Patrick Crowley

As General Manager of Marketing at Commonwealth Bank, Pat leads the Paid and Owned Media function with a focus on delivering strategic impact across the organisation’s media investments. His career spans more than 25 years across media agencies, media owners, and client-side marketing, giving him a rare depth of insight into the evolving media and advertising landscape. 

Driven by a genuine passion for media, Pat has built a reputation for his comprehensive understanding of the market and his ability to connect audience performance with commercial outcomes. His approach blends strategic communications planning with financial rigour, ensuring that media decisions support both brand growth and business performance. 

Before joining CBA, he served as CEO of EssenceMediacom Australia, guiding the agency through a period of transformation and growth. His leadership journey also includes senior roles at AKQA Media and a 16-year tenure at Ikon Communications, where he spent seven years as Managing Partner of the Sydney office. During his time at Ikon, he oversaw more than $400 million in annual media billings and led communications planning and trading for major clients including Commonwealth Bank Group, Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Diageo, and Sony Music. 

Known for renewing foundational client contracts and building high-performing teams, Pat has consistently driven innovation across paid and owned media channels. His experience spans a wide range of industries, including financial services, FMCG, telco, entertainment, and retail. 

Energised by the pace of change in media and marketing, he remains committed to helping clients, agencies, and media owners navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.