Mat Baxter

Mat Baxter
Born
Matthew David Baxter
CitizenshipAustralian
Alma materAustralian Film, Television and Radio School
Occupations
  • Media Executive
  • Angel Invester
Years active1998–present
Known for

Mat Baxter is an Australian advertising and media executive known for his role as CEO of a design and marketing company, Huge.[1][2]

Career

Baxter started his media career at Zenith optimedia in 1998 before joining Maxus as a director in 2003.[3] During his career he worked at Naked Communications,[4][5] MediaCom Australia,[6] International Advertising Association and UM Australia[7] before moving to New York and being appointed as Global Chief Strategy and Creative Officer at IPG Mediabrands.[8][9]

In 2016, he was appointed CEO of Initiative.[7][10] He served as CEO of the company until 2021, at which point he was promoted to chairman.[11] During his tenure as the CEO, Baxter advocated for agency business model reform and drew industry attention when he called for advertisers to boycott Facebook following privacy scandals in 2018.[12][13]

In 2021, Mat Baxter was appointed Global CEO of Huge.[14][15] He left the position in March 2024.[16] His tenure at the company was the subject of the 2023 book Madison Avenue Makeover: The Transformation of Huge and the Redefinition of the Ad Agency Business by business consultant and author Michael Farmer.[17]

In May 2024, Mathew Baxter was appointed APAC CEO of Mutinex, a marketing platform with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, and New York.[18] By September 2024, Baxter transitioned from his position as CEO to become a Board Advisor for the company.[19][20]

In July 2025, Baxter co-founded a “punk healthcare” startup called TMRW, alongside partners including Today the Brave.[21] In September 2025, Baxter co‑founded SKINGRAPHICA, a skincare brand developed for tattooed skin.[22] The products are marketed to support the care of tattoos, including preparation, protection, and restoration.[23][24]

References

  1. ^ O’Reilly, Lara (2018-12-20). "Ad Agency CEO Calls on Marketers to Take Collective Stand Against Facebook". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  2. ^ Crawford, Hal (2025-07-09). "Mat Baxter's latest venture is punk healthcare". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  3. ^ "Ready to tell the Naked truth to clients in Asia". Campaign Asia. 2008-03-11. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  4. ^ Stark, Jill (2007-08-06). "Revealed: how alcopops lure the young". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  5. ^ Munro, Geoff (2007-08-22). "Naked man reveals all". The Age. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  6. ^ Green, Marie (2010-08-26). "MediaCom's Mat Baxter takes over as CEO of UM Australia". Campaign Asia. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  7. ^ a b Davidson, Darren (2017-07-03). "Initiative chief Mat Baxter takes on advertising industry". The Australian. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  8. ^ Coyne, Brendan (2021-07-14). "Return of the Naked? Mat Baxter on exiting media for CX and strategy, why creativity trumps analytics and 'boring' consultants, and where next for IPG's Huge | Mi3". mi-3.com.au. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  9. ^ Hickman, Arvind (2025-09-29). "Mat Baxter On Skingraphica's Marketing Strategy, His Tattoo & Why He's 'Not Doing Omnichannel Or Jumping On Performance Bandwagon'". B&T. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  10. ^ Teixeira, Lucas (2019-05-02). "Google vê concorrência em publicidade esquentar". Forbes Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  11. ^ "Initiative's Amy Armstrong elevated to global CEO, as Mat Baxter becomes chair". Campaign Asia. 2021-03-03. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  12. ^ Atkinson, Claire (2018-12-22). "As scandals mount, advertisers begin to question Facebook's value". NBC News. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  13. ^ Weissbrot, Alison (2019-04-30). "Initiative CEO Mat Baxter Fights To Make Agencies More Sustainable". AdExchanger. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  14. ^ Bennett, Lindsay (2018-07-09). "Mat Baxter on Initiative's 'turning point' and plans to return home - AdNews". adnews.com.au. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  15. ^ O’Brien, Kyle (2021-06-24). "Initiative Chairman Mat Baxter Named Global CEO of Huge". Ad week. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  16. ^ Bonill, Brian (2024-01-23). "Huge names new global CEO as Mat Baxter departs". Ad Age. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  17. ^ Farmer, Michael (2023). Madison Avenue Makeover: The Transformation of Huge and the Redefinition of the Ad Agency Business. LID Publishing. ISBN 978-1-911687-64-1.
  18. ^ Drew, Rosie (2024-05-20). "Mutinex announces Mat Baxter as new APAC CEO". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  19. ^ Manning, James (2024-09-17). "Mat Baxter quits Mutinex, board persuades him to stay as advisor". www.mediaweek.com.au. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  20. ^ Fogden, Tom (2024-09-16). "'Not Enough Space' – Mat Baxter Resigns From Mutinex". B&T. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  21. ^ Buaya, Alisha (2025-07-10). "Real customers the face of Healthcare startup TMRW 'radically human' brand campaign". www.mediaweek.com.au. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  22. ^ Dang, Hui Ling (2025-10-16). "From pre-ink to restoration: SKINGRAPHICA launches luxury line for tattooed skin". CosmeticsDesign-Asia.com. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  23. ^ Youssef, Sherine (2025-09-30). "The Australian start-up banking on the $484m tattoo market". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  24. ^ Crawford, Hal (2025-09-15). "Mat Baxter launches luxury tattoo skincare brand". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2026-02-16.

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