Our Managing Director Graeme Chipp speaks of his influences and inspirations in Marketing Magazine December / January edition.

Three things. First, at university I was studying business with an accounting major. When I encountered Marketing 101, the 'people factor' as a key to the business equation was my breath of fresh air. I was probably crying out at the time for something more real - for me, debits and credits had their limitations! This intersection of customers and staff with business performance caught my imagination. The discipline of marketing and the skill of understanding what motivates people, their decisions and behaviour and how to use this understanding to shape business decisions was like a light bulb going off in my head. (Thank you "Kotler and your 4Ps'!)

Second, at an early age I was fortunate to have a chance to work in marketing roles, with real responsibilities and some good bosses. This exposed me to how to think about succeeding in a market, but also the importance of using judgement. I learned that the market is within reach and can be used to trial and for refinement of approach. Luckily, my early responsibilities exposed me to all functions affecting the delivery of the offer, not just the promotional function - a 'whole of business' marketing approach - even though I didn't know it at the time. This challenge and the innate competitiveness required to succeed in the market continues to appeal to my natural instincts.

Finally, I've been privileged to work with some of the best marketers around. Kevin Luscombe, Peter Cudlipp, Leigh Rodgers, Peter Chandler, my other colleagues at GSG and our many clients. It is them, and the continuing evolution of every market in which we work, that helps continue motivating and challenging me. Nothing stands still, you have to continually renew and refresh your knowledge - a built-in formula for personal renewal. How good is that?