Russel Howcroft (born c. 1965) is an Australian businessman and media personality best known as a panellist on the ABC television program The Gruen Transfer.

Howcroft is currently host of Breakfast with Ross & Russel on 3AW

Howcroft grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern and attended Scotch College in Hawthorn.[1] He is a passionate Melbourne Demons supporter and has served as a club board member.[2]

Career edit

Howcroft is the former national CEO of advertising agency George Patterson Y&R (now known as Y&R ANZ).

In February 2013, Howcroft was appointed as Executive General Manager of Network Ten[3] and remained in the position until February 2017 before moving to PwC[4] just months before the network was placed into voluntary administration.[5] Howcroft holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Monash University.

In May 2017, Howcroft was appointed Chair of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.[6]

Radio edit

In September 2011, it was announced Howcroft would host Saturdays on the Weekend Break afternoon program on 3AW, whilst Tom Elliott filled in for Derryn Hinch on the drive program.[7]

In June 2020, 3AW announced that Howcroft will join 3AW Breakfast from Monday 3 August, following John Burns' retirement[8] from radio.[9][10] In December 2021, 3AW Breakfast won an ACRA for Best On-Air Team AM.[11]

Television edit

Howcroft has been a regular panellist on Gruen since the program's inception in 2008 and has also been guest panellist on news-chat show The Project. He also fronted the documentary series How Australia Got Its Mojo,[12] which aired on the ABC in 2019.

Business edit

Chair of the Australian Film Television and Radio School and the co-founder of The Grid Melbourne, a festival designed to bring entrepreneurs and innovators together expected to launch in 2022. He is the Chief Creative Officer and a founding partner of Sayers Group.[13]

Publishing edit

He has written/co-written three best-selling books, with his most recent book Right Brain Workout II now being published throughout the world.

References edit

  1. ^ "Life on Planet Howcroft". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 November 2012.
  2. ^ "Two of us: Russel and Kate Howcroft". amp.smh.com.au. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  3. ^ Knox, David. "TEN appoints Russel Howcroft to management role | TV Tonight". TVtonight. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  4. ^ Miranda Ward (11 December 2016). "Russel Howcroft resigns from Network Ten to join PwC". Mumbrella. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  5. ^ "'No choice but to appoint administrators'". NewsComAu. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  6. ^ "AFTRS Council Chair appointment", Ministers for the Department of Communications and the Arts (Mitch Fifield), 16 May 2017
  7. ^ "Howcroft transfers to radio role". The Age. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  8. ^ Radioinfo (12 June 2020). "Russel Howcroft to replace John Burns on 3AW". Radioinfo.com.au.
  9. ^ "Russel Howcroft to join 3AW Breakfast". 3AW. 13 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  10. ^ Carmody, Broede (13 June 2020). "'It's daunting': Russel Howcroft to replace 3AW's John Burns". The Age. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  11. ^ "ACRAs winners 2021". Radio Today. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  12. ^ "How Australia Got Its Mojo". ABC iview. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Sayers Group - Home". sayers.group. Retrieved 17 January 2022.