Brad has an extraordinary depth of knowledge and passion for Australia’s grains industry, primary production, research and innovation. A generous, enthusiastic and empathetic leader, he is also sublime writer and editor, and hands-down king of the dad joke. He’s even managed to squeeze one in here as part of our #2minuteswithcoretext series:
• Describe your job:
Writer, editor and co-founder of Coretext. My role for many years varied across working ‘in’ the business as a journalist, writer, photographer, editor and ‘on’ the business, working with clients to develop the services we provide.
• How long have you worked here?
From the beginning, in 2002.
• Best aspect of your job?
Applying a long career as a business and science journalist to supporting Australia’s innovation sector and being joined by talented, like-minded professionals who have together built Coretext into a dynamic editorial and design business that has high standards, community, empathy, purpose and vision.
• Tell us about the photo you’ve provided:
I love life’s little, fleeting, intersections. Somewhere in an album or framed on a bedside cabinet might be the photo from this frozen moment in time. It was 2008 and I was strolling around Montmartre with my wife (and Coretext partner) Adrienne after completing the ‘shadow’ Tour de France. The nuns were laughingly trying to take a selfie with a camera, which back then was a guess and giggle affair. And so to their rescue came a gallant photographer.
• Where were you born:
Perth (Whadjuk Nyoongar country) Western Australia
• What are the best things about where you live now?
I live in Yarraville, a small inner-city precinct imbued still with its harbour-side history and feel.
• What are you reading, watching or listening too?
Lately listening to a lot of Hans Zimmer; but my fall-back tastes are the likes of Queen, Pink Floyd et al from the 70s.
• What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I lived and worked on a tulip farm in Holland concurrent with a half-hearted effort as a racing cyclist.
• If you weren’t doing your job what would you be doing?
Writing (books and music).
• What’s the smartest thing you’ve been told?
There are two ways to grow old – as a victim of change or as a participant in change.
• What do you want to be remembered for?
Trying rather than wondering.
• My earliest memory is:
Standing in awe as my uncle took a guitar case down from the top of a wardrobe, opened it, and started playing. I was three.
• When I was a child I wanted to be:
Invisible
• The scariest thing I’ve done is:
Find myself in a minefield (with a bunch of plant seed collectors).
• My last holiday was:
Too short
• Favourite saying:
Unprintable
• Favourite musician/author:
Graham Greene
• Favourite bit of technology:
The wheel
• Invention I’d like to see created:
Teleporter
• The country I’d most like to visit is:
Not a country, but the Antarctic … before it melts.
• If I could visit any other place or time it would be:
Rottnest Island, 1955.
• To make the world a brighter place I’d:
Try and find its light switch.
• I admire the ability to:
Say nothing when there is nothing to say.
• In life it’s important to:
Stop for a moment.