OLIVIA STRATTON  MA, Dip(SHA), Dip(LCB), Dip(Ling)

FOOD, WINE, TOURISM, FASHION & EDUCATION

OVERVIEW: KEY AREAS 1999 – Current

• Media: TV presenter, production, radio and print
• Business: Consulting, development, marketing and sponsorship
• Public Relations: Representative, event management, speech writer and MC
• Ambassador for numerous youth, community and charity organisations
• Food/Wine/Tourism: Masters Degree in Gastronomy, Le Cordon Bleu cooking,
  Sauchin Ambassador for Australian food, wine and tourism

EMPLOYMENT

December 2007 – December 2009

News Limited, Channel 7, Channel 9 and various ambassadorial roles

NEWS LIMITED: Sunday Mail Social Editor and Host of The O List web TV series

Principal responsibilities

• Developed extensive contacts across all industries in South Australia
• Solely responsible for the two double-page spreads – 750,000 readership weekly
• Journalist – news articles including 2009 MTV Awards ‘Red Carpet’ in Sydney
• The O List: Olivia hosted the top-rating web TV series – the 40 episodes featured red carpet events, international festivals and interviews with celebrities and sporting legends. Olivia was also heavily involved in production, organising content for each episode, scripting, arranging all interviews, featured fashion and on-going branding

CHANNEL 7: TV Presenter for the lifestyle series Discover

Principal responsibilities

• Food and wine presenter for the series and co-host for cooking segments
• Involved in research, selection of topics, content and interviews

CHANNEL 9: Co-host of Australian Poker Hero

Principal responsibilities

• Co-hosted the TV series at Crown Casino in Melbourne
• Interviewed all the contestants and celebrities featured each week

HONARARY ROLES: Ambassadorial and charity

• 2009 RSPCA Millions Paws Walk Ambassador
• Hutt Street Centre homeless project with UK wine guru Matthew Dukes
• WINGS Royal Flying Doctor Service
• Salvos Red Shield Appeal
• Reach Out youth help group
• United Nations youth food program campaign
• Judge: SA Great Young South Australian of the Year, AFL Footy Hunk, Nuovogue and Ralph modelling competitions

October 2003 – December 2007

Management of own business ‘Olivia Stratton’

Key Achievements:

• Miss Australia: Year of Service – Australia and Overseas
  Won Miss Australia and completed full-time honorary position for 12 months
  Role: TV Presenter, professional speaker and ambassador for charities

• Rosemount Australian Fashion Week – International Event
  TV Presenter for Nine MSN and Foxtel in 2007
  Role: Interviewed A-list celebrities, top Australian designers and supermodels

• Channel 7: Host of Sumptuous lifestyle TV series – Australia
  TV Presenter – head hunted to host and launch the series in 2006
  Focus: South Australia’s finest food, wine, festivals and travel experiences

• Sauchin ‘Australian Food, Wine and Tourism Exposition’ – Asia
  Ambassador for Australia
  Role focus: PR management and liaising with international media

• Bon Voyage: International travel TV series – Asia
  Special Guest TV Presenter – televised in over 25 countries
  Segment focus: Australian food, wine and culture

• Australian Universities International Alumni Convention – Hong Kong
  Guest Speaker and Representative for Education with former PM Bob Hawke
  Topic: ‘Image: is it everything?’ – The importance of branding

• HOSTEC Hospitality Management Group – Australia
  Business consultant for the Sydney based company in 2005 and 2006
  Role: Devised standard operating procedures and training manuals for hotel groups

• Chinese Chamber of Commerce – Australia
  Guest Speaker
  Event focus: Cultural fusion

• Australia China Business Council and Deloitte – Australia and China
  Guest Speaker aligned with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  Topic: ‘Conducting Business in China’ – foreign trade and investment advice

• Australian Embassy – China
  International Representative for Australia
  Event focus: Australian food and wine showcase

• Australian Embassy – Japan
  International Representative for Australia
  Role focus: International Relations and Representative for Australia

• International Variety Convention – Australia
  2004 Ambassador for Variety
  Role: Guest Speaker and MC with International President Ory Slonim

• Clipsal 500 State Dinner – Australia
  Co-host with Channel 10 Motor Sports Presenter Bill Woods
  Role focus: Landmark State Dinner

• Economic Development Board – Australia
  South Australian Youth Representative
  Role focus: Discussion Panellist

August 2002 – March 2005

SA Great – State Business Development Organisation

STATE AMBASSADOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Involvement:

• Selected from over 700 candidates to represent and promote South Australia in alliance with SA Great, the State Government and Adelaide City Council
• Extensive networking and community involvement
• Public Relations, guest speaker and MC
• Honorary position and one of the longest serving team members

September 2002 – January 2003

Australian Radio Network

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Principal Responsibilities:

