Tributes are flowing in for beloved marketing executive Lisa Ronson, 52, who died in a tragic accident over the weekend.
Ronson, who joined Medibank as Chief Marketing Officer in July, was involved in an all-terrain vehicle crash on a farm near Daylesford, north-west of Melbourne.
Worksafe is investigating the death, and police say Ronson lost control of the vehicle, which rolled at about 7pm on Saturday.
Emergency services were called to her property in Ullina but were unable to revive her. There were no other injured persons reported.
Ronson led an impressive career spanning more than two decades. Along with her CMO position at Medibank, Ronson has held numerous high-profile marketing roles with Westpac, Tourism Australia, Coles, David Jones, Telstra and CUB (now Asahi).
She was also a board member of Wheelchair Rugby Australia and an adjunct professor at Deakin University.
Ronson is survived by her husband, Chris Taylor, her son Ben and her family.
In a statement, Taylor said, “I am lost without her. The sudden loss of our beloved Lisa has left us in profound shock, with words falling short of capturing the depth of our grief. Our hearts are broken beyond words.”
“Yet, in our sorrow, we hold onto the memories of her spirit, her smile, laughter and the love she so generously shared. May her beautiful soul rest in peace.”
A collection of early industry tributes from marketing, media and agency peers have followed news of the accident.
CEO of Medibank David Koczkar said the team was devastated by the news of Ronson’s death.
“Lisa was a brilliant, loved and much-respected member of our team at Medibank. Our thoughts are with her family and friends during this very difficult time,” said Koczkar.
Tourism Australia CMO, Susan Coghill, worked with Ronson when she held the marketing chief’s post for the national tourism organisation from February 2015 to March 2019 and was part of the team behind the iconic and multiple award-winning Crocodile Dundee Superbowl campaign. It was a job and program of work that saw Ronson recognised as #1 CMO in 2018 in the former CMO50 program.
“As so many in the industry would say, Lisa was much more than a colleague, she was a friend over the years. The outpouring of love for her today is testament to that. She always had big ambitions and she made the journey fun and created opportunities for those around her. My thoughts are with her family and loved ones,” Coghill says.
Woolworths CMO Andrew Hicks, who both competed with Ronson head-to-head in the supermarket sector and collaborated with her on industry advancement at the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), called her “an extremely successful marketer and a formidable competitor.”
“Whenever we met at industry events, she was gracious, caring and always willing to have a chat. Lisa embodied positivity, had a vivacious smile and a wonderful sense of humour at the ready. Through her curiosity and insight, Lisa built brands that connected millions of people, but I will always remember and cherish the personal connection we had.”
Ted Horton, the creative behind Coles’ “Down, down” campaign, worked with Ronson at four different companies – David Jones, Westpac, Coles and Medibank. He said Ronson had “appointed me, sacked me and stayed friends with me throughout. In fact, Lisa, Chris and I had enjoyed one of our many dinners only three weeks ago. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her happier.”
“She loved her new role at Medibank. Her son Ben had graduated and was about to take on the world and Chris had worked tirelessly to turn their country property into a real haven for them both. I will miss her. My heart goes out to all her many friends, but particularly to her devoted husband Chris, her son and pride and joy Ben, her wonderful mother Gloria and her sisters. Rest in peace Lisa. We will not forget you.”