Robert Buckingham
Creative Director
Robert Buckingham is the CEO of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, and MPavilion’s creative director. He has a long association with Australian design and the arts, and has created, curated and coordinated hundreds of art and design events and exhibitions.
Robert co-founded the Fashion Design Council of Australia (FDC) in 1984, worked in programming for Craft Victoria and the WR Johnston Collection, and was the founding creative director of the Melbourne Fashion Festival from 1996 to 2003. In 2006, Robert established Mr Buckingham, a consultancy specialising in business and project development through strategic creative planning, brand development and event direction.
Robert first collaborated with Naomi Milgrom at the Melbourne Fashion Festival, creating its inspirational cultural program. In 2013, they worked with RMIT University to bring a major exhibition showcasing the acclaimed Belgian fashion designer and educator, Walter Van Beirendonck, to RMIT Design Hub.
Jessie French
Deputy Creative Director
Jessie French is the deputy creative director of MPavilion. She has worked on the project from the very beginning, before its launch, as assistant producer in 2014 working heavily across the inaugural season’s music program and as associate producer overseeing the whole program in 2015. Jessie has lectured at The University of Melbourne, RMIT University, and the Victorian College of the Arts on curatorial practice and public programs.
Before joining the MPavilion team, Jessie was project coordinator at Right Angle Studio, working behind the scenes on many creative projects with City of Melbourne, the National Gallery of Victoria and The Future Laboratory. In 2007, Jessie worked with a small team to bring British fashion designer Kim Jones to Australia. She has also worked on production of two feature films: Hail (2011), directed by Amiel Courtin-Wilson, and Ruin (2013), directed by Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody.
Jennifer Zielinska
Associate Producer
Jennifer Zielinska joined MPavilion in 2016 as an associate producer focussing on the MTalks and MMeets series.
Originally from London, Jennifer was the coordinator for Friday Late at the Victoria and Albert Museum for two years, a role in which she was responsible for curating and producing design, art, architecture and digital related events. This included the project highlights Radio V&A, Spectacle of the Species: Alexander McQueen, and Queer and Now.
Before the V&A Jennifer worked with the learning team at the Royal Academy of Arts to produce the young people’s programme, the Louis Vuitton Young Art Project and established RA Lates, a series of themed nights at the Royal Academy of Arts featuring musicians, performance artists, installations, talks and more.
Jennifer’s experience in public programming extends from Late at Tate at Tate London, the British Museum and Pop Rally at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Alexandra Zafiriou
Communications and Development
Alexandra has worked with MPavilion for over a year and brings communications expertise honed in London, where she helped cultural clients in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Alexandra has also been a director at Edelman, a communications firm with a focus on brand marketing, and vice-president of communications at Louise Blouin Media, a leading international art and culture magazine, website and book publisher. At the Louise Blouin Foundation, Alexandra took on the role of development director, and she has also worked at Brunswick Arts, a prominent communications firm specialising in arts PR. Her extensive experience includes work with organisations such as the United Nations, Macquarie Bank, HSBC, ADACH, China’s Ministry of Culture, Christie’s, Venice Biennale, Art Dubai, Abu Dhabi Art, Sharjah Biennial, Design Miami/Basel, PAD Fairs, Stella Art Foundation, Kandinsky Prize, YSL, Chanel, Mont Blanc and Absolut.
Sam Redston
Technology and Production
Sam Redston manages technology and operations for MPavilion, and through his business Flot & Jet works with diverse performing arts projects, public events, corporate events, installations and sculptures. The many varied projects Sam has collaborated on all have a common thread of being led by creative visionaries with extraordinary technical and operational challenges—with MPavilion being a perfect example. Sam is motivated to deliver outstanding creative concepts using a blend of production, business, logistics and operational skills developed over 20 years in event production and project management roles.
Project highlights over the past 15 years include: MPavilion 2014 & 2015; Director & General Manager, Creative Production Services ’08-’15; Crown Casino’s Christmas and Lunar New Year installations ’08 to ’14; King Kong The Musical’s Opening Night Party & Eureka Tower Stunt ’13; major public art installations at Federation Square ’12, ’14, ’15; City of Melbourne’s 100m Chinese Dragon installation, Docklands ’14; Melbourne Fashion Festival Parties & Public Events (various) ’03, ’08-’12; Melb 2006 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony (Delhi Segment – Production Manager); Keating! The Musical ’06 premier season; Production Manager/Technical Director Jack Morton Worldwide ’06-’08; Business Development Manager, Gearhouse Group ’98-’01.
Alan Weedon
Community Manager and Administration Assistant
Alan Weedon is MPavilion’s community manager and administration assistant. Alan has worked as a writer, editor and photographer for Broadsheet, Voiceworks, VICE, and The Quietus (among others). He worked as the nonfiction editor at Voiceworks from 2012 to 2014 and worked as the co-editor and designer of RMIT’s student magazine Catalyst in 2014. Currently, Alan is a member of Melbourne’s photography and video collective, Aevoe, and—as you’ve just read—now happily finds himself here at MPavilion.
Daniel Gladys
Copywriter
Daniel Gladys is MPavilion’s copywriter. Daniel has a background in independent publishing and commercial copywriting. He started his writing career as the founding editor and contributing writer for a sub-culturally influential online zine before working with The Thousands, Right Angle Studio and in a varied freelance career for both independent publications and commercial clients.