15 August 2025
One of the world’s most recognised authorities on marketing, the University of South Australia’s Professor Byron Sharp, has been awarded the Sir Charles McGrath Award by the Australian Marketing Institute.
The Sir Charles McGrath Award was established in 1976, and recognises individuals who have contributed through exceptional business performance, as well as mentoring, advocacy and development of the marketing profession.
Previous recipients have included former Qantas CEO James Strong, former Woolworths CEO Roger Corbett, former ABC Chairman Justin Milne and former Network Seven CEO Maureen Plavsic.
Professor Sharp, who travelled to Sydney to accept the award, says he is honoured to be acknowledged alongside previous participants who are leaders of some of Australia’s biggest businesses.
“I founded a ‘business’ that is now globally famous and quite a good export earner for Australia, but I know that this award is for bringing science to marketing, and to boardroom discussions around the world,” he says.
Prof Sharp is director of the world’s largest centre for research into marketing – UniSA’s Ehrenberg Bass Institute – which has become a global leader in marketing and advertising research and is supported by some of the biggest brands on the planet.
Celebrating its 20th year in 2025, the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute is sponsored by brand juggernauts such as McDonalds, Nestle, PepsiCo, and AstraZeneca.
Prof Sharp has built a reputation for scientific discoveries that challenge traditional marketing theory and practice. His book How Brands Grow: What Marketers Don’t Know debunks common myths about brand growth and has become a cornerstone for modern marketing strategies. Heralded as a ‘bible’ for marketers worldwide, it’s available in more than a dozen languages.
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Contact for interview: Byron Sharp, Professor of Marketing Science, UniSA, Director – Ehrenberg Bass Institute for Marketing Research E: Byron.sharp@unisa.edu.au
Media contact: Melissa Keogh, Communications Officer, UniSA M: 0403 659 154 E: Melissa.Keogh@unisa.edu.au
