Julian O’Brien brings decades of experience at the forefront of Australian journalism. Combined with the backing and experience of Paul Smith and his decades of experience at the top of Australian business, marketing and sport, South Break Media is a powerful ally for any business or organisation.
Julian O’Brien
CEO, Director
Julian O’Brien has more than a decade of experience as an editor of two of Australia’s largest and most successful regional daily newspapers, and three decades of experience as a journalist.
Julian was Editor of The Advocate Newspaper in Tasmania’s North-West for four years and Editor of the Illawarra Mercury in Wollongong for six years, before forming South Break.
With a passion for community engagement, some of the campaigns run by those mastheads under Julian’s editorship have been recognised among the nation’s best.
Success Stories
Under Julian’s editorship, the Illawarra Mercury was a vocal and passionate voice for its region. This included the Save Our Steelworks campaign playing a vital role in securing the long-term future of a critical industry to the region, and Illawarra Proud, a campaign fighting for the return of the Illawarra name to the region’s NBL franchise, the Illawarra Hawks.
Julian has a passion for sport and was a long-time sports editor and sports journalist.
Paul Smith
Director
Paul Smith brings decades worth of experience at the highest levels of international sport and business to South Break Media.
Paul is the founder and chairman of leading Australian sport and entertainment agency Total Sport and Entertainment and majority owner and chairman of National Basketball League franchise, the Sydney Kings, and Women’s National Basketball League franchise, the Sydney Flames.
In 1994, Smith left his role as Head of Commercial at the Australian PGA to form TSE, Australia’s first dedicated sponsorship leverage and activation company. Since then, TSE has worked with some of Australia’s biggest brands, sports rights holders and broadcasters and has been transformed into a multidimensional sport and events business.
After the Sydney Olympics, Smith recognised companies were looking for tangible ways to prove the results of their sponsorships investments and left for the United States with a dream of starting a new business venture.
In 2004 Repucom was born, a sports consulting firm which specialised in providing sponsorship analytics to clients. With Smith the founder and CEO, Repucom would go on to be a global enterprise with 1400 people in 23 offices in 14 countries. Its clients included the NFL, the NBA, FIFA and the English Premier League. In 2016 Smith and his investors sold Repucom to research giant Nielsen Holdings in a deal worth more than $US195 million.
He returned to Australia in 2017. He resumed working more directly with TSE, overseeing the company’s transformation with the acquisition of the KIND Agency and a part ownership of the Sydney Kings. TSE took full ownership of the prestige NBL franchise in 2019. In March 2020, TSE also purchased the WNBL’s Sydney Flames.
Paul was raised in the Illawarra region and now divides his time between Sydney and the South Coast. He is an extremely engaged, energised and passionate business leader who will bring creativity, integrity and a personalised approach to South Break Media.
Paul Smith
Director
Paul Smith brings decades worth of experience at the highest levels of international sport and business to South Break Media.
Paul is the founder and chairman of leading Australian sport and entertainment agency Total Sport and Entertainment and majority owner and chairman of National Basketball League franchise, the Sydney Kings, and Women’s National Basketball League franchise, the Sydney Flames.
In 1994, Smith left his role as Head of Commercial at the Australian PGA to form TSE, Australia’s first dedicated sponsorship leverage and activation company. Since then, TSE has worked with some of Australia’s biggest brands, sports rights holders and broadcasters and has been transformed into a multidimensional sport and events business.
After the Sydney Olympics, Smith recognised companies were looking for tangible ways to prove the results of their sponsorships investments and left for the United States with a dream of starting a new business venture.
In 2004 Repucom was born, a sports consulting firm which specialised in providing sponsorship analytics to clients. With Smith the founder and CEO, Repucom would go on to be a global enterprise with 1400 people in 23 offices in 14 countries. Its clients included the NFL, the NBA, FIFA and the English Premier League. In 2016 Smith and his investors sold Repucom to research giant Nielsen Holdings in a deal worth more than $US195 million.
He returned to Australia in 2017. He resumed working more directly with TSE, overseeing the company’s transformation with the acquisition of the KIND Agency and a part ownership of the Sydney Kings. TSE took full ownership of the prestige NBL franchise in 2019. In March 2020, TSE also purchased the WNBL’s Sydney Flames.
Paul was raised in the Illawarra region and now divides his time between Sydney and the South Coast. He is an extremely engaged, energised and passionate business leader who will bring creativity, integrity and a personalised approach to South Break Media.