Entrepreneur

Gemma Tognini is a Telstra Business Women’s Award winner, business owner, entrepreneur, author, broadcaster, company director, award winning journalist and mentor.

She is the founder and managing director of gtmedia strategic communication, a leading corporate communications consultancy with national and international clients.

As well as running her successful consultancy, Gemma is also a broadcaster with Macquarie radio and a contributing columnist the West Australian and Fairfax on a range of subjects from corporate reputation management, media and the digital age to gender equality.  She is a regular media commentator and a quoted authority on all areas of media, PR and reputation management.

Gemma’s journey from Television journalist and Chief of Staff to award winning business owner and entrepreneur has not been typical by any means.  After a decade with the Seven Network, she walked away from her high profile career to start gtmedia with nothing more than a vision, a mobile and contact book.

She and her team were soon consulting to banks, breweries and everything in between – helping these companies build, grow and protect their external and internal reputations.

Describing it as a white-knuckle ride, a few years after starting the company, she found herself and her fledgling business in the middle of a Global Financial Crisis. Gemma managed not only to ride the wave, but grow her company when many others in her field went under.

Throw into the mix two life altering personal challenges and you have a personal AND professional story that is a testimony to the importance of emotional resilience and the power of choice.

Gemma is a firm and passionate believer in the importance of generosity, and in mentoring and investing in the next generation of business owners.

Educated in Perth, Sondrio (Italy) and Perugia (Italy) Gemma holds a bachelor’s degree from Curtin University of Technology and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Gemma sits on the boards of the Salvation Army (WA) and the Starlight Childrens’ Foundation (WA).

Presentation Topics Include

• Making something from nothing
  From the newsroom to the boardroom
           
• Losing the label
  Ditch your past, embrace your present, build your future
           
• It's a man's world... Or is it?
  The truth behind women in business
           
• The power of choice
  Building resilience in you and your teams
           
• Feel the fear, and do it anyway
  How becoming best friends with courage will transform your life
           
• Social media and the impact on reputation management
  How one click can ruin it all
           
• Relationship matters
  The missing link in the 21st century reputation, stakeholder and media management
           
• The 24/7 news cycle and you
  Media and reputation management when the news never sleeps

Testimonials

We have now been working with Gemma for nearly three years. During that time, Gemma and the team have provided unfailing advice, support, ingenuity, strength, knowledge and superior communication skills in dealing with all aspects of communication and media management as well as generating proactive PR buzz. I would describe the three most significant contributions made by Gemma in relation to our project as the speed of her responses to all incoming issues, the accuracy of her advice, and her tenacity and connectivity in dealing with the (often hostile) media. I would recommend Gemma and her team without hesitation.
D2 Property, Sydney

Gemma Tognini was recommended to us as a highly regarded specialist in the area of corporate communications and reputation management. We (Freehills) asked Gemma to anchor a client forum which dealt with reputation management in the digital age, and its impact on court proceedings. We found Gemma to be very articulate, engaging, and highly informed on the subject matter of the forum.
Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
President, WA Law Society, 2014

Gemma Tognini was the keynote at our CEDA program opener earlier this year, and she was a dynamic and engaging presenter. You can tell that Gemma speaks directly from the heart, with passion and vitality. An energetic and experienced presenter, strategist and leader, Gemma will leave you inspired and thinking outside of the square.
State Director, WA, CEDA - the Committee for Economic Development of Australia

Confident, talented and highly respected by her peers, Gemma has perfected the skill of embracing her audience.
State Manager (WA), The Communications Council of Australia

Realmark had the recent pleasure of an energetic and inspiring presentation by Gemma Tognini. She shared her personal story with honestly and sincerity, with reflections that were both encouraging and enlightening. Her passion for life and her business shone through and showed us all how anything we feel or desire in life is achievable. Gemma is a true role model for anyone in business and an inspirational speaker.
Founder and Director, Realmark Group

Gemma Tognini, participated in the 2012 ANZSLA Conference in an interactive panel discussion about "The public new world of social media". The discussion focussed on the impact of social media on sports – from the perspective of both sports organisations and athletes, and the dangers to reputation and livelihood that can result from misuse of these increasingly public platforms. Gemma was an engaging and entertaining presenter, interacting in a lively and informed fashion with delegates and other panellists.
K&L Gates / ANZSLA

I had the pleasure of meeting Gemma as part of Commonwealth Banks' involvement with Telstra Business Women's Awards, Gemma is the 2014 WA Winner of the Business Owner category. Gemma is a businesswoman who leads with heart and substance. She has an extraordinary generosity of spirit and self gives herself so fully to all projects she is driving. Gemma is always three steps ahead and has incredible foresight and vision. She is enormously engaging and commands a room when she speaks. She is a trusted, strategic advisor and loyal confidant to many in the West Australian business community.
Senior Strategy Manager, Corporate Financial Services, Business and Private Banking

Gemma is a highly engaging speaker that shares her story in an authentic style. Her ability to articulate the roller coaster career ride, but also champion women in business, energises and inspires her audience.
Commonwealth Bank