• Acquiring new clients and building customer relations
• Business development and management of client accounts
• Involved in the creation and structuring of advertising campaigns
• Successfully achieved and often surpassed sales quota every month
• (NB: Resigned from role as accepted into Masters Degree at Adelaide University)

July 2002 – August 2002

The Peninsula ‘Leading Hotel of the World’ – Hong Kong

UPPER LEVEL MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP

Scholarship Winner:

• One of only four graduates in the world to win the prestigious scholarship which involved shadowing the Peninsula’s upper level management teams in Sales and Marketing, Business Development and Customer Relations
• Olivia independently researched, collated and presented to the Peninsula Executive Board, a thorough competitor analysis report featuring The Peninsula’s top five competitor luxury hotels’ suites in Hong Kong – she received a standing ovation
• Olivia oversaw special event marketing, campaign implementation, visual design and customers relations as well as staying in-house as a guest for the four weeks

August 2001 – July 2002

The National Wine Centre of Australia

EVENTS MANAGER (national opening team)

Principal Responsibilities:

• Managed both corporate and private events for 2-1000 people
• Researched, planned and oversaw management of events
• Co-ordinated all catering, A/V, entertainment, design layout and decorations
• Contributed to development and implementation of the company’s marketing plan
• Managed all associated budgeting, administration and accounts

Major Events:

• Jarvis Ford Clipsal 500 Race Day Breakfast Launch
• Foxtel Footy Channel Gala Dinner
• Vimpac International Riesling Tasting

SWISS COLLEGE INTERNSHIPS

July 2000 – January 2001

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide – The Westin Sydney

GUEST RELATIONS

• Management of the VIP Club Lounge throughout the 2000 Olympic Games
• Developed Front Office training manual procedures and trained new employees
• Important role in customer relations with VIP clientele and tour groups
• Rooms Division procedures – guest loyalty program, reservations and accounts

July 1999 – January 2000

The Park Hyatt Melbourne – Award Winning Restaurant ‘Radii’

OPENING TEAM

• Established and managed superior Hyatt F&B Control Systems
• Specialised knowledge in fine dining and opening of Cuba (luxurious cigar lounge)
• Product education with top industry experts such as cheese guru Will Studd

TERTIARY QUALIFICATIONS

January 2002 – February 2007

The University of Adelaide and Le Cordon Bleu

MASTERS DEGREE IN GASTRONOMY

• Gastronomic tourism and food technology
• The history and culture of food and drink from ancient times to present
• Thesis topic chosen: ‘Organic Food and Agriculture in Contemporary Australia’

July 2001 – December 2001

Vocational Language Learning Centre

DIPLOMA IN LINGUISTICS – GERMAN

• Fluent – Euro Centre Level 6 Certification

January 1999 – July 2000

Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine Paris

DIPLÔME CULINAIRE D’HÔTELIER

• World class practical and theoretical French culinary schooling

January 1999 – July 2001

International College of Hotel Management

SWISS HOTEL ASSOC. DIPLOMA IN INTERNATIONAL HOTEL MGMT.

• Awarded: ICHM Scholarship Winner, SHA Silver Medal Graduate and SHA Certificate of Merit for outstanding achievement and for attaining one of the highest examination grades that year
• Predominantly international students; excellent networking and discussion components throughout the three year program
• Extensive training at CEO level to meet Swiss standards – constructing business and marketing plans, management systems, operating manuals and vast array of subjects including; Sales and Marketing, Communications, Event Management, Nutrition, F&B Operations, Food Safety, Hygiene Systems, Total Quality Management, Accounting, Legal Studies, Information Technology, Engineering, Human Resource Management, International and Australian Wine, Tourism and Interior Design

PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

• Equestrian – National Champion and several State Championship titles
• Masters Degree in Gastronomy – The only programme of its kind worldwide
• SKAL Scholarship Winner – The Peninsula Hong Kong, upper level management
• SHA Scholarship Winner – International Hotel Management and Le Cordon Bleu
• National Languages Champion – Australian Schools and Universities Program
• Foreign Languages – German, phonetic alphabet and sign language
• Miss Australia and international title holder of Miss World People’s Choice
• Miss World is the biggest annual television event in the world, watched in more than 120 countries by over 2 billion viewers

INTERESTS

• Exploring different cultures through food, drink, fashion, art and music
• New experiences, meeting interesting people, learning something new every day
• Cooking for my friends and family, trying new things from produce markets
• Finding new or different foodie havens whether a local pub or the Fat Duck
• Trying different wines, visiting the winery/ meeting the winemaker
• Travel – France, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Portugal, Switzerland, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, United States, England, Scotland, Austria, New Zealand and all around Australia

LEARN MORE ABOUT OLIVIA STRATTON

INTERNET LINKS FOR OLIVIA STRATTON

Olivia’s official website
http://www.oliviastratton.com/

Google ‘olivia stratton’

[Last revised: Jan 2010]