47. Mindful Leadership: Rethinking Media and Strategy with Matt Turl

Welcome back to The B-Side with James Barrow. It’s been a minute, but I’m pumped to be back and diving into a new season of no-nonsense discussions on all things creativity, in all its forms.

I’m excited about what’s coming for The B-Side. Alongside my conversations with brilliant guests, I’ll be expanding the Bites of Wisdom section—sharing my own thoughts on creativity, branding, and unlocking your creative potential. My goal is to give you insights you can actually use—no fluff, just real, practical ideas to help you think differently and build something meaningful.

To kick things off, today’s episode was recorded back in September, and I had a great chat with Matt Turl, CEO of Spark Foundry Australia. Matt’s been in media for over 20 years, working across London, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Australia with some of the biggest brands in retail, fashion, automotive, travel, and finance. He played a huge role in shaping Spark Foundry’s approach to media, combining digital, analytics, and strategy to help brands like Westpac, Arnott’s, Toyota, and HCF make smarter decisions.

But beyond his experience, Matt’s just a great guy with sharp insights into where media is heading. We talk about his career, the lessons he’s learned, and what he sees on the horizon. I really enjoyed this one, and I think you will too.

So, let’s get into it. Cheers