Francis Barcelon, Strategy Director
Francis is our 'coffee-boy' turned Account Director who loves sport, travel, and living by the beach.
While studying media and communications at university, Francis was given the opportunity to work for the Media Federation of Australia (MFA) by his lecturer. His entry-level job saw him take countless coffee orders, but also gave him the opportunity to sit in some key meetings with big players, showing him the world of possibilities in the media industry.
The next few years saw him work media planning for companies in industries as diverse as NFPs and gaming before moving into account management.
Following a bucket list trip to Africa and the Philippines, Francis made the decision to make a sea change and move to Wollongong. He had every intention to commute but it wasn’t long before he discovered an opportunity close to home. After meeting with founders Laura and Josh, Francis joined the team as Account Director.
At Connected, I feel that we can freely share our ideas and that everyone has a voice. Also, we’re encouraged to look at our client’s business as a whole and find ways to use our digital marketing skills set to help grow their business.
5 fast facts about Francis
While Francis knows the ins-and-outs of social media for work purposes, he’s not a fan of being in the limelight and has a minimal personal presence online.
His African trip is his favourite so far which saw him visit South Africa, Namibia and Morocco.
An avid podcast consumer, Francis’s top pick is The Ringer Podcast Network with Bill Simmons. It’s the only podcast he’s found that covers sport, politics, trends and social commentary.
Growing up, Francis was a keen rugby player and played for 15 year – he humbly says he peaked in High School and is now well and truly “over the hill”.
One of his best life decisions was making the move from Sydney to Wollongong.
