Ita
Buttrose
AO OBE
Speaker Profile
Ita Buttrose AO OBE - legendary media editor, businesswoman, best-selling author and President of Alzheimer's Australia.
Ita Buttrose is an exceptional Australian: a legendary media editor, businesswoman, best-selling author and President of Alzheimer's Australia. She has led in many different theatres of endeavour including business, journalism, publishing, motivational speaking, and as a director and an advisor to corporate, community and welfare.
Twice voted Australia's most admired woman, Ita Buttrose began her distinguished career as a copygirl on The Australian Women's Weekly when she was 15; by 21 she was the magazine's Social Editor and by 33 had become the Weekly's Editor, its youngest ever - a distinction she still holds today. Under her editorship the Weekly broke through the one million copies sold barrier for the first time (it was then a weekly and not a monthly) setting new publishing records in this country and making the Weekly, per capita of population, the highest circulating magazine in the world.
Ita Buttrose was the founding editor of Cleo and was appointed Editor-in-Chief by Rupert Murdoch of his Sydney Daily and Sunday Telegraphs - making her the first woman to ever edit a major metropolitan newspaper in Australia. She was invited to join the board of News Limited, Australia, becoming the first Australian female director of this world-wide media group. In 2011, Ita's early career was the subject of a highly-acclaimed ABC two part miniseries titled Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo in which she was portrayed by actress Asher Keddie.
After a distinguished career with both Australian Consolidated Press and News Limited, Ita Buttrose started Capricorn Publishing and created ITA Magazine, later founding The Good Life Publishing Company which in 2005 published bark!, a lifestyle magazine aimed at dog owners. Ita has also been involved with publishing work for such clients as David Jones, Telstra, and the Australian Tax Office, for whom her company created the first TaxPack. She is Chairman of digital publishing company Reddo Media Services and appears regularly as a social commentator on Channel Nine's Today Show.
Ita Buttrose is a committed contributor to community and welfare organisations and is currently National President of Alzheimer's Australia, Patron of the Macular Degeneration Foundation; and Vice President Emeritus of Arthritis Australia. She was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for her services to the community especially in the field of public health education when she spearheaded Australia's HIV/AIDS Education Program; she received the OBE for her services to journalism and a Centenary Medal for her leadership to Australian Society.
Ita Buttrose was a founding member and former president of Chief Executive Women. She has written 10 very successful books, the most recent being A Guide to Australian Etiquette: For all Occasions, from Weddings to Work. She has just finished updating her autobiography, A Passionate Life, which will be published by Penguin in July 2012.
Ita Buttrose is unique. An accomplished communicator with a wealth of experience across a broad range of industry sectors, she has worked behind the scenes and in the public eye for major corporates, small business, governments and charity. When she speaks she does so with on-the-job knowledge and experience to deliver a speech that informs, entertains and inspires her audience. Her lively wit is a joy and there is never a dull moment at question time. Not surprisingly she is a much in-demand multi-media performer. She is an entertaining speaker, an accomplished facilitator and a superb MC.
Ita is also a proud mother of Kate and Ben and knows all about the challenges of combining a career with raising children.
Ita Buttrose has extensive experience as a public speaker in both the private and public sectors. She has been engaged as a speaker in a variety of roles including keynote speaker, master of ceremonies, analyst and host. She is a content rich and inspirational speaker with a wealth of corporate and societal experience.
Travels from New South Wales
Client Comments
Client Comments
- Thank you for being such an integral part of Conrad Treasury celebrations of International Women's Day.
The lunch was a great success that can be attributed to your presence at the event. Many of our guests commented that you were 'a true inspiration', and felt privelaged to be in you company. Your speech beautifully complimented the relaxed feeling of the afternoon and the private and personal moments that you shared were inspirational.
Once again, thank you Ita, you have set a very high standard which we will endeavour to maintain at future International Women's Day events.
Conrad Treasury Brisbane - Your enthusiasm and willingness to take on the MC role for the night were instrumental to its success and I thank you very much on behalf of everyone who was there.
White City Tennis Club - The best speaker I've heard.
Toyota Motor Corporation Australia - Brilliantly researched, poised, eloquent and humorous. No wonder the world warms to her.
Goldwell Cosmetics - Well prepared, thoroughly entertaining and very relevant to our audience. The feedback has been very positive. Ita is very pleasant to deal with, both before the event and on the night. Can't wait to book her again.
The Newsagents Association of NSW & ACT Inc - Ita was extremely professional, entertaining and held the audience. She was obviously well prepared and had done some homework on the company and the product.
Sigma Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd - I cannot speak highly enough of Ita's approach to the FECCA conference. The manner in which she dealt with some logistical problems was absolutely wonderful. Her paper and her presentation were excellent. All feedback has been very positive.
Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland - Ita is an excellent speaker and my colleagues were very impressed that she had taken the time to do research on how schools work and statistics. She knew how many director generals we had, etc... my colleagues loved it. She very kindly donated two of her books which we used as lucky door prizes. A wonderful lady with lots of experience in life - my colleagues are using her as their role model now...
