Independent Force!
Independent. Innovative. Unconventional.
We are bringing top notch independent agency leaders together to create end-to-end solutions across across technology and marketing.
Independent Force! (IF!) Board and Founder
In total IF!'s board has over 50 years of experience in M&A and have worked directly on more than a dozen major transaction involving more than 30 billion dollars.
Mr Jens Monsees - Chairman
Mr Monsees joined Infomedia as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in May 2022. He is a seasoned global executive with a strong acumen for scale and growth, driving digital transformations, structural turnarounds, platform economy, and AI strategy. He brings extensive M&A experience, energy, and engagement to motivate organisations to realise their potential.
Prior to joining Infomedia, Mr Monsees was CEO and Managing Director of WPP AUNZ, an ASX listed advertising and media company. He led the company to a strong increase in profitability in just 18 months, before taking the company private.
Before moving to Australia from Germany, Mr Monsees was Chief Digital Officer and Senior Vice President of Product and Corporate Strategy at BMW Group, where he implemented a digital transformation program. During his seven years at BMW, Mr Monsees also served as Global Innovation Manager and Global Brand Manager for the international MINI re launch. He then spent seven years leading the Google Automotive practice, first across Europe and later on a global scale. Mr Monsees' other career highlights include a global CEO role at Arvato AG Solution (part of the Bertelsmann Group) and senior brand manager roles at Mondelez, Colgate-Palmolive, and Schwarzkopf & Henkel.
Alongside his executive role, Mr Monsees acts as a Non-Executive Director, investor, and board advisor for digital start ups. He holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Kiel and Rotterdam University, in Germany and the Netherlands respectively.
Mr Graham Cubbin - NED
Mr Cubbin has over 25 years of experience as a director and member of audit and renumeration committees of large public companies in Australia and the US. He was a senior executive with Consolidated Press Holdings from 1990 to September 2005, including as Chief Financial Officer for 13 years and as Non-Executive Director of Publishing and Broadcasting for 10 years.
During his tenure Mr Cubbin developed long-term incentive schemes for three volatile businesses and initiated and led raising over $1 billion of debt from the US private placement market for a private company with up to 13 years tenure with minimum covenants.
Mr Cubbin was Chair of McPherson’s Limited and a Non Executive Director of WPP AUNZ , White Energy Company, Challenger, Bell Financial Group Limited and Teys Australia.
Mr Andrew Venables- NED
Mr Venables has more than 30 years' experience as a financier, lawyer and gene therapist. After completing a law degree, he joined the largest Australian law firm where he made Partner in a record time under 3 years. Recognising his work on complex multibillion dollar transactions, he was named a leading Australian Finance and Mergers and Acquisitions lawyer. Andrew has an economics degree from Flinders University of South Australia and a law degree from the University of New England with a first-class honours and a, rarely awarded, University Medal. Mr Venables is the author of a book about the international syndicated loan market.
Mr Jake Kelder - Founder
Mr Kelder founded YP Threads, a successful direct to consumer clothing company generating millions of dollars in revenue with customers in over 20 countries. He has founded 3 companies since he started in business at the age of 20 and has a law and business degree from QUT, Brisbane. At University, Jake was the Founding President of the Australian China Youth Association (QUT Chapter) and Secretary of the Economics and Finance Society.