave Madelly, a Marketing Executive with over 20 years of experience owning and running Sports and Marketing agencies, formed Spirit Sports Management.
Rick’s passion is working with young talented athletes and their families to help them reach their potential, during and after their playing careers. Nurture, guidance, support, and respect are Rick’s mantras.
Brent Woodhead
General Manager, Melbourne Office
Brent Woodhead
General Manager, Melbourne Office
Brent’s career started in insurance as a Risk Assessor for the first 7 years of his work life before starting his own business in the fitness industry.
Through the next 8 years, Brent went on to open 4 24/7 gyms with a leading Australian franchise, winning numerous awards for club of the year and franchise of the year multiple times, before he was approached by corporate to acquire the high performing clubs.
With Brent’s sale, it gave him the opportunity to invest in a number of startups and also to combine both his passions, fitness and travel. In 2018, Brent started Elevate Fitness Escapes, running week long escapes in Bali, Maldives and Thailand which still has a very loyal customer base.
After knowing the Spirit team for a number of years, the opportunity to start the Melbourne Spirit office was offered and Brent is very much looking forward to continuing all Spirits great work in the Indigenous space in Melbourne.
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We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
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