Chris Rann
Encyclopedia
Christopher Rann is a publicist
, media strategist and a specialist in global media and reputation management based in Adelaide
, Australia.
A former journalist
, freelance foreign correspondent
and broadcaster
, Rann is the managing director of Rann Communication, a public relations
firm with clients and projects in the United Kingdom, France, Scandinavia, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. He is the brother of the former Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann
.
. Within five years - from his base in Auckland
- Rann became a successful freelance correspondent for major international media, including CBS News
, the BBC
(U.K)., the Macquarie News Network in Australia and the South African Morning Newspaper Group. During this time, he attended and reported on, among other things, the independence celebrations in Fiji and Tonga (both attended by the British Royal family) and the Wahine passenger ferry disaster, near Wellington
, which claimed 53 lives.
Rann moved to Adelaide, South Australia, in 1972 where he was a senior reporter and sub editor with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
. In 1983, he started his own media relations company, Rann Communication, which he is still managing today.
Rann directed the public relations campaign to attract the $5 billion Collins submarine project to South Australia and subsequently promoted the launches of the six submarines built. He also managed the official opening of Olympic Dam, the world’s largest copper/uranium resource, at Roxby Downs in South Australia and, later, a major incident involving a leaking tailings dam. As well, he coordinated the South Australian government public relations campaign to attract the 1998 Commonwealth Games to Adelaide (Adelaide was runner-up to Kuala Lumpur). In 2005 he played a part in restructuring the Communications Office for the Catholic Church in South Australia, working directly with the Archbishop and Vicar-General.
Furthermore, Rann advised the Finnish government on publicity management for the visit to Australia in 2007 by the president of Finland. He also managed media relations for the 2008 visit to Australia and New Zealand by the King and Queen of Sweden.
Rann's recent roles have included:
and Charles Rann, from a previous marriage.
Rann is an authority on the Scandinavian region and is the Honorary Consul for Finland in South Australia. In 2005, he was awarded the honour of ‘Knight First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland’ for his work in promoting Finland worldwide and for promoting Scandinavia in Australasia.
Publicist
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album...
, media strategist and a specialist in global media and reputation management based in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Australia.
A former journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, freelance foreign correspondent
Foreign correspondent
Foreign Correspondent may refer to:*Foreign correspondent *Foreign Correspondent , an Alfred Hitchcock film*Foreign Correspondent , an Australian current affairs programme...
and broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, Rann is the managing director of Rann Communication, a public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
firm with clients and projects in the United Kingdom, France, Scandinavia, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. He is the brother of the former Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann
Mike Rann
Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election...
.
Career history
Rann began his journalistic career as a cadet reporter with the Matamata County Mail, a small country newspaper in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Within five years - from his base in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
- Rann became a successful freelance correspondent for major international media, including CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
(U.K)., the Macquarie News Network in Australia and the South African Morning Newspaper Group. During this time, he attended and reported on, among other things, the independence celebrations in Fiji and Tonga (both attended by the British Royal family) and the Wahine passenger ferry disaster, near Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, which claimed 53 lives.
Rann moved to Adelaide, South Australia, in 1972 where he was a senior reporter and sub editor with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
. In 1983, he started his own media relations company, Rann Communication, which he is still managing today.
Rann directed the public relations campaign to attract the $5 billion Collins submarine project to South Australia and subsequently promoted the launches of the six submarines built. He also managed the official opening of Olympic Dam, the world’s largest copper/uranium resource, at Roxby Downs in South Australia and, later, a major incident involving a leaking tailings dam. As well, he coordinated the South Australian government public relations campaign to attract the 1998 Commonwealth Games to Adelaide (Adelaide was runner-up to Kuala Lumpur). In 2005 he played a part in restructuring the Communications Office for the Catholic Church in South Australia, working directly with the Archbishop and Vicar-General.
Furthermore, Rann advised the Finnish government on publicity management for the visit to Australia in 2007 by the president of Finland. He also managed media relations for the 2008 visit to Australia and New Zealand by the King and Queen of Sweden.
Rann's recent roles have included:
- promoting a visit to Australia by 600 employees of Pernod RicardPernod RicardPernod Ricard is a French company that produces distilled beverages. The company's eponymous products, Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis, are both anise-flavoured liqueurs and are often referred to simply as Pernod or Ricard...
China to familiarise themselves with the Jacob's CreekJacob's CreekJacobs Creek is a small creek that runs through the wine-producing region of the Barossa Valley, 80 km north of Adelaide, South Australia. The creek itself is only several kilometres long and flows westwards from its beginning in the Barossa Ranges, eventually meeting the North Para River...
wine brand. - managing international publicity for Adelaide ZooAdelaide ZooAdelaide Zoo is Australia's second oldest zoo, and the only major metropolitan zoo in Australia to be owned and operated on a non-profit basis. It is located in the parklands just north of the city centre of Adelaide, South Australia. It is a full institutional member of the Zoo and Aquarium...
before, during and after the arrival of two giant pandas from China. - coordinating global media for the canonisation of Mary MacKillopMary MacKillopMary Helen MacKillop , also known as Saint Mary of the Cross, was an Australian Roman Catholic nun who, together with Father Julian Tenison Woods, founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and a number of schools and welfare institutions throughout Australasia with an emphasis on...
in late 2010.
Personal life
Rann is married to Skye MacDonald, a lawyer and development manager. They have twin daughters. Sahara and Willow, born on 12 May 2007. Rann has two adult sons, Thomas RannThomas Rann
Thomas Rann is an Australian cellist.Thomas Rann commenced his cello studies at the age of 9 studying with Ruth Saffir and Niall Brown at the Elder Conservatorium of Music...
and Charles Rann, from a previous marriage.
Rann is an authority on the Scandinavian region and is the Honorary Consul for Finland in South Australia. In 2005, he was awarded the honour of ‘Knight First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland’ for his work in promoting Finland worldwide and for promoting Scandinavia in Australasia.