Michael Gethen is the principal of Gethen Media.

Michael works at the forefront of industry, market and technology knowledge in the evolving Digital Media and ‘Web 2.0’ internet and mobile environments, having built, run and commercialised digital media businesses and major websites across the automotive, fashion & beauty, food & lifestyle, communities & news and property sectors.

His most recent corporate role until early 2008 was with IPMG as Chief Executive Officer of Independent Digital Media. IDM is a web publisher and digital marketing & technology services company. Michael developed the strategy then managed IDM’s launch and initiated the acquisition of it’s first key investments, including AgencyXYZ, Response Directive and BlueFreeway. IDM is part of Australia’s largest privately-owned print media services group, Independent Print Media Group.

Prior to this Michael was Group General Manager - Interactive of IPMG’s Federal Publishing Company business unit, commencing in 2005. Michael launched FPC Interactive, the third publishing unit of FPC, working closely with FPC Magazines and FPC Community Newspapers, building the team that developed some of Australia’s favourite consumer websites and online communities including vogue.com.au, taste.com.au, homehound.com.au and villagevoice.com.au

From 2000 to 2005 Michael worked for Fairfax Media, Australasia’s leading media company, as Marketing Director and then General Manager of drive.com.au within Fairfax Digital, taking Drive from a small, unprofitable website to a large, profitable and rapidly growing national business. He then worked as Director of Strategy & Implementation for Classifieds with John Fairfax Publications working across the classifieds businesses of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, working on turn-around strategies and the launch of new publications such as the locally zoned Domain publications. 

Michael’s early career began in sales and marketing, rising to general management roles with a number of leading multinational companies, including Kodak Australasia, Century 21 Real Estate, Kwik Kopy Printing, and a subsidiary of Honeywell, Inc.

He completed his MBA and a Masters of Management (Marketing) at Macquarie Graduate School of Management, and studied Economics at undergraduate level at Macquarie University.