HEART & SOUL with DAVID LESER

Ep 5 Deborah Thomas: Do You Want the Cash or the Caché?

Deborah Thomas’s career in fashion and media started in the dress-ups of her teen years, took her through the punk scene of Melbourne and onto the catwalks of Europe, before she became known Australia-wide as the Editor in Chief of Australian Women’s Weekly. She opens up about her stellar media career, then becoming a female CEO in a male dominated industry, and the later career heartbreak of the Dreamworld theme park accident, together with the deep friendship she built in its aftermath.

About the guest
Deborah is one of Australia’s most respected magazine editors who began her career in publishing after a successful modelling career on the catwalks of Paris, Milan and London. After joining Cleo magazine in 1987 as their beauty and lifestyle editor, she went on to become editor of Mode, Elle, Cleo and then, for a decade from 1999 the award-winning editor-in-chief of the Australian Women’s Weekly. She then became director of media, public affairs and brand development at Bauer Media before being appointed chief executive officer of Ardent Leisure Group. She is currently chief executive Officer of the national children’s charity, Camp Quality.

Credits
Host: David Leser — Director: Ian Darling — Camera and lights: Ben Cunningham, Harry Kielly, Tiernan Rennie — Sound: Mary Macrae — Front of House: Sarah Butler — Photography: Harry Kielly — Editors: Sally Fryer and Harry Kielly