Bianca De Candia

Bianca De Candia (’09) shares her incredible, fast-paced journey to get into the competitive media industry and how Loreto moulded her into the woman she is today.

In continuing Old Scholar Stories for 2021, LOSA would like to recognise Bianca De Candia’s (’09) incredible journey she embarked on to get into the fast-paced, competitive media industry, being a finalist for B&T’s 30 under 30 (2019 & 2020) and how Loreto moulded her into the women she is today.

Bianca in her own words:

“Firstly, I feel so honoured to be asked by LOSA to contribute to the Old Scholar Stories. 

To this day, I am proud to call myself a Loreto girl. It takes leaving to realise how much you love it and miss it – The Loreto spirit definitely stays in our veins forever. 

I began at Loreto in Miss Cappo’s reception class in 1997, and the school became my home for 13 years before I graduated in 2009. After school, I went straight to uni and completed a 4 year double degree in Journalism & Creative Writing and Communications (sub majoring in Marketing) with the dream to work at one of the many fashion magazines I had grown up reading monthly. A dream I knew deep down was so far out of my reach. 

After years of jetting to Sydney during my uni holidays to embark on internship after internship (thanks mum!) at glossy magazines like Cleo, Shop Till You Drop, Marie Claire & Girlfriend to name a few, I finally landed the ultimate internship as soon as I graduated at Channel 7 as a Junior Producer at The Morning Show with Larry Emdur and Kylie Gilles. That was my first pinch me moment. 

While I was in Sydney temporarily for the Channel 7 internship (& sleeping on the floor of my friend’s apartment) I came across a role for a Brand Manager being advertised at marie claire magazine (under the Pacific Magazines brand umbrella) and so, despite knowing I was incredibly underqualified for the role, I applied. Seeing that job advertised gave me butterflies in my belly. It was the brand I had always dreamt to work at – a brand that like Loreto, represented style & substance. 

After seeing my jazzy little CV, (I had designed it so that it looked like the cover of a Marie Claire magazine - creativity works my friends!) I soon got called in for an interview at Marie Claire for a more junior role that hadn’t even been advertised for yet, got the job, packed my bags, moved to Sydney at age 21 and started my career in media! 

I began at Marie Claire as the Marketing & Advertising Coordinator, working under the reins of the incredible Jackie Frank as Editor & Publisher, and reporting into two incredible Directors - Susie Hogan & Anne-Marie Cheney, both of whom remain mentors to me today.

From that moment on, I worked REALLY hard. I was the first in the office, and the last to leave. I had a ‘can do’ attitude, always happy and willing to do anything that anyone needed me to do. Whenever it felt like I had taken off more than I could chew, I reminded myself that I was living my ultimate dream – working for an incredibly successful and world renowned fashion magazine. As far as I was concerned, I had made it! 

After a lot of hard work, I was soon promoted to be the Marketing Executive across both marie claire & Instyle magazine. I inherited much more responsibility, managed budgets, comms plans, worked directly with clients and sponsors etc, and in that time had the opportunity work on so many incredible campaigns like deliver marie claire’s 20th Birthday campaign in partnership with Estee Lauder and manage three Prix de Marie Claire Awards (one of the biggest international fashion events attended by designers, celebrities and influencers). 

After 4 years working at Pacific Magazines, I was approached by Australian Fashion Labels back in Adelaide to join their team as the Global Marketing Manager across their 6 fashion labels. At the time, this felt like an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up and so I packed my bags and moved back to Adelaide! 

Before long, I realised that I wasn’t ready to step out of the media rat race, and I missed the hustle of Sydney so much. My Pacific Magazines family welcomed me back with open arms, and created a new role for me as the Senior Campaign & Activation Manager across marie Claire, Instyle, Women’s Health, Men’s Health & BeautyCrew. 

It was in this role that I felt like I had really found my groove. I was in charge of the end to end management of all commercial campaigns that were sold in across the business. All event sponsorships were run through me, and I had the pleasure of working with so many different teams across the business i.e. editorial, fashion, digital, sales, marketing etc. in order to execute these campaigns. I worked so closely with brands like Audi, Lexus, Veuve Clicquot, Dior, Georg Jensen to name a few!

After four years in that role, I had the opportunity to head up the team and manage a team of 6. The executives at Pacific encouraged me to enter the 2019 & 2020 B&T 30 under 30 – an awards ceremony designed to showcase the best young talent in the marketing, media and communication industry across Australia. I felt so honoured to be one of the few finalist amongst hundreds of applicants in these awards for two years running – what an opportunity!

Over the past 18 months, I have undergone some major changes in my career with Pacific Magazines merging with Bauer Media and I joined the new business as a Senior Partnership Manager, working across a new suite of fashion & beauty.

In mid-2020, I was approached by News Corp Australia to join their business as the Marketing & Partnerships Manager across their Food & Travel brands, a role which I have completely thrown myself into over the past 12 months. This has by far has been one of the most challenging and fast-paced roles I’ve experienced to date, but I have had the opportunity to learn and grow so much, not to mention meet and make some really great friends, which is priceless. 

Where to next? I have absolutely no idea! Writing this reminds me of all the amazing experiences I have had to date. Every role has rounded me out and offered me something new and different. Over my years I’ve met so many inspiring men and women who make me want to work hard and be the best I can be. I have been raised by hard working parents who taught & instilled in me that nothing comes easy, and that work ethic is everything. These values were further cemented in me by Loreto and I am so grateful to have had the grounding & education of Loreto in the early stages of my life. This has without a doubt moulded me into the woman I am today.”