ABOUT THE LEAD TRAINER & MANAGING DIRECTOR
Alex First is one of this country's leading strategic communications specialists, advisors and media and presentation skills trainers.
He is heavily involved in providing high-level strategic advice, guidance and training to the government and corporate sectors, with a specific focus on media management, media relations, media skills, presentation skills, public speaking, issues management and crisis management.
An award-winning practitioner, Alex has a reputation for excellence in the industry. Clients regularly comment upon his professionalism and integrity, his timely and reliable service and his resourceful ways of turning negatives into positives.
He has an extensive network of contacts at senior levels throughout Australia and abroad.
His formal qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts (Media Studies) with a major in communications from RMIT University in Melbourne.
Alex has been a public speaker, presenter, journalist and news reader since he was in his teens, working for many mainstream news, current and public affairs outlets in suburban and metropolitan newspapers, magazines, radio and television.
Not only has he been a senior reporter and news presenter, but he has also worked as Chief of Staff.
As a journalist, Alex has covered all manner of stories, from politics, industrial relations, business, finance and technology to crime, trauma, demonstrations, courts and fires, from education, health, welfare, science and the environment to human interest, the arts, entertainment, religion and sport.
He has built an enviable reputation as a solid, reliable and resourceful reporter and presenter, never shying away from asking difficult or tricky questions.
Alex has conducted one-on-one and group media and presentation skills training, along with issues and crisis management, for a broad range of key clients and is adept at combining the theoretical with the practical to maximise the performance of the individuals who come under his tutelage.
He trains people pro-actively, to increase their general understanding of how to present more effectively and how to handle awkward and difficult questions if, or when, they arise during the course of a presentation or media interview.
Alex also readily prepares his clients for specific interviews on an as-needs basis.
He is well used to orchestrating news conferences, preparing news releases and acting as a moderator and facilitator for events, conferences and seminars.
With an unwavering commitment to excellence and to bringing the best out of the individual – which, in turn, will reflect favourably upon the organisation with whom that person works – Alex is energetic, enthusiastic and highly polished in his skills.