Donna Pidduck has switched banking for the tertiary textbooks, joining Monash University as executive director of marketing.

Pidduck has spent the last five-and-a-half years at National Australia Bank as executive of personal banking marketing. Prior to this she was CMO at Origin Energy for two years. In her new role, she reports to Monash Chief Marketing, Admissions and Communications Officer, Fabian Marrone.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Donna Pidduck to Monash University as Executive Director, Marketing. Donna brings a wealth of experience from her senior marketing leadership roles at NAB and other major institutions, both in Australia and internationally,” Marrone told Mi3.

“She’s a purpose-driven leader with a proven ability to grow brands and connect powerfully with audiences. Her appointment signals an exciting new chapter for Monash, as we strengthen our storytelling and deepen engagement with communities here and around the world.

“With more than 10 years of executive marketing experience, Donna brings deep expertise as a commercially astute, values-driven marketing leader. Donna’s strategic vision, combined with a strong track-record of building brand capability and driving growth at scale, will be a valuable asset to Monash University.”

Pidduck said she was looking forward to joining the team on the next round of brand initiatives and marketing steps forward. She’s taking over from Sophie Vidinovski, who has been interim executive director of marketing and communications for the last 10 months. Vidinovski is now Executive Director Communications. 

“It’s a true privilege to join Monash University and become part of a globally respected institution known for its impact and innovation,” she said. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with colleagues across Monash to bring together the University’s brand, content strategy, channel execution, marketing infrastructure, and transformation initiatives to deliver a cohesive and powerful global brand strategy.”

* With additional reporting by Nadia Cameron