They operate at the intersection where the next decade's decisions are happening
In the ongoing convergence of media, music, and technology, strategic communications consultancy Sound Story has appointed Jono Harrison as General Manager, drawing on nearly two decades of experience across Spotify, triple j, Universal Music Australia, and Mushroom Group. The move reflects a broader truth about the communications landscape: that the most valuable counsel now comes from those who have lived inside the industries they advise. Sound Story's Sydney expansion signals a consultancy deliberately positioning itself not at the edges of cultural and technological change, but at its centre.
- Media, music, technology, and policy are converging faster than most organisations can navigate — and Sound Story is betting that lived industry experience is the sharpest tool available.
- Harrison arrives with rare cross-sector depth, having shaped strategy inside a national broadcaster, a global streaming giant, and independent music companies — a combination few advisers can claim.
- The appointment is not a standalone hire but part of a deliberate Sydney expansion, with two additional team members joining in quick succession to build east coast depth.
- Sound Story is assembling what it calls a brains trust — strategists, journalists, and storytellers with vertical expertise — to serve clients in the creative industries where reputation and culture intersect.
- The firm's leadership is explicit about its direction: building for where clients are heading, not where the industry has been, with senior talent and operational investment as the mechanism.
Sound Story has appointed Jono Harrison as General Manager, effective immediately. Harrison comes from Universal Music Australia, where he led media and audience strategy, and brings close to two decades of experience spanning Spotify AUNZ, triple j, and Mushroom Group — a career that has moved through national broadcasting, global streaming, and independent music in equal measure. He also advises the Centre for Arts, Sports and Technology on culture, innovation, and policy.
Managing Partner Jake Challenor described the appointment as a meaningful step forward for the firm's client work, noting that Sound Story's clients operate where media, culture, technology, and policy are colliding at speed. Harrison's value, in Challenor's framing, lies in having worked inside all of those worlds — giving him an understanding of how audiences actually move through media today that translates into sharper, more measurable strategy.
In his new role, Harrison will work alongside Challenor, Managing Partner Brian Lawlor, Communications Director Jane Elliott, and Head of Corporate Communications Zanda Wilson. His remit covers business growth, client and team leadership, and operational innovation. Harrison noted that he had previously worked with Sound Story as a client and had seen its strategic rigour and industry connections firsthand — a factor he credited with the firm's rapid growth.
The hire is part of a broader Sydney expansion. April also saw the addition of Senior Publicist Kiana Harvey and the promotion of Maddie Koczanowski to Operations and Projects Lead. Together, the moves extend Sound Story's footprint across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and South East Queensland. Challenor's stated intent is clear: to build a consultancy that reflects where clients are heading — investing in senior talent, strengthening systems, and innovating in the spaces where the next decade's conversations are actually taking shape.
Sound Story, a strategic communications and reputation consultancy, has brought Jono Harrison into the role of General Manager, effective immediately. Harrison arrives from Universal Music Australia, where he most recently led media and audience strategy, and carries nearly two decades of experience across media, music, technology, and culture—a combination the firm sees as essential for advising clients through an increasingly tangled communications landscape.
Harrison's career has moved through some of the world's most recognizable platforms. He spent five years at Spotify AUNZ managing artist and label partnerships, served as an Executive Producer at triple j, and held a strategic role at Mushroom Group overseeing radio and streaming. Beyond his corporate roles, he advises the Centre for Arts, Sports and Technology on matters of culture, innovation, and policy. It's this breadth—having worked inside national broadcasters, global streaming services, and independent music companies—that Sound Story believes positions him to understand how audiences actually move through media today.
Jake Challenor, Managing Partner at Sound Story, framed the appointment as a significant step forward for the firm's client work. He noted that Sound Story's clients operate in an environment where media, culture, technology, and policy are converging at unprecedented speed. Harrison, having sat inside all of these worlds, understands the mechanics of that convergence in a way that translates directly into sharper strategy and measurable impact for the brands and leaders the consultancy serves, particularly across the creative industries.
In his new position, Harrison will work alongside Challenor and Managing Partner Brian Lawlor, as well as Communications Director Jane Elliott and Head of Corporate Communications Zanda Wilson. His responsibilities span business growth and performance, elevating the quality of client and team leadership, and driving innovation across the operation. Harrison himself emphasized that he had already worked with Sound Story as a client and had observed the firm's strategic rigor and deep industry connections firsthand—factors he credited with the consultancy's rapid growth.
The appointment is part of a broader expansion of Sound Story's Sydney footprint. In April, the firm also brought on Kiana Harvey as Senior Publicist and promoted Maddie Koczanowski to Operations & Projects Lead. Together, these moves extend Sound Story's presence across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and South East Queensland, building what the firm describes as a brains trust of strategists, journalists, and forward-thinking storytellers with deep expertise in specific verticals.
Challenor's closing statement captured the firm's strategic intent: Sound Story is building a business that reflects where clients are heading, not where the industry has been. That means investing in senior talent, strengthening operational systems, and continuing to innovate so the work cuts through and endures. For a consultancy operating at the intersection of music, media, technology, and policy—the spaces where the next decade's conversations and decisions are actually happening—that positioning matters.
Notable Quotes
We're building a business that reflects where our clients are heading, not where the industry has been— Jake Challenor, Managing Partner at Sound Story
Sound Story really is in the middle of it all. They operate at the intersection of music, media, technology and policy—where the conversations and decisions shaping the next decade are happening— Jono Harrison, General Manager at Sound Story
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a communications consultancy need someone with Jono's specific background right now?
Because the industries Sound Story serves—music, media, technology—are colliding. A decade ago, you could be an expert in one. Now a client needs someone who understands how a streaming platform thinks, how a broadcaster operates, how policy shapes what's possible. Jono has lived inside all three.
But he's coming from Universal Music. Isn't he just another music industry hire?
That's the point—he's not just a music hire. He's worked at Spotify, triple j, Mushroom Group. He's advised on policy. He's seen how audiences move across platforms. That's rare. Most people specialize. He's seen the whole system.
What does a General Manager actually do at a consultancy?
He's responsible for the business growing and performing well, but also for making sure the advice Sound Story gives clients is sharper and more grounded. He's the person who brings operational discipline and strategic depth to the work.
Is this just a reshuffle, or is something actually changing at Sound Story?
It's part of a real expansion. They're hiring in Sydney, promoting people, building out their team. The message is clear: they're investing in senior talent because they believe the work clients need is getting more complex, not simpler.
What's the risk here?
That hiring a well-known name doesn't actually change how the work gets done. But Challenor's statement suggests they're thinking about systems and innovation, not just bringing in a figurehead. We'll see if that holds.
Where does this leave Sound Story in a year?
Bigger, probably. More visible. The question is whether they can actually deliver on the promise of being at the intersection of all these converging industries, or whether they become just another consultancy with a good roster.