Tom Burton Biography

Tom Burton is the publisher of The Mandarin*.

Tom Burton is a Walkley award winning journalist, publisher and digital communicator. He has just completed a project advising Malcolm Turnbull’s department on the roll out of their digital communications.

Prior to that he lead the digital transformation program at the Australian Communication and Media Authority, where he oversaw the rollout of their social media practice and launched their new website, now considered the model for modern government engagement.

During the late 2000’s Tom worked in Washington DC as online communication director at the Center for American Progress as well as at series of B2B digital products covering government, telcos and streaming media.

He is a former Executive Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and Chief Political Correspondent for the Australian Financial Review. Tom specialised in economics and communications and won a Walkley award for a series about the powerbrokers of Canberra.

Tom sensed the opportunity of the internet early and under his leadership smh.com.au became the most popular news website in Australia. He won a Walkley award for the site the Herald launched during the Sydney Olympics. More recently he founded, developed and published a series of web 2.0 social media and B2B web start-ups.

Tom also worked as a Ministerial Adviser to the Communication's Minister, Michael Duffy during the 1980’s.

He has been a regular media commentator and conference speaker on politics, communications, digital engagement and economics.  

Tom served as President of the Media Alliance for three years and was Chair of the Walkley's Foundation for seven years.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Law from the University of NSW and is admitted to the NSW Supreme Court. He completed the Executive Management program in marketing at North-Western University, Chicago. He has lectured in social media and web 2.0 publishing at the John Hopkins University in Washington DC and UTS in Sydney.

* The Mandarin alpha site here. The Mandarin is due for launch July 2014 and will provide a digital platform for Australia’s leading public sector staff to share, discuss and learn from each other. Contact Tom for editorial and partnership opportunities tburton@privatemedia.com.au

AvailabilityTom travels from SydneyTelevision, radio, print and digital media interviewsKeynote speaker, guest lecturer and panellist.

Key Topics

Working with government and bureaucracyBest practices in the use of social media to drive customer engagement and retentionLocal and international politics, communications, digital engagement and economics.