Asia-Pacific Power List 2025: Brent Smart, Telstra

Brent Smart

Chief marketing officer
Telstra
Australia
New member

Brent Smart joined Telstra as chief marketing officer in 2022, leading marketing for Australia’s largest telco with a team of over 250. An award-winning marketer and dynamic speaker, Smart is renowned for his insights on creativity, culture, and brand strategy. 

Under his leadership, Telstra has undergone a complete reimagining, exemplified by the sumptuous 26-part stop-motion TV campaign ‘Better On A Better Network’, which celebrates the company’s $40 billion investment in its network over the past decade. Smart describes the campaign as “worthy of our great network”, reflecting his ambition to inject emotion and pride into the brand experience—not only for customers but also for Telstra staff.

One of Smart’s standout campaigns featured an intricate internet project using over 20,000 real dominos, expertly arranged by a team of professional domino experts to create elegant runs that captivated audiences with their beauty and precision.

Beyond high-profile campaigns, Smart has championed innovation across all touchpoints, including the Telstra app, which enjoys 'fantastic' customer ratings. He has introduced a new agency model, +61, fostering innovative collaborations that have led to Telstra’s first major creative award wins in over a decade, including Grand Prix honours at Spikes and the London International Awards. Notable creative initiatives under his tenure include the launch of the new brand platform Wherever We Go and inventive projects such as silent short films for cinema audiences, showcasing his commitment to pushing creative boundaries.

Smart is also a strong advocate for DEI, strengthening Telstra’s commitment to building an inclusive workplace and community. His leadership supports initiatives like the LGBTQ+ network Spectrum, accessibility for people with disabilities, and First Nations empowerment, while Telstra’s broader social impact efforts include sustainability partnerships and digital inclusion programmes aimed at empowering one million children and young people by 2030.

A confident keynote speaker and podcast co-host of Black T-Shirts, Smart regularly shares real-life case studies on creativity and tips on how to thrive in today’s content-saturated world. He has spoken at prestigious events like SXSW and Procter & Gamble’s Marketing Summit, lectured at Wharton and NYU Stern, and led workshops for top brands including McDonald’s and Commonwealth Bank. His passion for creativity, culture, and inclusion continues to inspire the marketing industry across Australia and beyond.