Liverpool Public School - Ita, consistently a true professional. Greatly appreciated her willingness to change schedule at short notice. Ita has unique ability to continuously adapt. Ita brings life, energy and enthusiasm to any event. Extremely knowledgeable of her subject.
Edelman Public Relations Worldwide - Ita left a lasting impression on the audience with her confidence, humour, and professionalism.
Nissan - Ita was so down to earth and had fully researched the topic we gave her. A brilliant performance from a true Australian icon. Feedback from our attendees was extremely complimentary, indicating to us that they thoroughly enjoyed her presentation.
City of Whittlesea - Ita Buttrose was very well received at each event for the Commonwealth Financial Planning Ongoing Service Briefings! Her presentation was very well suited to the audience and they made comments that she was excellent! I thoroughly enjoyed hearing her presentation!
Colonial First State Investments Ltd - Ita's profile as our guest speaker encouraged delegates to attend
Australian Institute of Office Professionals - Ita was engaging, humorous and the topic she spoke on fitted in really well with the theme of our day. She mingled with the women attendees, posed for photographs, and was really down to earth and approachable, which is exactly what we needed.
Ballarat & District Division of General Practice - Ita Buttrose is the most wonderful person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Not only is she brilliant at her job but she has a quality that makes people that meet her feel like they are important and that she really cares about them. I myself feel like I have made a friend and would very much like to have Ita back at the Canberra Club for another appearance in the future. The Canberra Club's Board of Directors, management, staff and guests were honoured to be associated with Ms Ita Buttrose and the club is still receiving rave revues about how fantastic the night was From the first conversation with Ita Buttrose I felt extremely comfortable and relaxed (as if I had know her for years). I cannot explain how proud.
Canberra Club - Ms Buttrose was excellent, our clients have not stopped raving about the event and Ms Buttrose. Her presentation was excellent, Ms Buttrose went above and beyond what was expected. Absolutley excellent.
Hillross - I sincerely cannot thank you enough for everything you did this morning, you were so generous with your time with our guests and this is truly appreciated. Your presentation was absolutely perfect with a brilliant mix of your leadership wisdom, the connections you made to Geelong and just the right touch of humour. The responses from our guests have been nothing short of glowing and personally I am still abuzz with the success of the morning. The tweets, texts and emails are streaming in.
Leaders for Geelong - On behalf of ClubsNSW, I would like to genuinely thank you for speaking at our Partners Brunch at our Annual Conference. The feedback received from the partners was extremely positive and showed that the brunch was thoroughly enjoyed by all. You are an inspiration to all women and everyone who attended was delighted to have the opportunity to hear first-hand some of the experiences throughout your career. We greatly appreciate that you took the time to sign our copies of your book and stayed for photos at the conclusion of the brunch. Thank you again for your captivating presentation at the brunch. It was an honour to have you join us for this event.
ClubsNSW - Ita Buttrose was absolutely brilliant. Very informative and entertaining allowing our clients to have a few laughs was also a highlight. Ita used our theme of the evening - "Life Doesn't Stop at 50!" - and tailored her presentation superbly around this. Our company received many rave reviews from our clients as well as staff who attended.
Portfolio Planning Solutions Ltd - Very engaging and delightful presentation and person.
Photo Marketing Association of Australia - Ita Buttrose was fantastic! One of the best speakers we have had for our leadership program. You could have heard a pin drop during her presentation, everyone was so attentive and hung on every word. We had fantastic feedback from all who attended.
Destination Melbourne - Ita Buttrose was the consummate professional speaker as she entertained, informed and charmed her audience during her keynote speech at our annual Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival. I lost count of the amount of people who approached me later to thank me for bringing a speaker of this calibre to Geraldton, Western Australia.
Geraldton Regional Library - Ita was FANTASTIC! I have never seen one of our guest speakers be mobbed after their address as Ita was. Ita was engaging with our guests, nothing was a problem in regards to people wanting photos with her as well as autographs and just in general people wanting to say hello to her. Thank you so much for getting Ita for us... the feedback has been so positive.
The Radio Sales Network - Ita was very well received by our delegates and their spouses. She covered an array of issues and was fantastic when it came to off the cuff answers during question time. Ita was very accommodating and very easy to deal with.
Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants
Topics
Speaker Topics
- 10 Steps to Small Business Success
- Coping with Change - Successfully!
- Doing Business Better - It's Not WHAT You Do, It's the WAY You Do It!
- How to Deliver Superior Customer Service
- How to Make the Most of Life's Opportunities
- How to Make Your Customers the Promoters of Your Business
- How to Succeed Beyond Expectations - Leadership, Communication, Knowledge & Motivation
- Living Life - What's Age Got to Do With It?
- So Many People Told Me I Couldn't (and Shouldn't) Do It - The Ita Buttrose Story
- The Importance of Ethics - Making Business Good Business
- The Lessons of Leadership - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
- Why SMALL Business Needs to Think BIG
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"Our work for peace must begin within the private world of each one of us. To build for man a world without fear, we must be without fear. To build a world of justice, we must be just."
Dag Hammarskj