Telstra CMO Brent Smart set to depart after nearly four years of award-winning success

Brent Smart is exiting Telstra, bringing to a close a near four-year stint that reshaped the telco’s marketing output and brand trajectory.

Joining from IAG in mid-2022, Smart quickly put his stamp on the business, steering a run of high-profile work that helped reposition Telstra in culture, most notably the awarded-winning “Wherever We Go” platform.

Stepping into the role is Jana Kotatko, who expands her current remit within Telstra’s retail and regional business to take on chief marketing officer responsibilities. Kotatko previously served as CEO of Telstra’s Belong brand and, like Smart, is an alum of IAG, where she led marketing for NRMA.

In a statement, Smart said he was proud of the transformation achieved during his tenure: “I’ve put everything I have into transforming the Telstra brand over the last four years and I’m proud of the impact the brand has had in the business and in the market.

“I’d like to thank Telstra leadership for their faith and my team and partners for their support. I’ve decided it’s the right time to close this chapter and recharge before I take on the next challenge.”

A Telstra spokesperson acknowledged Smart’s impact on the business: “After an incredibly impactful chapter at Telstra, Brent has chosen to take some time out to recharge his creative batteries. Under Brent’s four years of leadership, the brand has gone from strength to strength. Today, Telstra is one of the top 10 strongest brands in Australia and the fourth strongest telco brand in the world. We also earned the most prestigious award in advertising, the 2025 Cannes Lion Grand Prix for Film Craft. That doesn’t happen by accident.

“Brent and his team have truly transformed our brand and taken it to new heights. His legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come.”

Prior to Telstra, Smart spent more than five years as CMO at IAG, where he played a key role in elevating the NRMA brand to one of the strongest in the country within the insurance category.

Smart, a rare marketer who is equal parts creative and commercial, joined IAG from Saatchi & Saatchi New York  where he was CEO, a role he held from 2013 to late 2016. Prior to that he was worldwide managing director on Saatchi & Saatchi’s General Mills business from 2011 to 2013.

Prior to Saatchi and Saatchi, Smart held executive roles at BBDO, as managing director of the agency’s San Francisco office, following a four-year stint as managing director of Colenso BBDO in New Zealand.

Smart started his career as an account director for seven years at M&C Saatchi in Sydney and Melbourne.

Smart’s next move is yet to be announced.