Our Team
Who we are
At IBISWorld, we are proud to have a group of top professionals as our management team. The board is chaired by IBISWorld founder Phil Ruthven, Australia’s best-known social and economic commentator and forecaster. Our executive team ensures the business works together to meet our clients’ expectations of high-quality and timely business information.
Please contact the IBISWorld head office to get in touch with any member of our executive team.
Executive Team
Justin Ruthven – Managing Director and CEO
Karen Dobie – General Manager Australia
Damian Mills – National Sales Manager
Kerryn Ruthven – National Client Service Manager
Mike Estes – Production Manager
Bernadette Walker – Financial Controller
Jody Scott – Finance and Administration Manager
Board of Directors
Phil Ruthven – Founder and Chairman
Dr Roger Sexton – Non-Executive Director
Geoff Wild – Non-Executive Director
Justin Ruthven – Managing Director and CEO
Phil Ruthven - Founder and Chairman
Phil Ruthven is the founder and chairman of IBISWorld, in addition to being one of Australia's best-known social and economic forecasters and public speakers.
Phil founded IBISWorld in 1971 from one of Australia's largest food corporations and his family company, and he is the sole owner today. Phil's reputation in Australia's business community as a strategic thinker is second to none. Requested by many major organisations to be a guest speaker for a variety of events, Phil now travels Australia and the world sharing his insights into business growth potential and future trends. Phil contributes articles to many publications and TV shows in Australia, including the Australian Financial Review and BRW, and makes guest appearances on Four Corners.
Currently, Phil holds a number of directorships and fellowships and other positions in Australia, including the following:
- Chairman, Open Family Australia
- Director, Institute of Applied Economics & Social Research (Melbourne University)
- Director, CEDA
- Fellow, Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Fellow, Australian Marketing Institute
Dr Roger Sexton - Non-Executive Director
Dr Roger Sexton is the founder and executive chairman of Beston Pacific Asset Management. He is a graduate in economics and commerce with doctorate and Masters degrees from North Carolina University in the United States and an honours degree (first class) in economics from the Flinders University of South Australia.
Dr Sexton spent 10 years in various senior management positions with Commonwealth and state governments, including as a director of the Industries Assistance Commission. In 1985, he joined international merchant bank Morgan Grenfell (now Deutsch Morgan Grenfell) and became an executive director on the Board of Morgan Grenfell Australia Limited. In March 1994, he was appointed by the South Australian Government as chairman of the Asset Management Task Force to manage the government's priGSTisation program involving the sale of over $2.0 billion of public sector assets and businesses.
He has served as chairman of the Board of Governors, Flinders University of South Australia; chairman of Flinders Cancer Centre; and advisory board member of Walk for the Cure. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Dr Sexton has served as the chief executive and member of the South Australian Economic Development Board. He is currently the chairman of the Venture Capital Board in South Australia. He is the founder of the publicly listed entity Beston Wine Industry Trust. Dr Sexton has held positions on the boards of a number of public and Private companies and organisations in Australia and overseas, including as chairman of the Motor Accident Commission; deputy chairman of IOOF Holdings Limited; and deputy chairman of Korvest Limited.
Geoff Wild - Non-Executive Director
Geoff Wild is chairman of WPP Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd and its related entities. He is also chairman of ComOps Limited and a director of Catuity Inc., the PGA (Professional Golf Association) of Australia and the Arab Bank Australia Limited.
He is formerly a director of TAB Limited and the OPSM Group and was a vice president and director of the Sydney Olympic Bid Company Limited and chairman of the NSW Tourism Commission. Geoff was made a member of the Order of Australia and the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2000.
Justin Ruthven - Managing Director and CEO
Justin Ruthven has been with IBISWorld for over 20 years, holding positions in most aspects of the IBISWorld business, including research, sales, client services, marketing and product development. After extensive experience in Asia and a stint in Jakarta in 1996 as Managing Director of IBISWorld Indonesia, in 1998 he concluded a licence agreement with the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research to establish the second offshore operation.
In 2001, Justin was appointed to IBISWorld’s Board of Directors and was promoted to managing director of IBISWorld Australia and soon after embarked on an expansion program to the United States, moving there with his family in 2006.
Justin now resides in Australia as group CEO, presiding over IBISWorld’s global operations.